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Published: April 1st 2008
Today we’re in Key West, one of the only ports the Liberty goes to that I haven’t been to yet. My friend Loraine (who works in the spa and was a friend of mine during my first contract on the Legend) is off today, so we went out together. I’d read about Key West in my guidebook and was prepared for it to be super touristy and tacky and not particularly great. But I love it here! It is very touristy, but there is a nice vibe to the place. The buildings are pretty, the town is so clean, lots of big shady trees line the streets and there’s lots of interesting shops to explore (not just awful touristy ones).
Loraine and I wandered along Duval Street, the main street in old Key West. Popped in and out of shops, looked at artwork. Discovered an incredible photographer. I’ll be back to purchase a piece before I go home for sure. Beautiful works.
It was so good to be off the ship today and needed. Good to have space from work (I have FOUR HUNDRED teens onboard this week!). Good to be out. Good to have a new place to
see and explore. And lovely to spend the time with Loraine.
After our Duval Street wanderings, we set out on my sole mission for the day: key lime pie.
Indulge me for a moment about key lime pie . . . It is my favourite pie. And back home in Canada, it’s almost always bad: gelatin based, fake tasting, simply not the real thing. I’ve mentioned before in my blogs that crew food on the ships is not so great. I especially find the desserts disappointing. Except the key line pie. On the Destiny, I’d call Jody to say it was key lime pie night, save pieces. On the Legend, Brooks would say he’d get me a birthday key lime pie over a cake (and I like cake). Having said all that, I was beyond excited to have key lime pie in the place that created it.
We went to a nice little patio cafe/restaurant and each of us ordered a piece. It was good. But not great. I think the entrees the other patrons were having looked more exciting to be honest.
But then we went to the Blond Giraffe, the winner of the people’s
choice for best key lime pie in Key West. They win every year. And we went to not just the shop, but the factory where they make the pies! Their shop was so tempting . . . cookies, candies, marinades, salad dressings, recipe books - all with key lime. I could’ve tried them all. But I stuck to the mission & got a piece of pie. I’m saving it for later this cruise when I really need it.
But I had an indulgence there: key lime pie on a stick. Seriously! It is literally a piece of key lime pie, put on a stick, dipped in chocolate and then frozen. It was incredible. So good. Terribly awful for me I’m sure, but it’s not like I can have it every day, so I say it’s fine. Excellent in fact. Though about halfway through I started struggling. And then it started melting all over me. As I ran to a street garbage can to eat it over, a local just stood outside his store and laughed at me. But I finished it. By it’s end, I was so over-saturated in key lime . . . but wow, was it good!
After returning to the ship, I learned that our itinerary is altering slightly and we're now going to be going to Key West every other week. Good thing I've got that gym competition happening - I need to make up for all the pie I'll be eating!
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swills82
Sarah Willett
LOL
I was literally laughing out loud at the thought of you running around frantically with pie all dripping, and the local laughing. I love when locals laugh at us. Feels nice to make someone's day just by being us. lol. Sounds amazingly delicious.