01/31/2012

 We just came back from a visit to my brother Rick's condo in Islamorada which is the Florida Keys.  We drove down Friday to Ft Lauderdale Airport w/ my brother Mike and his wife, Paula to pick-up their son Troy.  From there we went on to the keys.  We arrived  about 9:30 at night.  We flipped a coin to see who got the master bedroom and I lost, so Larry and I had twin beds but the bath was just steps across the hall.  The condo was great!

The next day we all went down to "Robbie's Place", a waterfront, surf shop, rental place.  We ended doing an "Eco Tour" on a small runabout.  This turned out very good, since it was just the five of us and Sam our captain and tour guide.  We were out for two hours and saw many things, including  a saltwater crocodile, iguanas, many, many birds and lots of mangrove "islands".

Larry and I on the "eco tour boat"

Saltwater crocodile

Birds at "Robbie's Place"

The third day we drove and hour and half down to Key West and spent the day there.  This was a good time.  Larry and I walked from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean!  This is only about a mile and a quarter!  Later that afternoon we all went to the Square to watch the sunset, along with about hundred other people.  There were all kinds of entertainers and booths selling everything and anything to do with Key West.

Mile marker 0

Larry and Mike under the tightrope walker at Mallory's Square

                       The sunset from Mallory Square, Key West, Florida!!


The fourth day the weather changed and the wind was horrendous!  It was steady at about 20 miles per hour with gust up to 30 to 34.  We did go to a state park in Key Largo and had planned on snorkeling off the beach, but the wind would not lay down.  My brother Mike did get in and tried to snorkel for about 5 minutes!

Paula and me on the beach in the WIND!

All in all it was a good trip.  Larry had never been to the Keys and I had been only once and that was about 40 years ago.

Good to be back to my little house!!