Another rainy morning. Last full day in Key West for our daughter and her family. Made the most of it when the rain stopped....Ryder's first visit to the beach, another visit to the splash pad, the farmers market and sunset near Mallory Square.
Key West is full of beautiful murals. Above is one of the many I've taken during my exploration of the island. It was taken inside the Moondog Cafe & Bakery, an excellent little restaurant and bakery up the street from where we are staying.
The building above is the San Carlos Institute, a Cuban heritage center founded in 1871 by Cuban exiles who came to Key West to plan the campaign for Cuba's independence from Spain. José Dolores Poyo and Juan María Reyes, two distinguished leaders of Key West's Cuban community, proposed the establishment of an organization dedicated to promoting Cuban cultural values and patriotic ideals. The San Carlos was principally supported by the contributions of the Cuban tobacco workers of Key West who donated a substantial portion of their modest wages to the Institute. Many legendary figures of Cuba's independence movement addressed the exile community at the San Carlos Institute. First among them was José Martí, Cuba's legendary patriot and poet, who so loved the San Carlos that he called it "La Casa Cuba." This lead to the establishment of the Partido Revolucionario Cubano that encompassed the ideals and aspirations of a united exile community. The PRC planned and organized the War of Independence that eventually succeeded in ridding Cuba of Spanish colonial rule. Today the San Carlos is a multi-purpose facility that serves as a museum, library, art gallery, theater, and school and stands as a monument to the perserverance of the Cuban people in their quest to free their homeland and preserve their culture.