Our next stop was Big Pine Key to go to the No Name Pub. The walls were lined with dollar bills from travelers all over the world. It was a neat place and the food was decent.
After what seemed like a lifetime, we made it to our hotel - Casa Marina (A Waldorf Astoria...because we're classy). It was beautiful.
That night we experienced Duval Street for the first time. We chose a quieter bar called The Porch for our first drink (a local blonde ale called Crazy Lady). Anthony was feeling under the weather so he headed back to the hotel. The rest of the crew had heard good music from the rooftop bar next door so we decided to head there.... big mistake. After managing to miss every sign indicating what type of bar it was, we found ourselves on the rooftop with some, wait for it, naked people. Yes, we paid (thanks, Joe) to inadvertently see naked people, most of which were old. We should've seen it coming as the bar name was Garden of Eden.
On to the next bars - Sloppy Joe's which had great live music and finally Fat Tuesdays. Duval Street is definitely a must see when in Key West.
The next morning was a slow one - perfect for lounging, eating lunch on the beach and renting paddleboards. But we had big plans for dinner! Susan had booked us at Latitudes, a highly rated restaurant that required a boat trip to get to. It did not disappoint! We had a wonderful meal in an even more wonderful atmosphere as the sun was setting.
After, we walked around the small island and enjoyed the quiet streets. Our boat ride back even included a show - a man had lost his phone and was yelling at his fiance the entire time!
Back on Key West, we decided to venture back to Duval Street. We started by playing big Jenga at favorite new low-key spot, The Porch, before ending with a drink at 801 Bourbon Bar, a drag bar where we unfortunately didn't make it in time for a show.
The next day started with breakfast at the Cabana Cafe. After, we hung out at the beach before Joe and I decided to go see the southern most point in the US. There was a long line but I managed to sneak a picture in between people taking turns...
Joe and I ended up turning our short excursion into a long walking tour to see Mile Marker 0...
...The Hemingway House, the Little White House, and a smoothie shop. Another beautiful day!
The rest of the group was right where we left them - at the beach. We relaxed for a while before jumping in the car for our next stop, Marathon. Dinner at Seven Mile Grille was uneventful, as was breakfast the next morning.
But then came the flight cancellation and all hell broke loose. A storm was supposed to arrive in Pittsburgh that night and most flights were cancelled. After trying to figure everything out, the group set off for Fort Lauderdale instead of the Turtle Sanctuary (next time, I promise little turtles!). Susan, Joe and Anthony ended up taking a connecting flight to Cincinnati and driving back to Pittsburgh. Anne and I grabbed a last minute hotel room, some delicious dinner and read our books with a bottle of wine at the hotel pool.
After a last minute booking the next morning, we ended up on a flight back to Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, this meant our Saucy Cinco (Anthony, Anne, Susan, Joe and I, duh) vacation had come to an end....but don't worry Florida, I'll be back very soon.
