Homeward Bound

We arrived home yesterday, Thursday, March 3, after two tough days of driving.  Our last day at Key Largo we went to Biscayne National Park.  This is a unique park in that it is mainly water.  It was established to protect the northern Keys.  Here are some photos.

 Dock at Biscayne NP

 Miami skyline from Biscayne NP

Manatees at Biscayne NP

 After leaving Key Largo we headed to Venice, FL to visit Gary and Donna, my cousind and his wife.  We had a nice tour of the Venice area and toured a model of the home they are building there in Venice.  The home is lovely.  I'm anxious to see it when they get it done.  I asked them what month we should come down next winter.

 Donna and Carol

 Gary

 Photos of the model home - master bedroom

 Master bath

 Carol, Donna, and Gary in the living room area

 Kitchen

 Lanai and pool area from the living room

 Rec room area

 Venice beach - much better beaches up here than in the keys

 Pelican on Venice fishing pier

 Snowy egret

 Gary and Donna on Venice trolley

Carol and I on Venice trolley

Key West

We just got back from three days in Key West.  We enjoyed the experience but I do have a hard time trying to figure out why some people go back year after year.  It is crowded and kind of hectic.  Overall though is was fun.  Here are some photos.

 Mallory Square early in the day

 Lunch at the Hog's Breath Saloon

 The Audubon House

 Truman's little white house

 The Little White House

 Evening in Mallory Square - There are a lot of people doing entertainment here to get a few bucks from the watchers.  It works we kicked in.  These take place right before sunset at Mallory Square, which is the in place to watch the sunset.  Problem is it was cloudy at sunset.  The second evening we went to Ft. Zachary Taylor beach to watch the sunset but it was still cloudy.

 Tour guide at the Hemingway house

 John Hemingway's writing studio above the pool house.  He wrote 70% of his books here in Key West

 The front of the Hemingway House
 Lunch at Mangoes

 In the dining room of the Hemingway house.  Note the cat on top of the cabinet.  There are about 50 cats on the premises.  Apparently they are descendents of the original cats owned by Hemingway and his wife.

The front of the Hemingway House

 The tour train we rode around town.

Lunch at Mangoes on Duval Street

 Let's see 1, 2, 3, 4 ..................  Chickens are protected here and they run wild.  They are everywhere.

 The Geico lizard

 Mile zero on Highway 1

Jimmy Buffet was here

 Strange things

 A Hemingway hangout

 A man and his best friend having a drink

A few homes in Key West

 This is a wall mural in the Cuban part of town depicting life in Cuba before Castro

 More wall murals.

 Ft. Zachary Taylor beach

 More beach

 Blue Heaven Restaurant - where's my two dollars

 About 10 am and some folks are getting an early start

 Eating area at the Blue Heaven

 Entrance to the Blue Heaven

More chicken.