Travel Notes - Florida Keys

Travel Notes - Florida Keys: I drove 95 down. I need to relate right away that the top threat to our existence may be our highways. And this is unrelated to the invader whom rear ended me on US1 (I'll write up a tutorial on that headache later). They are becoming a death trap. Especially through South Florida. We need way more FHP. And they need to actually cite some of these miscreants. And not for speeding alone. I saw one FOLLOWING a speeder. I saw none between Miami and Boca in the "danger zone". I saw countless numbsculleric moves. Comically tragic. Mostly by one kind of person. And I ain't taking about boomers. But, they need to go too. Whole different numbskullery with them. These seem to be some of the rules of the road that people believe exist (or do where they came from): Passing/Speeding from the slow lane, speeding into an exit turnoff, speeding into a merge where one lane is at a complete stop, driving stoned (rear view air freshener give away), zig zag passing at double the speed limit, not passing the car to the right (going the same speed) from the passing lane. There were SIX accidents coming back in the north bound lanes alone. The other side had two areas of ten mile back ups. I assume because of accidents. It's anarchy! And I have lived/driven in NYC, LA, Chicago and DC. And you know my road trip history. FYI - US1 is served by FHP. Took them over an hour to show up.

I stopped in Delray Beach at Rose's Daughter (3D) for a good Margarita pizza at $15. I stayed in Key Largo at the ok Azul del Mar (Expedia 9.0) for $93. No staff on site. I had twelve undercooked, plump chicken wings at Buffalo Steakhouse & Seafood for $20. Watched baseball and football. No sleep because of the accident.

The next day I drove to Islamorada and checked into the ok Matecumbe Resort (Expedia 8.8) for $121. I had a mushy and small fried lobster tail blt with brussel sprouts with almond slivers at Papa Joe's Waterfront for $22. I fished, swam and layed out. Stinky decaying seaweed smell. I grabbed a bad mahi (dry) Southwest salad at The Hungry Tarpon at Robbie's Pier for $26. Watched baseball and football. Some sleep.

The next day I drove to Key West. Stopped for an ok egg, cheese and sausage on toast for $10 at Galley Grill on Summerland Key. Checked in to Alexander Palms Court again (Expedia 8.2) for $237 for two nights. Had the worst turkey and Swiss sandwich (the Turk) ever created at The Stoned Crab at Ibis Resort for $16. Swam in stinky, decaying seaweed at the public beach. Left because of it. Walked to El Siboney (Man vs Food and Samantha Brown) for a very good half roast chicken with sweet plantains, rice, roll and beans. It was only four blocks away. Swam in the pool. Drank some wine and walked up to Mallory Square for the sunset. A good one. Had two margaritas at Lolita's Coastal Cocina at the Opal Key Resort for a special price of $10 a pop. It was on the pier. Walked back. Watched baseball. 

The next day I went back to the beach and had an ok sauteed Yellowtail Snapper salad with fruit and avocado for $20 at Salute. Smartly walked to Fort Zachary Taylor SP Beach. $2.50. I'll reiterate - this is the best thing to do in Key West. The only good beach. Plus a fort. So cheap. You can drive there too. I grabbed an ok shaved beef Turkish doner wrap from Olive's Mediterranean Grill for $15. Swam in the pool. Walked again to Mallory Square. Another good sunset. Walked to the marina. Had fig vodka in a Med cocktail at Onlywood Grill for $15. Walked back towards Duval and had a glass of wine at Funky Rooster for $12. Around Duval on Caroline, I had a Southernmost Microbrewery Capt. Maverick IPA at First Flight (old Pan Am terminal) for $8. It was owned by Kelly McGillis of Top Gun fame. Some reps for a tequila company called Dolce Vida gave me a peanut butter whiskey shot that I don't think they make. I walked down Duval to Tropicado Mojito Bar at La Concha Hotel. Had a Pappa's Pilar Dark Rum for $13. Walked down Duval. Had a wine at Grand Vin for $12. Most of these stops were to knock these places of the list. Not to get wet. Stone Crab season started this day.

The next day I drove to Key Largo. I stopped for a terrible bottom HALF of a Cuban bagel at Baby's Coffee for $7. Bought a pound of floaters/lites at Low Key Fisheries again. Cudjoe Key. Only $12 this year. Stopped at Square Grouper on Islamorada. Had a mushy sauteed tilefish sandwich with shoe string fries and weird slaw for $22. This is not the original (been there). They also opened a branch in KW. Hot waitress in pussy pants. You could keep your pencil available there. Checked into the ok Dove Creek Resort & Marina by Wyndham (Expedia 7.8) for $97 plus $31 RF. Doing renovations. Drove back to Tavernier and grabbed a bad prosciutto, mozz and tomato sandwich from Cafe Moka for $15. Bad bread and the worst prosciutto since the Stoned Crab's turkey. Straight up smoked ham. I grabbed some water at Winn Dixie. They had these puffed Pringles called Mingles half off before a $1 a coupon. Good. Back to the hotel for fishing and kayaking. Back to Tavernier and a terrible $10 tuna hosomaki roll from J-Dao Sushi Thai. Watched football and HBO.

The next day I drove to the Key Largo Fisheries Marina and grabbed a pound of medium stone crabs at Eat Florida Seafood again for $24 this year. Drove to Boynton Beach. Had a great roasted pork loin, cheese and arugula sandwich with potato wedges at Butcher & the Bar (3D) for only $9. Drove to Geneva and had a good bacon, onion ring, bbq cb with tots at Alibi Bar and Grill on 46 for $15.

The weather was mostly sunny. A little cloudier mid to upper keys. Better than last year. Hotel prices were good. I could have stayed at the Checca for only $182. I did these reservations about a week ahead. That seemed to help. I monitored them after I booked and most went up. Chose non KW hotels if I hadn't stayed there before. Same with restaurants/bars. The accident messed things up for a while. Hard not to obsess over it. Would have been an a-one vacation if not for that. Spent $479 on food/drinks. $561 on hotels. $50 on gas. $1092 Total.