Key West trip thoughts?

To me, it doesn't get any better than tarpon. Coolest fish in the sea as far as I'm concerned. Unless you're looking to eat what you catch. Saw a barracuda while I was snorkeling and it scared the shit out of me.

 

As it should have. When I was growing up in South Florida, the tourists got out of the water for shark warnings. The natives got out for barracudas.

 

Why?

I could see that for a Type A "I could be spending this time taking over IBM" type. You're no "Let's just mellow" hippie, but you're not the other guy, either.

I don't think.

 

I don't understand fear of bridges. It's just a road to me. But I grew up around them. Not like you'regoing to flip over the side and drown. Well, more than likely.

 

Tarpon are wonderful, especially if you get multiple shots in a day.

 

Well, when I'm driving somewhere, I just want to get there. I'm not an "enjoy the drive" guy. Also, the last time I left Key West was a terrible experience. To make a bad story relatively short, I didn't get any sleep the night before because things that involved my brother falling through a glass table happened, I wasn't allowed to sleep on the chairs at the airport while waiting for my rental car, when I got the car I slept for an hour in it and woke up drenched in sweat because it was about 120 in the car (I forgot to roll down a window), when I finally got to Fort Myers where I had left my car to boat over, I realized it was on the other side of the city and the cab ride cost me $50, then I had to drive two hours to the office and work an entire shift.

 

Key West, like most places, not as good as it used to be. But it's still pretty good although I haven't been in a few years. I'd advise a drive from Miami unless you don't have the time. I still think it's one of those, you need to go there places. Especially for those who fancy themselves as Hemingways.

 

I haven't been there in so long, damn near 20 years now. But I have read that it's possible to find the classic Key West, only you have to look for it in Islamorada.

The Hemingway house is pretty cool, though, as tours go. If you can handle cats.

 

The Hemingway House is boring. The six-toed cats are a marginally interesting oddity.

A better Hemingway experience is to get drunk at Sloppy Joe's and bring home a urinal.

 

I tend to prefer the drinking experience at Captain Tony's, which seems less touristy. Last time I was there, while some Aussie was trying to pick me up, I learned the term Blue Dolphin, which is the "drink" word for ordering water at the bar.

 

The Hemingway house is meh unless you're a completist, and it's not remotely worth the price they've jacked it up to. You can find Hemingway cats to pet all over the island.

 

I've never stepped foot in Sloppy Joe's. During my days visiting Key West, I was the only tourist I could stand.