When the seed of visit Key West was strategically planted in my mind by Denise during 2021 I started to watch videos, looking for the must to see there, and finally putting these on lists on Google Maps. She was right about the time, I thought 4/5 days will be okay, she said “at least one week Silvy”. In retrospective 2 weeks would have been much better, but I didn’t want to bother them for so long. Why 2 weeks? One to visit the area and the following to relax and enjoy it haha Thanks to my wonderful hosts I can make it in one.
Key West
Location: Straits of the Florida, Monroe County.
Nicknames: The Southernmost point of the US., The Conch Republic.
Population: 26444.
Land area: 14,5 Km2.
City Motto: One human family.
People born in Key West are called “Conch”.
There are many interesting things about this place that I learned in my visit:
1) The Conch Republic : on April 23, 1982 Key West decided the secession of the city from the United States as a form of protest against the checkpoint established in the US1(looking for narcotics and illegal immigrants). This roadblock causes trouble for travelers to and from Key West, hurting the important travel industry. So they had a:
Prime Minister: Mayor Wardllow
Citizens were called “Conchs”.
Currency : Conch dollar.
A National Anthem called “Working in the Conch Republic” wrote in 1994 by Joe and Meri-Lynn Britz.
A nice Flag
Of course, all of this was a sarcastic way of protest for the checkpoint and the travels inconvenient. Nowadays it’s another tourist attraction of Key West that’s still a part of US.
2) Many trails will be waiting for you.
After 2 ó 3 days biking this beautiful and helpful electric bike @Denise_Barlock thought that I was ready for a tough one trail. Such a fun and for moments scary adventure, the trail was getting narrowed as we advanced. Denise was leading the path and suddenly she fall in front of my eye, many thinks crossed my mind in a few seconds, I left my bike and I went to check on her. Luckily, she got up quickly and fine and we continue. We finally got the end of the trail, we took a moment to watch the views and take photos and we come back. When we returned I said to her touching my head “OH NOOO” I forgot my helmet at the end of the trail! Thanks to me we come back for that hard trail to recover the helmet but this time we did it better and faster haha
3)Roosters & Chickens are protected by law. If you are visiting The Keys you will find wild chickens in everywhere, seriously in everywhere (Once I saw one Rooster high Ina tree). Where they came from? Story says that they were brought here by the Cuban ancestors and used for food and the illegal sport of cockfighting. Many of them escaped and others were released when the fights were prohibited by law. Now they’re known as the “Key West Gypsy Chickens”.
The ordinance “prohibits cruelty to animals and bans luring, enticing, seizing, molesting or teasing an animal.”
5) Key West the city of the forts.
*Fort Zachary Taylor: named after the US President death in 1850. It was used first in the Civil War in 1861, also in the Spanish - American War, WWI & WWII and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
It’s placed at the Zachary Taylor State Park, we went there with Denise biking by nice trails until to reach the beach, a quiet and calm one with people enjoying that beautiful day.
We arrived to Fort Zackary Taylor two hours before it close but we were able to spend only 10’ (just time for a few photos) because they were closing due to an emergency. I can’t say I liked this place because I couldn’t see it properly.
*Fort East & West Martello
Were built by the US Army as a twins to provide extra protection to Key West during Civil War. Many troubles during their construction (yellow fever, an hurricane in 1865) and the fact that no one battle was took on or around the island made that the Army abandoned the construction of these forts. In 1950, the Key West Art & Historical Society opened their first museum: Fort East Martello.
Our visit here with Denise was a blast! We went there in a middle of the week after noon, basically we were alone in the museum. We started our visit to this place in a room full of relics of the Civil War, following to see how the life was at those days in Key West with different stage representations and in one moment a weird music called our attention, so we were attracted to the room were that creepy song came from. Ohh guys, if the song was disturbing the stage in front of us was worst. Settled in the middle of this room a big glass box with this figure dressed in his sailor’s clothes, it was “Robert The Doll”. At the other side an old funeral cart didn’t help to avoid the irrational fear that we started to face. We took some pictures, there was some writings with the story of this doll and his owner Robert Otto, a four years old boy (a story that deserves it own post, believe me).
In one moment we saw this phrase in the wall: “Remember…you need to ask Robert’s permission to take his photo”
We look at each other and Denise told me “did you ask Robert’s permission?” (off course not) so… Do It? haha was a funny moment, but as a grown women we wasn’t scary at all, but we spent the following 20’ during our stay there talking about Robert, one of the infamous ghost of Key West. In some point we were climbing a narrow staircase to the roof top and a loud noise sounded, followed by Denise’s scream. Off course we didn’t think about the doll at that moment haha Lucky of us when we got the terrace a mother and her daughter were there, the responsible to hit the door before. Memorable adventure.
*Fort Jefferson
Sadly we had not enough time to get there. It’s placed in Dry Tortugas National Park , 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. Was built from a 16 millions bricks in 1861. Used during Civil War and the American - Spanish War, was abandoned many times. In October 26, 1992 was established as a National Park.
6) There’s a Little White House here. Used as a residence by six Americans Presidents, the first one Harry Truman.
7) Duval Street : the main street of the island, it’s 14 blocks long (1.8Km) crossing from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.
Fun Facts
- 42 bridges connect Key West with the mainland of Florida.
- the third largest Coral reef in the world is here.
- It is closer to Cuba than it is to Miami.
*In this city you have the highest average temperature in the US. Key West never gets frost. - Hemingway house was the first in KW to have running water and a swimming pool.
- Cayo Hueso (Island of bones) was the original name for Key West given by the first Spanish that arrived at the island, due to the many bones founded there.
- Ponce de León was the first European to visit the island and was by mistake while he was looking for the fountain of youth.
- The first connection to the mainland was a train, the railroad bridges was completed in 1912.
*The first international flight from Key West in 1927 connected with Havana, Cuba. The airplane of this flight was Pan American. - Hemingway’s wife Pauline installed a big and expensive pool ($20000), as a present for her husband. When Hemingway returned from Spain and found it he was angry and he threw a penny from his pocket onto the ground declaring :“You might as well take my last cent”. She kept the penny and now is in the concrete close to the pool.
I tried to be brief while writing this post but sorry I couldn’t haha. Believe me I’m leaving a lot of things out. I hope you enjoy learning more about this beautiful city as much as I enjoyed my time there with Denise.
This post will be part of the next #CityChallenge hosted by @Denise_Barlock & @jayasimha78 and co-hosted by me on May 28 and you are kindly invited Key West Trivia Quiz
Silvy.
Part 1: Conociéndo a una amiga a 7000 Km de casa: “Hello Denise”
and the gif used by you is amazing.
