Zoomin' Down Duval Street

While we were on vacation in the Keys, we shot some video, and some of the best footage we captured was we video tapped what it is like to zoom down Duval Street in Key West on a moped.

----------
Zoomin' Down Duval Street   (QuickTime Format - 4:53 - 10MB)
----------

Made for an interesting five minute ride as we started at the end of Duval Street near the Southernmost Point, all the way down towards the Key West Aquarium. Hope you enjoy the ride!

Nine Degrees

It doesn't snow in Florida. Not that we are complaining, but the one true thing we have missed most about Christmas is snow. While that will take a while to get used to, we saw mention of an event up in Orlando at the Gaylord Palms Resort called ICE!, an indoor ice carving display representing Christmas that is kept at nine degrees. We decided to go check it out and see it, since it will be the closest we will get to seeing ice or snow in Florida.

First off, the Gaylord Palms resort sits just outside of Disney World in Orlando, and is huge. It is a massive resort, words or photos just can't describe how big this place is. Including the resort, a huge convention center and meeting rooms, ballrooms are also on the grounds. Inside the resort, their are four large atriums, each that had a different theme representing Florida, including Key West, The Everglades, St. Augustine and Emerald Bay. Each area duplicates the sights and sounds of that region, all housed under one roof. It was simply amazing.

We made our way over to the Ice display at the convention center, and wow, was it cold. Nine degrees of numbing coldness, and the numerous ice sculptures inside were remarkable. Each section of the display depicts a Christmas scene, from toys, to winter wonderlands and animals, nativity scene and a two-story ice slide that was fun to go sliding on.

We stayed inside as long as we could take the cold, and when we exited, we quickly remembered why we left the frozen tundra up north and moved down to Florida. Missing the snow and ice won't be that hard anymore.

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Day Seven: Leaving Paradise

It was tough waking up this morning. Our vacation was rapidly coming to an end, and we had to pack up and leave paradise. As we reluctantly packed up for the long drive home, we did get an early start, for we had one last stop to make.

We drove up to Grassy Key, just outside of Marathon, and stopped at the Dolphin Research Center. The last time we were in the Keys, we regretted not stopping, so this time, we made extra time to check it out and enjoy the numerous dolphins they have at the Research Center. This area of the Keys was hit hard by Hurricane Wilma, and the evidence of her arrival just a few short couple of months ago was still around, for the piles of debris still litter the side of the roads, and even at the Dolphin Research Center, they sustained considerable damage, from the sign outside the building, to the smashed docks and boardwalks inside the center.

During the height of the Hurricane, several of the holding fences that hold the Dolphins in their areas was smashed and destroyed, but the Dolphins huddled together and hid in the mangroves that line the Research Center, and not one Dolphin perished or was lost. Simply amazing when you see the center and the areas the Dolphins are kept in, for they are out in the Gulf of Mexico, surrounded by fences, mangroves and boardwalks, not cement tanks or are they kept inside a building as many people see them in aquariums.

We were greeted at the door by a kitty cat, and he came up to us, then turned around as if he wanted us to follow him. Not knowing where we were going, we figured maybe we should follow him, since he probably knows the place better then we do. We followed him down the sidewalks, to a trail, and he led us right to the boardwalks, where a pod of Dolphins were jumping and playing. It was as if he knew we were lost, and wanted to help. Too funny.

We stayed for about two hours watching and observing the over two-dozen Dolphins around the Research Center, as they jumped, played, swam and talked to each other all around the complex. Sadly, we had to leave to get back home, but not without one last surprise.

As we were traveling through Tavernier just outside of Key Largo, we saw a very large bird sitting on top of an electrical pole. As we got closer, it soon become evident that the bird was an American Bald Eagle, and it was huge. We quickly pulled off the side of the road, jumped out, and snapped several photos, for we had no idea how long he would stay perched on to of the post. What a sight to see, and he perfectly capped off an outstanding vacation.

We left the Florida Keys, went around Miami, and once again went through the Everglades via Alligator Alley, and this time, we saw even more Alligators, so many in fact, we lost count after thirty or so. We even saw Whitetail Deer, and large amounts of birds.

We made it back home to Tampa after nightfall, with 1,300 photographs, and memories that will last a lifetime. All in all, it was a huge success, and without a doubt the best Christmas vacation we have ever had.

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Day Six: Winding Down

Too much excitement. That is how we summed up our vacation up to this point, especially the past two days with the Speed Boats and Swim With Dolphins. Today, we decided to wind it down, for we were feeling a little worn out, so we headed for one of the most relaxing places we have found in Key West, the Hemmingway House.

When we arrived, we agreed to just sit around the estate for the next several hours, just relaxing and play with the kitty cats around the property, and enjoy the 80 degree weather and nice gentle breezes on the porch. We spent time looking at the lush and tropical gardens, and made some new friends with the kitties, for they enjoyed the attention we gave them, and even had the opportunity to hand out some snacks to those who wanted some.

It was nice to just sit back, relax, and take in the warm tropical breezes, and recharge our batteries. After several hours, we headed down to the marina to the Baby Conch Farm at the Conch Republic Seafood Company, then we took a stroll around the marina over to Historic Key West and Mallory Square to take in the Sunset Celebration.

Later that evening, we met up again with Corey and Shelly that we met the other night from Minnesota, and went back down to the Key West Marina to watch the Lighted Boat Parade, when the boats were lighted and decorated with Christmas decor as they followed each other around and out of the marina in front of a huge crowd of onlookers.

After and few hours, we took one final stroll up to Duval Street, but tonight it was really crowded, and it was hoping. After a few stops along the way, we took Corey and Shelly down to Historic Key West and gave them a little tour of the area, like the Key West Aquarium, Shipwreck Museum, Mallory Square and Monument Park. We also pointed out the numerous roosters and hens that roost way up in the trees at night, and the free roaming kitties all around the area.

It was getting late, and we were all ready to call it a night, so we headed back the resort, and parted ways. Tomorrow we had the long drive back home, so we needed to get our gear together and rest up for the drive, but we still had one more stop to make...

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Day Five: Swim With Dolphins

Today was the day. We have been looking forward to this day for years, and it was finally here. The nervous excitement was with us all morning, as the thought of what we were going to do today was becoming overwhelming. We had a two hour drive up to Theatre Of The Sea in Islamorada to swim with Dolphins.

The drive up was pretty quite, as we both were thinking about our encounter with Dolphins for the first time. We have seen them in the wild quite often around Tampa Bay, even been in the water and been with several yards of them at Honeymoon Island and Fort De Soto, but nothing like what we were going to experience today.

We arrived at Theatre Of The Sea several hours before the big event, and we had an opportunity to explore the rest of the park, including the numerous Parrots, Seals, Fish, Sharks and Turtles, and of course, Kitty Cats. As we walked around, it was quite apparent that both of us had only one thing on our mind, and the time was coming closer.

Before our encounter, we watched a Dolphin show that was incredible. Three smaller Dolphins gave the audience a show that included several tricks and behaviors, and was awesome to watch them perform the tricks and interact with their trainers. After the show, we walked around some more, and the time rapidly approached.

We went over to the area where we were to get ready, and went through a 20 minute orientation that explains the program and what we should expect once we are in the water with the Dolphins. When the orientation was over, we made our way over to the lagoon where two male dolphins were playing, and we got into the water.

Words cannot describe what we were feeling, for although the water was cool, we were only feet away from two Dolphins that weighed around 700 pounds, and are 12+ foot in length. These animals look quite different when you are in the water with them, for they are strong, intelligent and magical animals, and this was a once in a life time opportunity to say the least.

Our instructor then briefly showed us before each interaction what we were supposed to do, taking care to follow the instructions carefully since even though these Dolphins are three times our size, they can get scared just as easily as us. Our first interaction was a swim-by, where we held out our hands and the Dolphin would swim by and allow us to touch them. So now, here is our first time ever about to touch a Dolphin, and the quick moments leading up to them swimming by was a bit nerve-racking. They swim with such grace, and came right under our hands, and at first, it made us both very nervous, for until you see one coming right you, words cannot describe the feelings.

Next, we were then instructed to go out, hold still with our hands behind our back, and the Dolphin would swim up to us and give us a kiss, and we could then give them a kiss. They swam over, and on cue, gave each of us a kiss, and in return we gave them one. It's kinda hard to describe how they feel, for their nose is very strong, and their skin feels kinda like soft rubber, but underneath that exterior is one strong animal, but has the kindest and gentlest nature you could imagine.

For our next interaction, we held out our hands as if we were playing the piano, and the Dolphins swam us to us, and as we pretended to play, they put on a show of singing and squeaking, and it so cute to watch and listen to them talk to us. Now was the big moment, we were then instructed to stand still, hold out our hand in front of us, and the Dolphin would swim right up to us, and allow us to hug and kiss them. Wow. Words cannot describe this either, but one thing is for sure, it was truly a experience.

For our last interaction, we got to cradle the Dolphins, and even had them show us how they use their echo location to find and retrieve a ring tossed out into the lagoon. Before we left our new friends, both of them swam by to wave goodbye, and they squeaked and splashed their fins as they swam by.

We didn't want our encounter to end, but sadly it did. We headed back to the resort later that night, the whole way home talking about and comparing thoughts and feelings on what we just experienced. We turned in early that night, for we were both exhausted from our exciting day, and drifted off to sleep dreaming about our adventure...

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Day Four: Open Waters

The anticipation was building. Today was the day we take out a two-person speed boat to explore the open waters of the Keys, and also explore the delicate ecosystem of the mangroves in the Great Heron National Wildlife Refuge. We stayed around the resort to relax until we departed early afternoon to go over to Stock Island just outside of Key West to begin our journey.

We arrived in plenty of time to sign our life away, and get prepped on how to drive our two-person speed boat. Five years ago we did the same adventure, and was probably the most fun we have ever had in our life, since we got to drive our very own speed boat, and zoom around the waters of Key West and snorkel at a shipwreck. This time however, we decided since the waters were cool, we wanted to go out into the open waters then go into the mangroves in the refuge to get a up close look, so we loaded up and began our 2 1/2 tour.

Slowly we made our way out of the shallows around the marina, then it was full-throttle out into the open water of the Gulf of Mexico and it was unreal. Speeding around the islands at top speed was breathtaking, and at first, was a little hard to get used to, for the boats are not like Jet Skis, they have a full outboard motor and you have to raise or lower the motor depending on how fast you want to go, ad how deep or shallow the waters are.

I finally got the hang of the controls after a little while out, and then had to keep control of the boat and stay out of the wake of our tour guide, and that proved to be a challenge at times as well, but it wasn't no time until we were comfortable and we enjoyed the sights as we zoomed by the islands.

We headed out to sea 17 miles east of Key West, to a chain of islands called Sugarloaf Keys. These larger chain of islands are largely mangroves, and is right in the middle of the Heron Wildlife Refuge, and we saw tons of them sitting on the treetops and branches soaking up the afternoon sun. We made our way slowly through the mangroves in very shallow waters, and it was like being in a maze. Twists and turns around every corner, and was unbelievable to see such beauty and unspoiled nature.

In and out of the mangroves, we made our way past sandbar after sandbar, and came upon a large million dollar boat that was washed up on a huge sandbar out in the middle of the mangroves. It was just sitting there partly on it's side resting in the shallow waters due to Hurricane Wilama. It was too bad that the boat might be lost since it can't be towed from there, for since this is a federally protected area, the owner will have to pay fines, get permits and equipment and probably cost over a million dollars just to get it out.

After making our way through the mangroves, we headed back out into open waters, and it was full-throttle back to Key west into the most beautiful sunset that was slowly sinking over the horizon. We made it back later that evening, and had a blast, and wished we had more time.

With darkness approaching, we headed back the resort to clean up and to head down to the marina to have dinner at Turtle Kraals. While we were driving down, we stopped at Smather's Beach to take some photos of the full moon that lit up the beach, and watched as the reflections from the full moon danced in the waters.

We finally made our way to Turtle Kraals and ordered up a table full of food, for we were starving from our days activities, and sat there watching the boats go in and out of marina. After dinner, we headed back up to the nightlife of Duval Street to get some night photos and catch the colors of neon and Christmas lights that filled the streets.

As we were standing in front of our favorite bar, Sloppy Joe's, we were approached by a couple from Minneapolis and was asked what we were doing. After I explained to the curious onlookers Shelly and Corey we were taking photos of the nightlife on Duval Street, we struck up a conversation and decided to hang out together to explore some other sights on Duval Street.

Shelly and Corey were awesome. As we talked, it felt as we knew them our entire lives, and was great to get to know them. We walked up Duval to a bar called The Bull, which was a three level bar. The Bull on the lower floor, The Whistle on the second floor, and The Garden of Eden on the rooftop. We stopped in The Whistle to shoot a few games of pool, and decided to go to the roof to check it out.

Well, let's just say it was called Garden of Eden for a good reason. We walked up the staircase, and when we reached the top, bam. Standing there for anyone and everyone to see, was naked people, and with a sign that read "Clothing Optional". Now not that we are against being naked, but it felt really funny to stand there (and no, we DID NOT get naked) and see such a sight, especially since the partakers were far from attractive. It was hard not to stand there and laugh, believe me. We wrapped up our little tour stop with a "We're not in Kansas anymore...", and quickly went retreated to the bar downstairs.

After a few more games of pool, we left the bar and made our way back to our car, and departed for the resort after a long, tiring and exciting day. We dropped off Shelly and Corey at our resort, since we were all staying at the Grand Key, and called it night. We have the day we have been waiting for ahead of us tomorrow, and now the excitement was really building...

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Day Three: Zippin' Around

The snooze alarm went off again. It was still dark outside, and it was hard to focus on anything, much less wake up, but I had an agenda this morning. I dragged myself from a deep sleep, got dressed and gathered up my gear to head out in the cool morning to do some early morning shots. Since I still had the moped from last night, my plan was to see how many spots I can get to before 10am.

I jumped on the moped, and zipped away into the cool crisp morning, over to Smathers Beach to photograph the sunrise. I zoomed along as the sun quickly began to make it's grand entrance to the morning, and I arrived at my location just in time to set up my gear and get ready for the show. I snapped off several frames of the Key West sunrise, and checked my map for my next destination.

I made my way down to the Southernmost Point to get some more shots of the area, this time without any tourists, for at this time of the morning, there was almost no one around except for the occasional lone jogger or biker rider. The bad thing is the buoy that indicates the southernmost point in the Keys was being repainted, and lacks any indication of it's famous claim.

I then made my way down to the end of US 1, or Mile 0 as it is more commonly known, and then down Duval Street, past Sloppy Joe's and finally to the Key West Marina. I stopped by the Audubon House to check out the architecture, and took a walk around Mallory Square, where the largest cruise ship I have ever seen was docked. It was so big, I couldn't even get the entire ship in the frame, no matter what angle I tried from.

After spending some time looking around, I jumped back on the moped and headed up Whitehead Street to photograph the Key West Lighthouse. I got there before they opened, and as I sat in the parking lot and listened to the numerous roosters trying their best to wake everyone up, when a friendly kitty name Pretty Boy strolled over to me, sat down, and wanted me to play with him. He rolled around, taking in all the attention, and I took some photos in front of "his" house, and he didn't seem to matter the least.

When the lighthouse opened, I made my way up the 88-step circular iron stairway to take in a breathtaking view of the entire island of Key West, and from this vantage one can see from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and everything in between. It was simply stunning to see the entire island from up there all the while watching the flocks of Vultures swooping and gliding in the gentle breezes high up in the sky.

I returned back to the resort with my goals accomplished, and rested up for an evening out on the town later in the evening while my camera quietly copied all the files to my laptop from my morning adventures.

Later that evening, we headed back to the heart of Key West, this time going back again to the Key West Aquarium and checking out all the marine animals, and even got to pet a Nurse Shark. By the front entrance is two of the most beautiful paintings by Alfred Crimi, an Italian painter that hand-painted two large murals depicting life on a fishing boat.

We made our way to the outside exhibits, and noticed a large Iguana hanging out in the top of a Palm tree, for although they are hard to find in the Keys, they are native to the area, and was sight to see.

We then walked down to Mallory Square to take in the Key West tradition of watching the sunset from the pier, and caught some great photographs of a large schooner as it slowly descended over the horizon.

We wrapped up the night back at the Marina and had dinner at the Conch Republic Seafood Company, and had one of the best steak and seafood dinners. We wrapped up the evening a little early, for tomorrow was all about speed boats, and we needed to get a good nights sleep...

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Day Two: Six Toed Cats

It was another beautiful day in Paradise. We awoke to sunny skies and temperatures in high 70's and not a cloud in the sky. We decided to head down to the Hemmingway House to check out the numerous cats numbering over 60 on the property. We drove down to the Southern Most Point on the island, and checked out several points of interest, including the Southernmost House, Southernmost Hotel and Southernmost Point. This area is named for the fact that it is the southernmost point in the United States, for standing here you are actually closer to Cuba (90 miles away) then you are to Miami on the mainland (150 miles away).

After checking out the area, we walked up Whitehead Street, and along the way we stopped at the Key West Lighthouse directly across from the Hemmingway House. The lighthouse stands 110 feet tall, and is one of the tallest structures on Key West, and is a beautiful sight with it's well maintained grounds and keepers house on the property.

We then walked across the street to spend some time at the Home of one of America's most famous authors, Ernest Hemmingway. This was our first time to get up close with the architecture and design of one of Key West's most famous address, and was a sight to behold. One of the most unusual and fascinating features is the descendants of Hemmingways six-toed cats that still call it home, and they have about 60 cats that roam free on the property. Six-toed cats, also known as Polydactyls, have and extra toe, usually found on one of their front paws, and some cats even have been said to have as many as eight. The first cat Ernest Hemmingway had was a Maine Coon poly that was named Snowball, with numerous others to follow over the years.

Touring the home was a breathtaking sight to behold, from the open and airy rooms, which is in traditional Key West style. The building in the back of the grounds overlooking the large built-in pool was where Ernest Hemmingway spent most of his time writing some of his most famous novels. We have never been so intrigued by the history and architecture as we were with this home, for it was so relaxing to stroll the grounds in a lush tropical setting that was so peaceful.

After spending several hours at the Hemmingway House, we headed back up towards the Southernmost Point and up to Duval Street to the Key West Butterfly Conservatory. Five years ago when we visited this area, it was nothing more then an empty lot, but now hold the most beautiful butterfly and tropical gardens we have been to yet. Inside, there are over 70 different species of butterflies, and they number in the hundreds as they fly all around, almost if they were dancing in a gentle breeze.

Also inside were various tropical birds, ranging in every imaginable color that perfectly complimented the lush and tropical gardens. Hundreds of flowers, trees and vegetation were all around, and even though the temperature was 85 degrees and 80 percent humidity, it was so relaxing to sit and watch the colorful display flutter by.

Later that evening, we headed back to the resort to freshen up, and went down to the lobby to rent a moped. Now, the last time we were in Key West, we rented a moped, for it is the most sensible form of transportation on the island, for you can get around much more easily, and allowed us to see more then ever could from our car. We jumped on our moped, and headed for the heart of nightlife on Key West, Duval Street.

We zoomed around the island, making our way down to Duval Street. We stopped at the Key West Aquarium, and got a personal tour of the aquarium after hours, including the exhibits and met some of the marine life at the aquarium, including Nurse Sharks, Sting Rays, Tarpon, Grouper and the other fish and coral in the aquarium.

After leaving the aquarium, we zoomed up to Sloppy Joe's for a bite to eat, and as usual, the food and service was outstanding. After dinner, we walked up and down Duval Street, stopping at the Wyland Gallery, the largest gallery of his work in the world. We found two original paintings by Wyland, that cost over $400,000 each. The gallery has some of the most beautiful tropical art and paintings we have ever seen in one place, and was a sight to behold.

We continued our journey up and down Duval Street, ducking in and out of stores and shops along the way, having the time of our lives. Later that night, we decided to head back to the resort, so we hopped on the moped and sped off into the night to rest up for our next day of adventure, if we only knew what that would be...

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)