A Beautiful Morning

On the morning of our first anniversary, we woke to another gorgeous day. We planned to spend the day in Key West and then relax at the cottage the next day. Before we left, I walked down to the water, where I saw a cormorant walking up the driveway like a little drunken man. I have always seen them on the water before, never walking around like that. It was pretty entertaining.

In the interest of not overeating this trip, we decided to hit a coffee shop before exploring, with an early lunch later. We figured this would also help us to beat the crowds. We found a little shop serving Cuban coffee. It was some of the best coffee I have ever had.

Southernmost Point

With coffee in hand, we headed to the southern end of the island. We parked in the lot next to the butterfly sanctuary and walked a few blocks to the Southernmost Point of the continental United States. A large buoy declared the spot as such and gave us the opportunity for a photo op. It was funny to see the unsuspecting people get splashed as the waves shot through an opening in the concrete when they got too close.

Butterflies Galore

Our next stop was at the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Of everything we saw in the Keys, the conservatory was my favorite. As we waited our turn to buy our tickets, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the ticket clerk. The people ahead of us were scolding the clerk after they discovered a cheaper ticket for their 12-year-old. In her defense, they had not asked for a child’s ticket, and the child did not look at all like he was only 12. We did our best to relay our appreciation that she was there so we could enjoy the exhibit.

The first room we went through was a display of many different types of butterflies. It entertained us to spot one that they had mounted upside down. Several employees walked by us with carts full of plants as we looked at the collection, taking them into the butterfly room.

We made our way through the double set of doors, designed to keep the butterflies from accidentally making their way outside the sanctuary. As soon as we were inside the humid, greenhouse-type structure, it seemed that we were in a magical scene in a Disney movie. Butterflies were everywhere. All types and sizes flew around us, lighting on the flowers and food plates throughout the plant life.  One of the butterflies landed on Chris’s head and was perfectly content to hang out there as he walked around, oblivious to his new friend.

We took our time slowly wandering through the multitude of butterflies, taking it all in, allowing other people to pass by us. In addition to the butterflies, we saw several exciting species of birds, tiny, bright blue shining honeycreepers, adorable button quails, and two magnificent flamingos, among others.

An Encounter with a Flamingo

The flamingos, Rhett and Scarlett, share a small pond at the center of the conservatory with a pair of Mandarin ducks. We spent a good bit of time in the gazebo at the end of the pond. For some reason, Chris’s presence captivated Scarlett. She stayed right next to him the whole time we stood there.

When we walked around to the other side of the pond, she followed him there as well. We saw a sign that indicated it was mating season for the flamingos. After he enjoyed bonding with the flamingo, we continued along the path through the butterfly garden. Scarlett started loudly barking when we turned the corner and were out of sight, calling Chris back.

As we continued our walk, the butterflies continued to mesmerize me. Finally, it came time for us to leave. We walked through the double doors again, stopping to make sure we didn’t have any hitchhikers on us. It was a nice touch that they gave us complimentary butterfly stickers as we entered the gift shop. They are beautiful, brilliant blue butterflies like we had seen inside. The stickers now live on the dashboard of the 4Runner.

Mallory Square

We drove to the other side of the island and found a parking lot next to Mallory Square. Paid parking does not start until noon on Sunday. We decided to get lunch and then return for a parking ticket. The food truck we picked did not open until 11, so we walked through Mallory Square to the water. We could see sailboats and a mega-yacht in the distance. I still couldn’t believe the gorgeous color of the water.

We stopped by the truck before heading to lunch to grab some sunscreen. A rooster approached us while we were there, perfectly content to hang out and watch what we were doing. The wild chickens thoroughly entertained me, particularly this rooster that seemed to find us so fascinating.

We walked a few blocks to Garbo’s Grill for lunch, arriving just as they opened. After we ordered our food, I called the restaurant we had picked for dinner to make a reservation. Unfortunately, they had no more tables available for the night, but we could get a reservation for the next day. We quickly changed our plans to include returning to Key West a second day.

Aquarium

We had a great lunch at Garbo’s Grill and made it back to the truck just in time to get our parking ticket. We casually walked to the Key West Aquarium, enjoying some window shopping on the way. While the aquarium is not as large as some others we’ve been to, we liked the open and airy environment. I enjoyed the sea turtles, sharks, and rays in the open pools in the center of the building the most, but there were plenty of fascinating sea creatures to discover and enjoy.

Our aquarium ticket included admission to the Key West Shipwreck Museum, which was interesting as well. My favorite part was the 65-foot observation tower. It was a tough climb, but once we made it to the top, the view was spectacular. The artifacts, salvaged from various shipwrecks in the area, were fascinating.

An Unexpected Garden

After leaving the museum, we wandered back toward Mallory Square. We stumbled upon the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden, a courtyard with bronze busts of people who have made significant contributions to Key West. The highlight of the Sculpture Garden for me was “The Wreckers” at the center of the courtyard. The sculpture depicts two men salvaging a shipwreck on the reef near Key West and rescuing a little girl. The little girl is tied to one man’s back while clasping his neck with her tiny arms.

We started to walk Duval Street to look at the shops, but it was hot and crowded. Before leaving the Mallory Square area, we stopped at Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Pie Shoppe for a piece of their famous key lime pie. How could we go to Key West and not get a slice of the special treat?

The shop was not what I expected, just a simple store featuring all kinds of products with key lime. I ordered my piece of pie, and we walked back to Mallory Square to enjoy the tasty delight. The pie lived up to my expectations in every way. The delicacy paired with the view was paradise.