FLASHBACK #52: Floridian Adventure (Part 3)

Day 8 – April 15th – Key Largo → Key West 75ºF – Hot / Sunny.

After an early rise at 8am, we headed down to the busy breakfast area for the usual fayre which included a luscious fruit salad. We left the hotel at 10am and headed towards the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Established in 1963, the park was the first underwater park in the USA. The park, combined with the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, encompasses 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. These areas were established to protect and preserve the only living coral reef in the continental United States.

Here, you can get easy access to the Florida Reef by going snorkelling, going on a glass bottom boat and even scuba diving. There is even a visitor centre where you can learn about the reef and it's marine life.

Named after the late Miami newspaper editor, John D. Pennekamp, who was instrumental in preserving the land that would become the Everglades National Park, Coral Reef State Park now enjoys over a million visitors per year from around the world.

When we arrived, we paid the $3 per person entry fee and were disappointed to find that the Glass Bottom Boats were not operating on this particular day. What a big shame. We headed for the ticket office with the intent of going on a snorkelling tour of the reef instead. Within minutes of joining the queue, we approached the salesperson manning the desk and were told that a tour was leaving in ten minutes and asked if we were interested. We took it and handed over a whopping $74! My first thoughts were that it was bloody expensive, but then again it was all for a unique experience.

We collected our flippers, masks and snorkels in a rush and then headed to the departure dock and boarded the huge speedboat with 49 passengers on board plus 3 crew members who started to give out safetly instructions and advice on how to get the most out of our snorkelling experience. If you were to believe the advertising material for this attraction, you would be guaranteed 'bright coral teeming with colourful marine life'. Naturally, we were feeling extremely positive about the experience.

The huge multi horse-powered speedboat whizzed across the Atlantic and, twenty minutes later, we had reached our destination, four miles from land. During the journey, people had learnt to put on the life jackets and, when the boat came to a stop, one by one we started to jump off the boat and into the cold sea. We adjusted our masks and snorkels and, as advised by the instructor, stayed close together and within the designated area. The sea was a bit choppy which made the snorkelling a bit difficult at times. We head into an area about 100 metres away from the boat which promised a view of the underwater Christ of the Deep statue.

With our heads down in the water, eyes darting in every direction, Bree tapped my arm and pointed to the right and there it was. There is was! The 'Christ of the Deep' Statue is an eery, moving shrine of Christ himself designed by Italian Guido Galletti, and installed as a tribute to sailors and those lost at sea.

We encircled the statue many times, it's mesmerising yearning for the surface with two outstretched arms in this world of silence a truly powerful scene. I personally felt at home in this world of silence, especially with my profound deafness.

Despite the cost, the snorkelling experience was worth it although the choppiness of the water and the fact that the coral - and marine life - wasn't as colourful nor full of life as I expected. Seeing the statue, however, was worth the money in itself. To an extent, it felt like a con, just like the Airboat ride in Boggy Creek; there, we had been hopeful of seeing alligators in their own habitat and, comparably, here the wildlife was also not especially remarkable. However, to be fair, there were some big fish and sometimes I abandoned the snorkel, held my breath and went underwater to swim with them. It was great, but there were none of the impressive, colourful fish you were led to expect.

After an hour in the water, we boarded the boat, suffering an attack of the shivers as the cool sea air engulfed our bodies. The shivering lasted for what seemed like ages. Before long, the other snorkellers got back onto the boat and the boat was speeding its way back to base.

Upon arrival, we headed to the Park's own private beach. It was more like a bed of rock with access to a rocky lagoon, but it was hot and we wanted to make the most of the sun before moving on; we intended to be in Key West by evening, our final destination along the Overseas Highway. We spent an hour at the beach, but the sun was too intense and we thought it best to move on, rather than risk burning.

The 90 mile drive towards Key West went by very quickly. We drove over all of the Keys in quick succession, the bridges linking them a feat of modern engineering. As time went by, the palm trees looked richer, an indication that we were heading towards a warmer climate. Initial impressions were that the Keys were run down and in need of revamping.

Tourists trailed eachother down the highway, local fishermen dotted the bridges hoping for a catch. Half of the buildings were in good shape, the other half needing a good lick of paint, no doubt a result of the dry, salty environment.

We passed the Seven Mile Bridge that links Marathon and Bahia Honda Keys. The bridge, commissioned when a Hurricane destroyed the old bridge in 1935, replaced the old one which now serves as the 'worlds longest fishing bridge'.

We arrived in Key West just after 6pm, the suns rays still intense. We travelled along Atlantic Boulevard then zig-zigged across town to get our bearings. Suddenly, we came to Truman Avenue, the main artery running from the north to south Key West, which I located on the map; from there, we headed south until we reached Whitehead Street and, by coincidence, were right nearby the Lighthouse Court Hotel, our hotel for the next two nights.

We checked in and, on our way to our room, we noticed there was a jacuzzi so we quickly dumped our bags and took a dip in the hot tub. By 8pm, we were out on the town and tracked down a restaurant recommended by our receptionist at the hotel that sold 'the best ribs in town'. I opted for the full rack of ribs and, more fool me, couldn't finish it. I felt defeated! The sun had taken it's tole; Bree had burned himself a bit and had severe shivers. We went back to the hotel and had a couple of drinks there before turning in.

Day 9 – April 16th – Key West 83ºF – Hot / Sunny.

When I woke up at 8:30, I couldn't think of a better way to wake up than to activate the jacuzzi and be literally shaken awake! We left our hotel about 9:30 in search of a breakfast bar, but first we made a detour by walking to the Southernmost Point Monument on the corner of Whitehead & South. Nearby, we also noticed the Southernmost House. When you think about it, it is kind of tacky! The House was very colonial in style.

Just round the corner, there was a beach-club-looking kind of place, but the sheltered outdoor area of the restuarant was open to non-members. We sat down to enjoy bagels with cream cheese and cereal with yoghurt and coffee for less than $10. Not bad!

After breakfast, we drove to the centre, parking very close to Mallory Square, the place where – according to my Lonely Planet guide – the 'sunset celebration' was held each night in Key West.

We looked around and noticed the Catamaran and Glass Bottom Boat tours on offer. Deterred from our experience at Key Largo, we gave it a miss and noticed the hilariously small cars you could rent, obviously targetting the tourists who had arrived at Key West via one of the many cruise ships sitting in the harbour.

We looked around the stores at Mallory Square and I took a shine to the conches, the large spiral shells you often see in photos of beaches on far-away lands. Key West is know as the 'Conch Republic' and, for the first time due to my cochlear implantation, I could 'hear' the sounds of the sea eerily coming from within. I was tempted, but showed restraint on this occasion; don't you just hate it when you walk around later and find the same product half the price somewhere else when you've already bought it?!

Leaving Mallory Square, I noticed an ad for Key Lime Pie, one of Florida's most famous deserts. Having sampled this sweet pie on my last visit to Florida in 2000, I persuaded Bree to try it.

I ordered two slices and two coffees and we sat and watched the mass of tourists boarding the tourist train across the road. The pie wasn't the freshest, but it was nice. Bree didn't like it, claiming it was all cream and sugar. Sure enough, his Finnish palate was talking there since Finns eat some of the most bland food on offer. In fact, anything containing excessive amounts of sugar and fat are shunned by most Finns and this attitude is reflected in their slimmer waist-lines.

For those of you who are curious as to what Key Lime Pie is, here's the recipe:

Separate 4 eggs. Combine the egg yolks and a 14oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix well. Slowly add 3oz. Key Lime juice and stir until filling is smooth and creamy. Pour into a biscuit base suitable for baking. Preheat the oven at 350º and bake for 10 minutes. Serve chilled and topped with whipped cream. I guarantee you'll like it and, if you don't, you can have fun with the whipped cream instead, if you know what I mean?!

By now, it was gone 13:00 and I just wanted to chill. We head back to the hotel; the really surprising thing was the sun was so strong here in the Keys. To pass some time, we visited the Ernest Hemingway House which was literally just across the road from our hotel.

The Spanish Colonial style home was constructed of native rock hewn from the grounds and boasts the first pool built in Key West. The pool, built in the late 1930's, cost $20,000. The cost prompted Hemingway to take a penny from his pocket and press it into the wet cement of the surrounding patio and announce to his wife: "Here, take the last penny I've got!" That penny is still there. Mary, our guide, told Ernest's story, a Nobel Prize winning author, one of America's most honoured and respected citizens. Hemingway's works include A Farewell to Arms, Garden of Even and To Have and Have Not.

Admittedly, I knew nothing about Ernest Hemingway prior to my visit. Mary went on about his four wives (and the trials and tribulations four marriages entail!), possessing a knack for story-telling. Here head lolled as she walked from room to room like a hippy saying: 'Hey, man!'. The tour was entertaining and, from there, we went to the Key West Lighthouse.

After an 88-step climb and reaching a height of 86 feet , you could see the whole of Key West; you could see the cruise liners docked at Mallory Square, you could see all the way down Whitehead Street to the tourist centre where we had been earlier in the morning. You could see the Hemingway House and you could even see the swimming pool of our very own hotel next door!

Built in 1825, it was the first lighthouse in Key West to guide ships around the beautiful, but treacherous reefs that surround the Florida Keys and Key West. The original Key West Lighthouse was destroyed by a Hurricane in 1846.

The new lighthouse was constucted inland on Whitehead Street. In 1894, twenty feet was added to the lighthouse so that it would be more visible to passing ships. The lighthouse was decommisoned in 1969 and opened as a tourist attraction by the Key West Historical Society in 1972.

It was approaching 3pm and we headed back to the hotel and lounged around the pool. We met this couple who lived in California, drank ice-cold Smirnoff Ice and had a laugh. Among the things we discussed were British-ness, the range of accents in which English are spoken and my use of 'soda', 'candy' and 'garbage', all of which are American-English words which I had started using during my time in Finland and under the American-English influence there. Bree spoke about Finland and their neighbours, the Swedes. It was an education for this American couple who rarely travelled outside of the States.

I wanted to see the famous Key West sunset so, about 6:30pm, we showered, got dressed and took the car to Mallory Square. It was 7:30pm and the roads were mobbed, packed with people who were obviously there to see the infamous sunset at the Southernmost Point of the Continental USA.

We tried again and again and again and again to find a parking space and time was running out… After a brief argument, we decided to just park and abandon the car at the last minute, just before the sun's disc reached the horzion; the sun was surprisingly larger than usual and the colour went from the usual golden yellow to a warm, glowing orange as it sunk beneath the horizon.

There were over fifty people on the narrow pier where we were stood, all eyes gazing at the sun as it continued its journey to others lands. We hadn't quite reached Mallory Square, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Having parked ilegally – and still not being able to find a space - we drove the car back to the hotel. Taking the car seemed like a good idea at the time, but if you want my advice, don't bother! Nobody could have guessed how popular Key West would have been on this Friday night.

Back at the hotel, I changed into jeans and put on a black t-shirt. We walked along Duval Street, checking out some of the bars while looking for somewhere to eat. We ended up at Crabby Dickies, a restaurant that sounded like a sexually transmitted disease and perhaps an inappropriate name for a family restaurant. The food, however, was lovely; I opted for the Shrimp Cocktail followed by a huge bowl of Chicken Breast Caesar Salad. Washed down with a Tequila Margarita, it was just yummy!

Afterwards, we went to some bars and it has to be said that there wasn't much of an atmosphere. We ordered some Long Island Ice Teas to try to give things a kick start. Knackered out from another long, sun drenched day, I headed back to the hotel. It was now dark, but while Bree slept, I went for a midnight swim. I had some drinks round the pool, staring up at the sky and pondered upon the infinitity of the star-infested sky. As I updated my notes, I realised that there was just one more full day left in Florida. And I was determined to enjoy it. I remember being as quiet as I could possibly be when I went back to the hotel room. It was nearly 3am and I don't even remember trying to fall asleep.

Day 10 – April 17th – Key West 84ºF – Clear / Sunny / Hot

After waking at 9:30, we decided that we would stay in Key West another day. After checking availability at the hotel, the only drawback was that we had to move into another room since the room we were in had already been reserved. In a way, we were lucky because our flight back to Europe tomorrow didn't leave until 6pm so we would have more than enough time to get back to Miami from the Keys. Wouldn't we?

We headed down to Duval Street and ate omolettes and hash browns! Feeling a bit blobby, I was starting to worry about the effect of all this lovely food on my body! After breakfast, we continued down Duval passing eateries, bars, ice cream parlours and row upon row of souvenir stores. We bought fridge magnets, Key West Salt Water taffee and I bought a "Mile 0 – Key West" beach towel.

We made our way to Mallory Square where we would witness the Sunset celebration on this Saturday night. Having done our shopping, we headed back to the apartment and made the most of the sunshine. I went to the pool and floated on the water using one of the complimentary lilos; I could feel the sun's rays heating the oil on my body. Oooh, it was lovely…

Bree came down to the pool and we sipped ice-cold Smirnoff Ice. After the pool, I headed to the Jacuzzi and noticed that my sunburnt shins and feet didn't burn in the hot water of the jacuzzi anymore. About 6:30pm, I went to the apartment, showered and threw on my smart grey shorts, white Lacoste t-shirt and sandals.

We left for Mallory Square – this time on foot to avoid a repeat of yesterday's traffic ordeal. When we arrived, the area was once again teeming with people. The promenade was full of tourists and, no doubt, some locals. Street entertainers and vendors littered the area also.

With just 15 minutes until sunset, we parked ourselves at a railing. Pelicans flew low over the water, either hunting or on their way home to roost. A series of jet skiers hit the water and pleasure cruises dotted the horizon, wowing their customers with sunset promise. Minutes before the sunset would hit the horizon, we were told to move out of the way for this couple who had got married that day; they wanted to have their photos taken by the sunset. Cheeky bastards, stealing our vantage point like that. Not my fault they were stupid enough to get married.

Begrudgingly, we moved, but they were soon forgotten as the sun made contact with the horizon. The crowd cheered and I was amazed by how popular the Sunset Celebration was.

I have to admit that the sunet does take on a different look here. As it dips towards the horizon, it tends to change colour from yellow, to orange to red whilst, at the time same, it seems to get larger. We left the area, passing a crazy street entertainer who used cats to jump through hoops of fire. Let's hope the RSPCA isn't onto him! We headed to Duval Street and found a huge outdoor restaurant selling the usual American fayre. While we waited for a table, we enjoyed frozen Pina Coladas. The cocktail was very refreshing and, later, would be the thing I would blame for ruining my appetite.

I had a Tex-Mex chicken wrap for starters; the portion was huge. Undeterred, I tucked in. When the Burger and Fries came, as large as ever, I took just three bites and I just couldn't eat anymore. What a waste of good food!

It was now about 9pm and we headed back towards the hotel, away from the crowds of Duval Street, along Whitehead Street.

It wasn't until 11pm that our stomachs were brave enough to try drinking up some of the stuff we had accumulated in our apartment. Content with what I had seen in Key West, I wasn't interested in going out so I had a midnight swim and lazed in the Jacuzzi. About 1am, I went to the apartment, showered, started packing etc. I turned in about 2am in a room tidier than any I had been in during the last ten days!

Day 11 – April 18th – Key West → Miami 83ºF – Clear / Sunny

After rising at 9am, I was instantly hit by the fact that this was our last day on holiday and that most of the day would be dedicated to getting to Miami in time for our our early evening flight. After a shower, we had breakfast at the hotel for a change. I opted for the safe bagel and cream cheese (god, I would miss these!), followed by a luxurious grain topped with yoghurt and a fruit salad of banana, strawberries and blueberries.

After breakfast, we checked out, loaded up the car and we were on our way. We drove along Atlantic Boulevard, exactly the way we came into Key West three days ago. We passed the Southernmost Monument and the Southernmost House. Leaving the Keys seemed to take longer than when we arrived. I put this down to the fact that we didn't want to leave and, when we resist, time does have a cruel way of just standing still, doesn't it?

Nevertheless, the journey was still enjoyable. We were given another opportunity to see Pelicans glide alongside us as we glided from key to key. The shallow seas were a sight to treasure.

The Seven mile bridge loomed ahead, a feat of engineering if I ever saw one, towering over the Atlantic to the East, the Gulf of Mexico to the West and the Carribean to the South. We passed the largest of the Keys, Marathon, then Key Largo.

One interesting point worthy of mentioning is the 'Hurricane Monument' which we happened upon as we drove across Islamorada Key. I took a photo of it and have transcribed the text from the plaque below. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a fitting tribute:

"The Florida Keys Memorial, know locally as the 'Hurricane Monument', was built to honor the hundreds of American veterans and local citizens who perished in the 'Great Hurricane' on Labor Day, September 2, 1935.

Islamorada sustained winds of 200 miles per hour and a barometer reading of 26.35 inches for many hours on that fateful holiday; most local buildings and the Florida East Coast Railway were destroyed by what remains the most savage hurricane on record.

Hundreds of World War 1 veterans who had camped at the Matecumbe area while working on the construction of U.S. Highway One for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) were killed. In 1937, the cremated remains of approximately 300 people were placed within the tiled crypt in front of the monumnet.

The monument is composed of native keystone, and its striking frieze depicts coconut palm trees bending under the force of hurricane winds while the waters from an angry sea lapping at the bottom of their trunks. Monument construction was funded by the WPA and regional veterans' associations. Over the years, the Hurricane Monument has been cared for by local veterans, hurricane survivors and descendents of the victims."

Realising that we were at the end of the Keys and approaching the $1 toll road to the Mainland was kind of an anti-climax. Depression aside, I thought it was great – and was kind of surprised - that there were no toll roads dotted all the way along the Overseas Highway. I had a very bad experience in Norway last Summer where, every 10-20 kilometres of driving, you were greeted by yet another toll road, bridge or ferry! You can read about that trip here.

With time on our side, we stopped at the huge Walmart in Homestead where Hurricane Andrew paid a visit in 1993, devestating the area with winds of up to 170mph. We wanted to check out the prices and ended up buying toiletries mainly which were considerably cheaper than back home. We left Walmart and, before long, there was a sign Miami – 25 Miles. Good navigation was needed in order to return the car to the rental agency. We finally found the place then took a shuttle bus to the airport terminal. Nothing could have prepared us for the next two hours..

We got to the airport at 16:30, more than three hours before our flight. Upon entering the airport, our flight was not even listed on the screens. There was no immediate indication of whether we were in an International or Domestic terminal nor was there a check-in desk specifically for our flight. We asked somebody who looked official where to go and we were directed to the American Airlines Desk.

There was a queue at the check in desk and it took 45 MINUTES to get through, only to find out that two seats were no available together. How did this happen when we had arrived so early for our flight? The woman explained that you can choose your seats online, but this was the first I had heard of such a facility. Anyway, we were given seats that were five rows apart, but were told to enquire at the gate when boarding to see if any seats were available at last minute.

One thing I remembered was that, while we were waiting in the queue, I noticed some luggage that had been left unattended for quite some time. Ten minutes went by and a guy came to collect the trolley. Immediately, a female American Airlines colleague approached him and started cursing, clearly because of his actions. The passengers demeanour wreaked of arrogance and I was both shocked and surprised by the travellers complacency.

Anyway, having checked in, we were told that the procedure to check in bags had changed. We had to take our bags with us to be scanned. I respected this because if there's a problem with the luggage, the owner can be located immediately. It made sense, I suppose, but then it took ANOTHER 30 MINUTES for this procedure to be completed. There appeared to be a problem with Bree's luggage and they wanted to inspect it so this took extra time. The thought running through my mind at this time was: I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need a piss and there's still body-security yet!

Bree got the all-clear from the inquisitive little Chinese guy and, worried about body security taking its time, we went to Gate E concourse straight away. There, people were having their hand luggage checked so there was yet another queue. Because Bree had had a problem with his case, he was expressed through the airport for the inconvenience. In the meantime, I joined the normal queue with the throng of other multinationals.

Because of the hearing device I wear, I couldn't go through the overhead metal detectors so I had to wait a further ten minutes to be frisked. I had to take off my shoes, unpack my ruck sack to place my laptop, camera and mobile phone through the x-ray separately.

When this was done, they checked my ruck sack for 'chemical residue' using a sophisticated technique where they swiped my bag with a small circular tissue and then placed is in a sealed device for analysis. Having passed that, Bree and I were reunited at the end of the very long corridor which ended in access to E-Gates 1-9.

We had one hour until boarding at 18:50, but the first thing to do was satisfy nature's urge! After that, we went to the gate to find out if we could get seats together on the plane. Now, here comes the best part. After all the hassle at the airport – which admittedly everybody had to endure – we had been UPGRADED TO FIRST CLASS!!! Wey-hey!

Before getting this good news, we had grabbed a sandwich and some tax-free alcohol. I bought 2 litres of Smirnoff Vodka and a 1.75 litre bottle of Bacardi for just $48. I had $4 left in my wallet so I bought a magazine for the flight.

We waited to board the aircraft, holding our First Class tickets proudly! When we entered the Boeing 767 aircraft capable of seating 213 passengers, seats 2D and 2E were waiting for us. We were offered champagne and a menu from which we had a choice of dinner and breakfast options. All this before the plane even took off!

Shortly after the plane took off, a host took our food orders and promised to return with our Bacardi's. Shortly after that, we were offered a compact DVD player for personal use with a choice of twenty movies. Wow! People pay an exorbitant amount of money for this kind of service and we were getting it for free! Bree reckoned the flight might have costs over $1300 per person. We also received the usual exclusive on-board pack for first class travellers.

The food came and went and, as one should (!), I ate warm roasted nuts and an oh-so-petit serving of fresh vegetables in a ranch dressing to start. This was followed by another starter of Smoked Salmon, Maine Lobster and Herber Marinated Shrimp with salad. For main course, I chose the Manchego Chicken followed by a Grand Marnier fruit salad for dessert. A stewardess passed by, offering me a choice of red or white wine. After she finished doing all the talking about where the wine came from, how old it was and blah, blah, blah, I asked for the one on the left. The food was nice, but it was all a bit too healthy for me. A burger would have been great! Oh, dear! Stuart was in first class and showing his class too!

I watched Basic, a movie with John Travolta, on DVD. It was good and, afterwards I was ready for a good nights sleep. I awoke when breakfast was being served. This time, it was Asiago Omelette served with Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Sausage and a Scallion and Sour Cream Potato Timbale. Please, will some tell me was Asiago is? a Scallion? Timbale? The people organising these menus must be the classiest Americans you're ever likely to come across.

Within an hour after breakfast, at 10:30 local time, we had landed in Paris. The 7,378km flight had gone very quickly and it was a blessing that it was a night-time flight. Our connecting flight to Helsinki was at 12:25 so we had nearly two hours to while away. We got a coffee, the bright sunlight straining our tired eyes. The rest of the trip was uneventful but already – in Paris – I was feeling jetlagged! We looked like shit, we really did. And if we didn't look it, we felt it. We walked round the shops and, already, I could see a difference in the prices.

We boarded the plane and it left Paris on time. I actually slept during this flight while Bree read the Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's national newspaper, which was provided on-board this Finnair flight. We joked about how naff economy travel was and how we had not-so-long-ago experienced better!

We landed just after 16:00 Finnish time and, surprise surprise, our luggage had been lost. Whether the luggage was still in America or Paris, we didn't know and were too tired to care. Bree filled in the necessary forms for the both of us and we jumped into a taxi, bound for home.

The weather was truly lovely. Bright sunshine, clean breathable air and a reasonable 18ºC. When we had left Finland on April 8th, it had been -3ºC. Had summer finally arrived in Finland?! Well, maybe that was too much, but it looked like Spring might have arrived at least.
The evening was a strange one; I had so much energy because of the jetlag that I went for a cycle ride. Was I glad to be back? Yes, I was. The trip made realise that Finland had become part of me. Florida was nice, but would never become my home!