Key West

So, we're back. I've actually been back for a week, but work has been so crazy there has been little time for nothing else. I really meant to recap while I was there, I swear. Yes, it was all it was cracked up to be and more. I loved every minute. I wish I could move back but that is a different time. I'll try to recap as best as possible...

Day One, Part One

We had to get up at 5:30 (after Brad spent the evening telling me I packed too much...who do you think was wearing my extra t-shirts I packed and running out of underwear?? Not me.) to get the plane, the cab was here in plenty o' time and we were off. When we landed in Miami, the weather was a chilly 65 degrees which was like bathwater to us 22 degree Ohioans. My dude called for the shuttle to the car rental place I had found on line that had "too good to be true" rates. The non-english speaking at all driver picked us up and I worked my spanglish magic on him to the point where he continued to talk to me in spanish for the entire ride even though I had no idea what he was talking about. We drove down into the ghetto-chickens, pitbulls, homemade empanadas....and there was the car rental. The man at the counter told my man that the price we had reserved on the internet was an "estimate" and quoted us another price, which was $100+ of the "estimate". My dude of course freaked and worked it down to only 30 dollars more then the price and we were off before gunfire could break out. We hoped in that Ford Focus (midsize car, my ass!!) and headed down the keys...

At about mile marker 70, we stopped to get gas and change into shorts and flip flops. We were on island time!! We got a big gatorade and a water (hydration prepping for mass alcohol drinking) and a bag of plaintain chips and took off at a brisk 45 sometimes 25 miles per hour which meant we were really making good time. The next thing I knew we were at MM 20, and that my friends, is the home of Mangrove Mama's. This was a favorite of mine when I lived down there. Distinct keys style-mismatched chairs, pink, purple, and teal paint, cutesy signs all over the walls. We stopped, I had a margarita and some stone crab claws...YUM.



We also had some smoked fish dip which is a real treat as we don't have that any where around here. My dude had a jerk shrimp ceaser salad. The tequila gave me a good buzz and my excitement of driving into Key West itself overwhelmed me...We're at Stock Island! We passed the tattoo parlor where I got my tat, the golf course and we were there...the last 3 miles of US 1.

To be continued!!