Miami and Key West: A Wonderful Holiday

Florida USA was our destination for a long-awaited holiday in November with good friends…four of us flew out for three days in Miami South Beach before linking up with two other friends in Key West for another ten.

MIAMI SOUTH BEACH

After a 3-hour delay leaving Dublin Airport, we endured another 2 hours waiting for our baggage at the US end before we got a 30-minute cab ride to our Airbnb in South Beach. It was a perfect location, just a short walk to the beach with its iconic colourful lifeguard towers and close to all that South Beach has to offer.

How we loved the vibe in Miami. We had never been anywhere like it before. Ocean Drive and its well preserved art-deco architecture is amazing.

But, what we really enjoyed was people watching, for instance sitting having lunch in ‘News Café’, as the world went by.

It was a favourite of Gianni Versace who lived just a few minutes away. His former home is now a very expensive restaurant. We walked miles and also availed of the free bus service, whenever we reached exhaustion.

Lincoln Road

We had lunch at one of the Italian restaurants on this famous pedestrianised shopping street and had a quick browse in a few of the boutiques.

The amazing sculpture (below) caught our attention. Later I discovered it was first unveiled at ‘Burning Man’,  the increasingly popular big desert event focused on community, art, self-expression and self-reliance. The 32,000 pound sculpture R-Evolution is a representation of feminine strength and liberation.

THE KEYS

The friends we were staying with in Key West kindly drove to Miami to collect us and we then drove through torrential rain most of the way south. We were glad we were not behind the wheel as the conditions were atrocious. Of course, it did not last long and our weather was beautiful for the rest of our trip. We saw the Florida Keys in all their glory as we drove back to Miami and we also explored the canals and looked at the many houses on stilts.

If any of you watched the series ‘Bloodline’ set on the Keys, you will know what I am talking about. These houses ranged from the smallest to the most extravagant.  They all had their own boats docked out the back and cars at the front. Some even had their own small aeroplanes and a runway!

KEY WEST

Key West, the most southerly point in the USA, is certainly unique and quirky.

Wild roosters and hens roam the streets and we were woken every morning by our own resident rooster.

The architecture is very unusual. Most of the houses are made from wood, with metal roofs to help withstand hurricanes. I loved the different homes, from the smallest conch houses to the mansions with wrap-around verandas.  Many were painted bright colours which added to the charm.

 

CEMETERY

One of the more  unusual things to do in Key West is to visit the city cemetery. It was founded in 1847 following a hurricane that destroyed the previous graveyard. I loved how many of the gravestones told us the work of the interred person.

There were separate sections for the Jewish community, Cuban martyrs, naval deceased and even some headstones with masonic symbols. And ‘Admiral, Conch Republic Navy” made me chuckle.

SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

This museum is an interesting recreation of a 19^th century warehouse that tells the fascinating story of Key West’s maritime heritage through film and shipwreck artifacts. The original wealth of the town came from the shipwrecks, where local boatmen salvaged goods from floundering vessels and then sold the items back to the boatowners!

We climbed the 65’ lookout tower to see exactly how shipwrecks were once spotted along the reef and, of course, it gave us a wonderful view of the area.

WATERFRONT

The Waterfront area is particularly popular and attractive.

There are plenty of cafes and bars and lots of expensive motor cruisers whose owners were keen on fishing. It was while walking along here that we spied the manatee (below), a large sea cow that is an endangered species in Florida as they are often killed by boats’ propeller blades.

We had to experience a few of Key West’s famous sunsets,  the one at Mallory Square and one at the beach (below). Mallory Square is literally a circus with street performers and tons of people toasting the setting sun.

FAMOUS RESIDENTS

Writers Ernest Hemmingway and Tennessee Williams, musician Jimmy Buffet and poet Elizabeth Bishop all lived in Key West at various times. We spent a pleasant few hours in Hemmingway’s home and saw many of the renowned cats with 6 toes, each of whom were given famous or unusual names. Former feline residents are remembered with individual name plates.

The best holidays are holidays with family or holidays with friends And this year, we have had both. We consider ourselves very fortunate.

There is plenty to do and see along the Florida Keys. I have only given you a taste. We found the locals really friendly. You can swim, snorkel or sail and have a really active holiday.  Or you can do what we did! We explored, we swam, we enjoyed our food and wine and we had fun in the company of really good friends.

“There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” — Thomas Aquinas

Hilda xx

 

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