Hurricane Wilma Landed Us a Big Surprise - Fantasy Fest

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It’s all because of hurricane Wilma that we got a taste of Fantasy Fest in Key West. The annual tribute to “Freaks, Geeks, and Goddesses” was postponed from its normal (that’s an odd word to use here) dates in October because of the big storm. So we arrived absolutely clueless (admitting we never even heard of Fantasy Fest) and got a big surprise. The guy at the Visitor’s Center tried to explain the event. Said he, “Well, there will be people promenading up and down Duval Street dressed (and undressed) in all sorts of accessories and costumes.” That’s a fairly good description, but we also passed vendors up and down the street with great menus, interesting drinks, and quirky goods. Lively music, showers of beads from balconies, and memorable people watching added to the party scene. We skipped getting our torsos painted and didn’t stay for the big parade the next night, but we certainly have something new to talk about.

We arrived in town on this popular weekend without reservations and were lucky to find a B&B at the corner of Duval and South Streets. This very funky Victorian is right across the street from the most southern home in the US. The owner, Mona, runs a clean and convenient inn. She has done all of her own decorating, with netting over the beds and a grand “over-the-top” approach to just about everything. We had breakfast on the L-shaped porch and loved everything about Mona’s inn.

This was our first trip to Key West and won’t be our last, we enjoyed the Sun Set Scene at Mallory Square, old town, the old harbor, the Schooner Warf Bar, Turtle Krall, Zachary Taylor Beach, window shopping, and just the general laid back kookiness of the town. On our way back up the Keys, we just about wore out our new Michael McCloud CD - which we bought at the Schooner Warf Bar.

Our trusty AAA guide helped us find a great place to stay on Saturday night. We arrived at Lime Tree Bay on Long Key in time for a swim and the sunset. Dinner at Little Italy next door on Route 1 was delish. We stopped for a late lunch at the dock at Naples Harbor.

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