Lazy day walking around Key West getting my bearings. Key West has a storied past, which I will go into as I spend the next 2 and 1/2 months on the Island. Key West has character and characters....it is a different world. Some interesting and unusual sites on an early morning walk. Famous for its roaming chickens that are everywhere and crow well before sunrise. Even though Halloween is more than a month away, they are already getting ready to celebrate it on Duval Street which is best described as a mile long "pub crawl". A life-size sculpture of Marilyn Monroe standing on a street grate in front of the Tropic movie theater. Interesting old buildings and tropical Kopek trees, that have adapted to the environment, often blown by high winds from tropical storms and hurricanes. It grows large, buttress roots supporting the trunk. Smart tree!
Thought I would share some fun Key West facts:
CONCHS AREN’T JUST PRETTY PINK SEASHELLS.
In Key West, conchs are people born in Key West. You’re not considered a conch by simply living in Key West; but if you’ve been a local for at least seven years, you may be considered a “freshwater conch” in some circles.
KEY WEST IS CLOSER TO CUBA THAN MIAMI.
As it’s famously stated on the Southernmost Buoy at the end of Simonton Street, Key West is 90 miles to Cuba. But to get to Key West from Miami, it’s a 150-mile drive down the Overseas Highway.
FORTY-TWO BRIDGES CONNECT KEY WEST TO THE MAINLAND.
FORTY-ONE DEGREES IS THE RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE IN KEY WEST.
.THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND GULF OF MEXICO MEET IN KEY WEST..
KEY WEST WAS ONCE THE RICHEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES PER CAPITA.
Key West made its riches from wrecking and salvaging ships that crashed on the reefs and shallow waters offshore. Locals made their riches auctioning off or reselling the valuable cargo.
THE ISLAND IS ONLY EIGHT SQUARE MILES.
Running four miles long and about two miles wide at its widest, Key West is a small island. The popular Old Town makes up about half of this area.
KEY WEST TRIED TO SECEDE FROM THE US IN 1982.
Key West is often referred to as the Conch Republic. This is because in 1982 the citizens advocated for secession as a revolt against the US Border Patrol who set up a roadblock and inspection at the entrance to US-1/Overseas Highway looking for illegal immigrants and narcotics. This proved to be a major inconvenience to tourists trying to access the island. Today, the Conch Republic Independence Celebration takes place every April with tongue-in-cheek celebrations and parties.
Off to happy hour at Pepe's, the oldest "joint" in Key West. Great fresh oysters and $1.50 drafts of Yuengling, the oldest brewery in the U.S.