After two weeks of cool, windy Victoria, working
in the yard and taking in the World Men’s Curling Championship then a ferry, a
bus and two plane rides, we found ourselves in sunny and very humid Fort
Lauderdale, Florida. With a couple of extra days before we depart Fort
Lauderdale, we opted to spend them exploring the Florida Cays, or
Florida Keys for you Americans.
Thanks to Jimmy Buffet, or perhaps the balmy breezes and comfortable climate, the Cays (pronounced Keys) are a tourist Mecca for those of us suffering from terminal winter.
[Chorus:]
These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane
Thanks to Jimmy Buffet, or perhaps the balmy breezes and comfortable climate, the Cays (pronounced Keys) are a tourist Mecca for those of us suffering from terminal winter.
[Chorus:]
These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane
Given our recent experiences, we were
expecting to arrive in Florida to a freak snowstorm. Thankfully, we seemed to
have shaken off the last vestiges of Harbin winter.
The Cays (pronounced Keys) are a series of small islands
that extend off the Southern tip of Florida, a hundred miles into the Caribbean. They are connected by a series of causeways and
bridges, one of which is 7 miles long, aptly known as the 7 Mile Bridge. A “must do drive” on our bucket list.
Armed with a rental car, a little Fiat 500 and 4 hours sleep, we braved the many toll roads of Florida. Armed with a pocketful of Canadian change we were ready for those toll charges we would need to pay to reach the Cays (pronounced Keys). As an aside, American coinage is routinely accepted in Canada but gods forbid you should try and pass off a Canadian coin in Florida as I did and was admonished quite harshly. For Pete's sake, it was only a dime and thus my reason to use Canadian coins for the tolls was my little way of getting back. Didn’t happen, as the tolls are now collected by capturing license plates and you are billed either monthly or when you renew your license. Very efficient and possibly helped me avoid a day in court.
Armed with a rental car, a little Fiat 500 and 4 hours sleep, we braved the many toll roads of Florida. Armed with a pocketful of Canadian change we were ready for those toll charges we would need to pay to reach the Cays (pronounced Keys). As an aside, American coinage is routinely accepted in Canada but gods forbid you should try and pass off a Canadian coin in Florida as I did and was admonished quite harshly. For Pete's sake, it was only a dime and thus my reason to use Canadian coins for the tolls was my little way of getting back. Didn’t happen, as the tolls are now collected by capturing license plates and you are billed either monthly or when you renew your license. Very efficient and possibly helped me avoid a day in court.
It took about three hours to travel the entire length of the Cays. From pristine beaches to
commercial sprawl and outstanding vistas of the Caribbean, the ride had it all. To compare, Florida City is to Key Largo and then to Key
West is what Cloverdale is to Surrey that is to Vancouver with some White Rock in
between.
Key West is a cute little place with charming little (read expensive) cottagey homes on tree lined streets.
All within a few blocks of beautiful white sand beaches.
The downtown is tourist kitsch.
Famous for Key Lime Pie and if you can believe the advertising home to the first Sloppy Joes.
Key West is a cute little place with charming little (read expensive) cottagey homes on tree lined streets.
All within a few blocks of beautiful white sand beaches.
The downtown is tourist kitsch.
Famous for Key Lime Pie and if you can believe the advertising home to the first Sloppy Joes.
Glad we took the time to see them.
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