Day 46 - Key West - What's Up With This Rain in Key West?

The day started out cloudy so Randy took care of some personal business and I took care of some laundry.  We made dinner reservations for New Years Eve, New Years Day, and a lunch.  New Years Eve was especially tough due to all the people in town, but we managed to secure a reservation at Azur, a Mediterranean restaurant recommended to us by Megahnne Downes (who also recommended Schooner’s Wharf and Santiago’s Bodega, where we went for lunch).

We walked to Truman’s White House, a Key West home built on Navy property where Truman spent close to 200 days during his terms as president.  It was an interesting tour and it is certainly easy to see why Truman wanted to spend so much time in Key West.  As we left, it began to sprinkle lightly.  In addition to the stray cats that wander Key West, chickens and roosters also wander, and we ran into some near the Post Office. We walked to the Bahamian Village to eat at Santiago’s Bodega.  The menu was all small plates and we shared several, including grouper, tuna ceviche, shrimp and chorizo, and Brussels sprouts.  Randy even ate a few of the sprouts!  This restaurant is excellent – a little off the beaten path, but well worth it.

 

Hemingway House is not far from Santiago’s, so we thought we would go there next.  There was a line to get in and now it was raining harder.  So instead we went to the Lighthouse Museum.  We snatched up the last 2 poncho they were selling for $2 to keep us dry.  We climbed he 88 steps to the top and could see the whole island from there.  The old lighthouse keeper’s house was also part of the museum and we toured that too.

 

Due to the clouds and rain there was not much of a sunset celebration.  One brave performer was giving a show.  We went to Captain Tony’s and had pirate punch instead.  Captain Tony was a famous resident of Key West, mayor and bar owner.  This was the original location of Sloppy Joe’s, which is now on Duval Street.  Jimmy Buffet used to hang out here and write songs.  All of this is documented in framed news articles that are hung on the walls.  Outside, the sign that hangs above the doorway includes an open-mouthed fish.  People stand with their backs to the sign and try to throw a coin into the fish’s mouth.  Cheers broke out with successful throws.

The rain had stopped by now and we went back to the boat and relaxed for awhile.  Later we walked the harbor boardwalk to the Conch Bar for appetizers, drinks, and more live music.  What fun is this!