Friday, March 2 - Last Day in Key West

WE HAVE OFFICIALLY ARRIVED IN KEY WEST!!! 😍🎉

Our boat is secured in Gallieon Marina, and it is time to explore the island.

Since the mode of transportation here is mostly bicycles and motor scooters, 

we decide to use our bikes to get around.

After getting our "official" Key West picture, we check out the Atlantic Ocean.

Next stop, lunch with Captain Charlie Erickson (also, engineer of the Key West Express).

As we bike around the island, we continue to see what we have viewed in the past when we visited; 

the roosters literally rule the island!

While the residential lots are VERY small, the homes are absolutely beautiful!!!

One residential lot that wasn't very small was Ernest Hemingway's home.

Hemingway had a passion for cats; in fact, 55 are still living on the premise today!

They rule the house, as well (Hemingway's master bedroom)!

 Hemingway loved his porches; two porches surround his home, 

one on the upper and the other on the lower part of his home.

The Key West Lighthouse can easily be seen from Hemingway's home now 

that Hurricane Irma has come and gone!

 Hemingway's upper porch connected his master bedroom to his writing studio (a separate building).

Beautiful gardens surround Hemingway's home.

One of Hemingway's FOUR wives had this pool built on the grounds.  Frustrated with her "playboy" husband, Hemingway's wife had his boxing ring removed and spent $20,000 on building the first pool in the Keys in its place (what an expense, when Hemingway only paid $8,000 for the house)!!!

On another day we tour President Truman's "Little White House", 

which he stayed in five times during his presidency.

We also enjoy shopping in some of the many boutiques on Key West.

As we come back to the boat later in the day, the tarpon and pelicans show up for a special treat; the fishing excursion boats return and are cleaning the fish they had caught (guess who were the recipients of the fish scraps)?!

As we walk our bikes back to the boat, we are reminded of the beautiful country we live in, 

 but also some of the remains of the damage of Hurricane Irma.

The nights end with BREATHTAKING sunsets, 

full moon risings,

and finally, dinner and dancing downtown;

 some of the most famous: Sloppy Joe's, Captain Tony's, and even Hogsbreath!