My Florida Vacation This Year...

[WAYNO]

I've found myself in Florida two years in a row. Had a free day, so I rented a car and drove to Key West.

I've seen it in the fishing and travel shows, so I've always known it was there, but I've gotta say I was absolutely speechless when I saw it in person. Might be old news to the folks back east, but to me it was wonderful. I could only pretend to imagine the life style of the folks that really live there.





WAYNO. 8)

 

[Heliman]

Slightly jealous WAYNO! I will be in Florida next year around March 1 to visit my brother who lives in St. Cloud. Probably won't make it to Key West, but still looking forward to getting away from the dreary PNW winter....

See you at the range when it quits raining!

Dave

 

[WAYNO]

For years, I've watched the fishing shows, where they are fishing along the bridge pilings. And I am laden with envy. I have fished the Gulf, and I know the fishing opportunities are endless. And it's sunny. I could live in the South really easy.


WAYNO.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Great place to visit or vacation but there are too many weirdos down there now and my brother and his son both used to live down there. Wait till a hurricane comes through and you won't want to live there for anything.

 

[sfhogman]

Jealous, for sure.
I used to be stationed at Homestead AFB, and on the weekends we'd take the motorcycles down the Overseas Highway to spend the evening in Key West. Good times, good food, good music in the bars. Even brought home a six-toed kitten from the Hemingway house.

Jeff

 

[smoke-eater]

Great place to visit or vacation but there are too many weirdos down there now

Yep, and I'm related to a couple of them. :roll: I try to keep my visits to a minimum, and always glad to get back home, even if home is New Jersey!

Glad you had safe and enjoyable trip, Wayno.

 

[ned]

My friend Travis used to range that far in his house boat the Busted Flush all the way from his slip F18 in Bahia Mar near Ft Lauderdale......no wait that was the Travis McGee series by John D MacDonald....some old timers here will remember the series. Went there by motorcycle once, from Seattle, might go back some day if the MC and I can keep moving

 

[eveled]

I like to zoom in on the keys once in a while. Looking at the houses that are all by themselves right off the road. A driveway infront, and a dock behind.

Or a group of houses around a tennis court, all with their own dock and a boat. Must be nice, although storms must be scary.

I wonder too about UPS deliveries when your house is basically on a bridge to nowhere.

I'm envious of your vacation drive.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Sounds like a good vacation. Looking forward to seeing pictures of the fish you caught. I haven't fished down there and it's been quite a while since I was in Florida, once down in Miami, they have some great tour boats that show you around and all the stars and celebrities homes. There are some serious money people driving their big cigarette boats around with women mostly naked laying out catching the sun. We had some come by us when we were on the tour and the guy doing the tour said "I love my job" I can see why. Once I was down there for a trip to the Caribbean for business. Not sure it's for me but a vacation could be justified for sure.

 

[Fox Mike]

The wife and I spent two weeks in Islamorada on Plantation Key some years ago. Did LOTS of snorkling. Visited Key West and did the 'tourist' things while there. Was planning on going to Margarettaville but they were closed for an 'employees party' that day; just my kind of luck. I could easily fit into the laid back attitude that seems to be prevalent there.

 

[kentucky yeti]

Hello from Anastasia Island! Here all week for some r&r. Of all the places we have visited in Florida, St. Augustine is still our favorite.

https://flic.kr/p/Sr5swy

 

[contender]

Well, I can say I've been to Key West several times. Being a diver,,, I used to visit the Keys often. I'd stay in Marathon, a mile or two north of the 7 mile bridge. My favorite place was a little mom & pop motel right at the Vaca Cut. I could drive south to Key West, or motor a bit north & fish or dive the "old" bridge pilings. Caught a bunch of Lobsters there too! My two favorite places in Key West are Mel Fishers museum, & the Hemingway house. I even got to teach a SCUBA class to some US Customs agents in Marathon once. Did I enjoy that trip.
Yep, the Keys are a fun place to visit,,, but a good friend (US Customs agent,) lived there for about 4 years & couldn't wait to move. Everything is trucked in, and not as many things for the locals, as it's mostly geared toward tourists.
But the homemade Key Lime pie,,, (and yes,,, some are much better than others,) in a place called "Herbies" was the BEST!
Yep,,, a fun place to visit!

 

[exavid]

The wife and I visited Key eighteen years ago in our camper truck. Man. I just realised how long ago that actually was. Doesn't seem that long ago. It was interesting though there was one thing we saw that required eye bleach. it was a skinny old man in a very brief thong. Other tha that the place was interesting. I wish I'd had the time to get in some fishing there to compare against what we had in Alaska.

 

[Rook]

The first time I went to Key West was in 1958. It's a whole different world these days. Back then at night you could drive for hours and not see another car from Homestead to Key West.

 

[protoolman]

I for one remember the Travis McGee series. Made me want to see florida. So lasr year we spent 10 days there. Wonderful place!

 

[XP100]

I moved to West Central Fl in Sept. 16. So far so good. Almost anyplace is better than Central NY, FUAC

 

[Colonialgirl]

If you get close to Tampa in the Zephyrhills area. let me know and we'll do coffee somewhere !!

 

[WAYNO]

... a skinny old man in a very brief thong. Other tha that the place was interesting. I wish I'd had the time to get in some fishing there to compare against what we had in Alaska.

I also saw an old man exposing his wrinkled old ass on the wrong side of this sign. If he was 30 years younger I would have given him the what for. Worst part is my wife saw it, and now she knows what to look forward to. :shock:


Fishing, as compared to the Northwest? I didn't fish this time, but I did on a previous visit. Imagine the pretty little tropical fish in the pet store. Now imagine those same fish, two feet long. That's what I caught. A different kind every time. After I threw the 2nd one back, the bait boy asked me what the heck I was doing. "Catch and release". He said we don't throw anything back, and if I didn't want the fish, I was expected to give them to somebody else on the boat. He said the other folks were here to catch their food.

WAYNO.

 

[WAYNO]

Whilst I was there, I took a little boat ride to some of the other Caribbean islands...

St. Kitts... Took the sugar-cane train ride. If you wanted, you could contribute or invest $450,000 and become a citizen, and live the life of luxury.

St. Martin... Took the taxi cab tour. The driver said 100% of what is used, consumed, or sold on that island arrives in shipping containers. They produce nothing of their own.


And the famous runway on Maho Beach at St. Martin? Quite the tourist destination. There was no room to even breathe.


A borrowed photo to show the attraction of Maho Beach.


Labadee Haiti... Although the tourist beach is gorgeous, the people are as poor as ever. The street vendors were pushy enough that even I could not resist buying their trinkets.


San Juan Puerto Rico... Beautiful and historic. They didn't mind taking my money, but other than that, I wasn't very welcome.

And Ft. Lauderdale... Touristy. But I like it there.


WAYNO.

 

[XP100]

If you get close to Tampa in the Zephyrhills area. let me know and we'll do coffee somewhere !!

OK, sounds good to me. I am in Hudson. I was going to Zephyrhill quite a lot. My Dad lived there. He passed the end of Nov. Glad I moved here we got to spend some time together. He was down here 26 yrs. He was smarter than me.

Ralph