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Published: April 7th 2006
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A small islet, Sunset Key, appears outside our balcony window this sunny morning. Populated with new looking homes and fringed by small sandy beaches that reach down to green water, it looks like one good wave could wash it all away. To the right is a small key covered with a grove of trees that have no leaves. Is it damage from a previous storm? In the distance, other keys appear like small round dots on the ocean.
The ship offers many excursion options for discovering Key West, from snorkeling to sport fishing to historic walking tours. Since Alan and I are on bodyguard duty, we accompany Kathryn to Compass Rose for a leisurely breakfast and day.
Once we’ve completed our meal, Kathryn decides to go back to her cabin for a morning nap. Alan and I take the opportunity to explore Key West until it’s time to meet Kathryn for lunch back on the ship.
We walk down the gangway and join a throng of other tourists. Mariner is one of three cruise ships in port today. Alan and I walk across the pier to Mallory Square in “Old Key West.” This is definitely tourist country.
In the square, a fiberglass pirate blows a shell in front of Shell Warehouse while a real person blows into a conch shell to attract paying visitors to Key West Shipwreck Historium. Shops surround a brick- paved courtyard where wooden carts display an array of intriguing items for sale. One cart holds a collection of colorful bottles in blue, pink or green. Another cart displays shrunken heads and coconut hula girls. A poultry flock pecks at the ground and walks between us. The rooster won’t cooperate for a photo shoot, moving just before the camera shutter clicks.
Alan and I start our walk with no particular destination in mind. We turn down one street and soon discover jewelry shops selling diamonds and tanzanite. “I’m going to check this shop out,” I tell Alan.
“Ok, I’ll be waiting down at the corner,” he says. Since he has the credit card, our budget is safe. My curiosity satisfied, I catch up with him and we continue our walk, turning down one tree-lined street and then another.
Soon, we reach Duval Street, Key West’s main drag. It’s like the city of New Orleans but on a beach. Pastel colored buildings
with stripped awnings house shops and restaurants. Tall, branching trees shade the sidewalk.
It’s only 10:30am, but patrons sit at open-air bars drinking beer or pina coladas. Singers wail out Jimmy Buffet songs while they strum guitars. At The Bull, a bar housed in the lower level of a white house with black shutters, there is a bull sticking out of the wall, poking out into the sidewalk. Inside, a black-clad Elvis impersonator stands spotlighted in the dark bar, belting out “Love Me Tender.”
A woman dressed in black, from her hair to her clothes, sits outside of the bar. She perches on a stool drumming up business. Handing me a business card she says, “You can see Elvis here or go up one floor to The Whistle Stop to play video games and shoot pool. Or, you can go to our Garden of Eden on the top floor and get naked.”
Alan and I continue our walk. After crossing the street, we turn back to look at the building housing Garden of Eden. At the top of the building, we can see a rooftop lined with trees and potted plants. We can’t see any naked people though.
The sidewalks of Duval Street are crowded with people. We pass by them as they check out local shops selling hats, jewelry and souvenirs. All the well-known stores are here, too. “Hey, Alan, look, it’s Chico’s,” I say pointing to the sign as he takes my picture in front of my favorite store.
We tire of the crowds and turn left down a side street. After a block or two, the street becomes quieter and Key West’s historical nature appears. Old homes with wide verandas sit behind hedges and trees. A white arbor draped in red flowers, guides our eyes down a garden path. On another corner, Cypress House, circa 1888, still welcomes lodging guests.
Back at the ship, we accompany Kathryn to La Veranda for lunch. Our table by the window gives us a view of blue sky, white puffy clouds and boat traffic on the water.
In the afternoon, Alan and I spend time on our balcony. We must be docked beside an ocean highway. Catamarans and speedboats buzz by. Sleek sport fishing boats gleam white in the sun, as they return from a day of fishing while rows of fishing rods, lined up
at the stern, reach skyward. Beyond Sunset Key, a parasail floats over the water, it’s blue and green fabric billows in the breeze giving a thrill seeker a scenic ride.
We attend a before dinner piano concert where Donovan Le Nabat entertains us with a tribute to popular pianists. He plays to a taped orchestral accompaniment as a slide show flashes pictures on the screen behind him. When he plays the songs of Jerry Lee Lewis, Donovan sings along. He ends by playing the piano with his foot ala Jerry Lee.
After dinner in Compass Rose, we have a choice between a big screen movie, “Walk the Line,” in Constellation Theatre or the evening game show, “The Liars’ Club” in Horizon Lounge. We choose sleep instead.
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