Key West, Florida: Day 1 - Wandering around in the Keys

Travel Date: Monday, Dec 08 2014

Got up in the morning and said goodbye to Sarah as she was leaving for work. Had one last coffee with AJ and wished my fraternity brother well.

Perhaps I needed the luck being stuck in Miami traffic.

Eventually I drove past Homestead and headed towards the Florida Keys.

You can say that is the official welcoming sign: Florida Scene Highway & Florida Keys

I pulled into Wahoos Bar & Grill on the Islamorada Key.

The view from my table.

And got some chilled, cooked fresh seafood.

Drove along the road and stopped nearby to appreciate the turquoise waters.

And then got stuck behind an RV on one of the lanes. This is to be expected. Fortunately, they eventually sped up. EVENTUALLY.

Typically Florida Keys roads. Long stretches of road and blue ocean waters on either side.

Old bridges which are now tourist walk ways.

The old rail road that AJ told me to look out for. Too bad I couldn't pull over to take better pictures.

And finally I get to Key West, and find my hostel: The Seashell Motel and Key West Youth Hostel.

That is what it looks like on Google Maps... south of United States.

My hostel seems nice.

Ah room number 17.

Bunk #2: the bottom one. Reminds me of peregrino life in Spain.

Time to walk around and see the ocean and more of Key West. I guess they are prepared for Christmas.

I head over to the Key West Marine Park.

Stop by the ocean to take in the views.

Then I head to a visit to the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory.

After which I walk around and go to CVS.

Why CVS? I need to buy supplies for camping tomorrow at the Dry Tortugas National Park.

After my camping supply run I drop my stuff off and head back over to the Marine Park to catch the sunset, or what is left of it. :-( Just missed it by a few minutes. Darn!

I leave the Marine Park and walk towards the Main drag of Duval Street.

The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory looks pretty at night.

I stop by my hostel to take of some things.

Wander off in Hopeless Wanderer mode past some lit up houses.

And accidentally stumble at a authentic Cuban restaurant: El Siboney Restaurant away from the popular Duval Street and there is a line. When there is a line you know the food has got to be good.

I find an empty seat at the bar.

Great they have their own Cayenne Sauce. I like this place ALREADY.

In typical touristy fashion I start talking to my neighbors. The Latino gentleman to my right doesn't speak much but the two ladies to my left are really friendly. Stephanie (in the front) lives in Key West and told me this is one of her favorite places and her friend Jen is visiting her.

Stephanie recommends I get the El Siboney Skirt Steak. So I do.

And the give me some of their banana chips.

Seriously everything was fantastic. Couldn't ask for better random company for dinner. Stephanie and Jen thanks for the great recommendation. I know whom to call if I come back to Key West :-)

After dinner I make my way inevitably to Duval street. The second most interesting house on the street is the Key West Woman's Club.

Walk from one end to the other. And stop by one of the vendor kiosks to get recommendations of where to park for FREE for my trip to the Dry Tortugas National Park.

Forgot his name, but he saved me some money with his recommendation. Thank you kind sir!!

And then while walking back and I decide the martini bar at Martin's Lounge catches my eye, and I decide to succumb to my dry tongue and have a few cocktails.

Turns out the bartender Andrew is from Lynchburg, Virginia: 60 minutes from where I used to live. I guess I still live there technically since I have a storage locker.

I decide to get a chocolate martini: my favorite type of martini.

Andrew tells me that the order makes the chocolate liqueur or something like that. It is quite good.

And after two cocktails I head home... to a Gideon's bible in one of the drawers.

Time to go to bed. I have to wake up and be there at 6:30 AM at the Ferry. No good night sleep for this Hopeless Wanderer.

Reflections:

Great to spend some time with AJ before I departed. Seriously cant thank him and Sarah enough for the great hospitality and generous stay in Miami.

The drive to Key West was long but beautiful. The seafood at Islamorada Key was between average and good, but nothing to rave about. My hostel was relatively cheap $50.00 for a night. Fortunately they had the AC cranking on high. The bed was uncomfortable and the shower/bathroom was gross. Maybe worth the $50.00 I paid for it since everything in Key West is EXPENSIVE.

By losing myself, following my intuition and wandering around I run into the most amazing unexpected experiences and I love it for the stories. Accidentally finding El Siboney restaurant which I highly recommending trying, sitting at the only remaining seat at the bar right when I walked in, and meeting Stephanie and Jen for dinner was a treat. Stephanie's recommendation of the Skirt Steak was 'right on the money.' Go there AND GET IT.

Walking around Duval street and running into the Kiosk guy who gave me the perfect place to park my car and save some money was also a blessing. And finally going into Martin's instead of walking away and going home, and meeting Andrew from Lynchburg was icing on the cake.

Fantastic set of experiences in Key West on just Day 1. Can't wait for the Dry Tortugas National Park experience tomorrow.

Expenses: $222.95
Gas: $25.00 (Westar)
Lunch: $24.50 (Whale Harbor Restaurant)
Camping Supplies: $51.37 (CVS)
Hostel: $49.50 (Seashell Motel & Keywest Hostel)
Dinner: $19.75 (El Siboney Restaurant)
Beverages: $20.42 (Martins on Duval)
Beverages: $5.00 (Martins on Duval)
Water Camera $27.41 (CVS)

Miami, Florida: Day 3: A Swig and Swine Pool Party in South Beach

Travel Date: Sunday, Dec 07 2014


After leaving AJ and Sarah I got into my car and headed to South Beach. There was a lot of traffic due to the raised bridge. Probably someone's yatch.

I was planning to meet my friend Milan at the Indian Creek Hotel now the Freehand Hostel. I didn't know there were Hostels in South Beach.

I walk in, and yes it looks inviting just like a hostel.

I head over to the bar

Get the bartender to make me a good concoction.

That looks really really good.

A nice sign that made me chuckle.

And then I meet Milan and we walk together to the pool party. It is a charity event called the Swig and Swine Pool Party. All you can drink punch and all you can eat pork for $30.00. SOLD! Now, I'm thinking why did I get that concoction???

First up is getting some swig.

My boy Milan. We met at the Vipassana Meditation Center in Jesup, Georgia. We weren't allow to talk for 10 days, and I guess we bonded over not talking. One the last day everyone was chatty and a few of us grew in friendship quickly. I told him I was heading to Miami, and it would be nice if we could reconnect while I was down there.

We walk around the pool party and Milan knows everyone. He is MR. POPULAR. One would think the party is for him.

Food.

I try some spicy pork.

Get in my belly.

The good stuff is about to be cooked.

As the evening falls and Milan has to leave and go to work. I wish him well and carry on being merry.

And there is an artist working his magic.

I walk around and sit down with a group of new people and make some new friends with Stephanie, Nick and Vanessa.

My body clock is shutting down, and I'm ready to call it a night early and head on home. Vanessa and Stephanie need a ride to their home so we drive through the Venetian Causeway and the little expensive islands that it connects to. Of course this is a toll booth causeway that doesn't take cash or credit so I'm going to have to wait for a bill in the mail. Hopefully it will not be like my New York toll experience.

Reflections:
It was great to see Milan. It was about a week since we last saw each other but a lot of time had passed since the end of the Vipassana Meditation Retreat. We traded stories of how it has helped us and caught up on each others lives and future plans.

I really liked the Freehand Hostel setup and the Pool Party. The dive bar was great, drink was also good, and the company was fun. It was great to meet Nick, Vanessa and Stephanie. Hopefully in the future I will run into them again in NYC.

The world is small if you think it is.

Expenses: $46.92
Beverages: $12.17
Beverages: $30.00
Tolls: $4.75

Miami, Florida: Day 3 - Art Basel and Cuban Coffee

Travel Date: Sunday, Dec 07 2014

AJ, Sarah and I head out for Brunch in the morning to Morgans in the Midtown/Wynwood area.

And then a domestic dispute broke out. :-)

After things calmed down we ordered and got our food.

I ordered the Benedict Burger: ham, poached egg, hollandaise on a brioche bun. It was very very good ... scratch that. It was delicious.

After lunch we walk across the street to the Art Basel showing in the Midtown/Wynwood area. I met Shelly in Atlanta who told me to check it out when I was in Miami - and fortunately I'm in an area that has some showings.

As we walk around there are so many murals. I liked this one. Note: I am a PC guy who owns an iPhone (but not for long).

There is a showing area in the distance.

Art everywhere

The Time Capsules collection by Peter Tunney

More art outdoors.

There were my favorites

Definitely need a group picture.

We leave the showing and walk around towards out car.

More street graffiti mixed in with great artwork

A traditional piece: Johnny Cash

After the art showing we drive over to Versailles Bakery in Little Havana. They serve Cuban food here - if it wasn't obvious.

I'm dying for some authentic Cuban coffee

We stand in a short line for take out coffee.

Our cute server sees all of us and immediately looks at Sarah and starts speaking Spanish really really quickly and leaves. We are look at each other in a moment of surprise and laugh - none of us understood her or speak Spanish fluently. She comes back later from the bathroom. It appears it was an emergency.

We got our cortaditos and a colada (I think). I'm stoked with excitement.

On the drive back home, we were waiting to make a left turn a guy in a electric wheelchair cuts us off in the middle of the road to make his left turn first. So amusing. Even the car ahead of us is PROBABLY shocked.

We get stuck behind him for a little stretch. He is oblivious to everyone around him.

After passing 'wheelchair guy' we head on home. I have to head out to South Beach to meet up with another friend in the area. So I change and head out for a Swig and Swine Pool Party in South Beach.

When I get back from South Beach, I'm exhausted. AJ and Sarah get back a little later from dinner with their friends. And I call it an early night. A friend of mine lets me know she just got to South Beach but I'm exhausted and ready to sleep.

It was a long day and a good day.

Reflections:

Brunch at Morgans, walking around in Art Basel Wynwood and the Cuban Coffee experience with our Cuban server and wheelchair guy made for funny moments and great experiences while I was in Miami.

I cannot thank and appreciate my hosts AJ and Sarah enough for the wonderful time I had in Miami. My favorite city so far on my travel list was San Diego. But the fantastic experience of my time in Miami has definitely shot it up to the top of the list. San Diego is now a very close second. Thank you AJ and Sarah. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Miami, I shall return!

Expenses: $25.60
Lunch: $25.60