Our second day in Key West was as enjoyable as the first. We sat on the back porch and had coffee as breakfast was being prepared. It was another beautiful day and we had a leisurely morning at the inn before heading back out to explore the island. We didn't spend much time yesterday going through the boutiques and galleries, so that was one of the things I wanted to do today.
Two large Carnival Cruise ships were in port today so it was more congested on the streets and in the stores, but they definitely added to the people watching entertainment. We don't envy their means of travel at all. Arriving in a port with 4000 other people is not our idea of a vacation...although I know people who love it. We wandered through the shops along the seaport and harbor area and then strolled down some of the side streets and enjoyed looking at the old homes and gardens. I enjoy the architecture here as much as I do in Charleston. I found lots of pretty things in the shops and even a few paintings that would look nice on the Hatteras, but nothing I really needed or wanted to pay for.
We stopped at Forgarty's for lunch...we sat outside enjoying the weather and watching the people. People aren't the only things to watch in Key West. The town is full of "Gypsy" chickens and feral cats. Some say the chickens have been in Key West for over 175 years, but their numbers grew in the 1950s, when thousands of Cubans fled the Revolution and came to Key West to support a booming cigar industry. The feral cats are said to be descendants of the cats Hemingway had and many still have six toes like the ones he owned. We've seen lots of chickens during our visits to Key West, but have never seen any of the cats.
The buses that run between Marathon and Key West only arrive every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so we decided we needed to catch an early afternoon bus if we wanted to get home at a decent time. So after lunch we headed back towards the waterfront so we could slowly make our way back to the inn to pick up our bag by the time our bus arrived. But to our surprise we ran into a couple we know from our marina. They came down for the day in their car and offered us a ride home...wonderful, we got to stay a little longer and got home about the same time, plus we had a chance to get to know Charlotte and Magnus a little better. It was a nice ending to a great little trip.
Two of the beautiful homes in Key West
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