Florida Keys
Canucks Road Trip 2012
When the NHL announces their schedule for the 2011/2012 season the first thing I do is scan the away games to see if there might be a cool getaway we could plan to travel a little and see some Canucks games on the road. We've seen Phoenix, and have been to L.A. a few times, but there is a couple games that stand out... Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, in January when the weather isn't so great in Vancouver. Looks like Norine and I are going to have to go to Florida for a couple of Canuck games.
Once I knew we were going, I waited for the first day tickets went on sale and got really good seats for the Panthers and Lightning games, using a dialup modem in the Manning Park lodge near to where we were camping at the time. Then we started thinking about what else we could see in Florida that we haven't seen before. There's the new Harry Potter land at Universal Islands of Adventure, and no trip to Florida is complete without a visit to the mouse. But there was 2 things I had always wanted to see; the Florida Keys, and the Everglades. With a little over a week of activities, all that was left was to cash in some air miles and book the flights.
FLORIDA KEYS
At the southernmost tip of Florida is a chain of Islands connected with a single highway and many many bridges, these are the Florida Keys.
After a long overnight flight, we arrived in Miami very early Saturday morning. Maybe it was because it was so early in the morning and he thought he could trick us, but the Budget Car rental guy starts with "oh, you booked a compact car, those are very small, you should probably move to a mid-size for only $8 more per day.". I explained how we have travelled in many small cars in the past and we will be fine with the compact car, "but you're about the same size as me, and I find them uncomfortable, you really should go to a larger car". Nope, I said, that car is just fine... he was very disappointed, and then tells me... "Oh looks like you will get a free upgrade as we don't have any of the compact cars available. You will have a brand new Dodge Avenger". Nice try Poindexter, upsell me to something I would get for free.
We take the drive down the Florida Turnpike to the keys, past Key Largo to Islamorada where we would be staying in a nice Hampton Hotel as our base of exploration. A lovely ocean view, with a nice pool and a beach side area, and free breakfast.
Since we arrived so early, the room wasn't ready, so reception recommended we go a few bridges down and check out Robbie's Pier.
ROBBIE'S PIER
Robbie's Pier is a small place just off the road in Lower Matecumbe Key where the giant tarpon come into be fed. We buy a bucket of fish, walk to the pier and hang over the edge to hand feed these 6 feet long monster fish.
One of the things that we learn about having fish in this area of Florida, is that Pelican's like fish. They will do anything to make sure they get the fish instead of the fish getting the fish. They sneak up behind you, they dive in to the water and scoop them if they are dropped, and they steal them from your hand if you aren't paying attention.
The other thing that we learned, is that there is a lot of Pelican's in the Florida Keys.
After our Red-Eye flight, we were exhausted, so we went back to our hotel, checked in, and had some quiet time lazing seaside, until the sun went down and it was time for dinner at The Outback next door. Of course we have to watch the sky change colours first.
The next morning starts our exploration of the keys, our objective... Dinner and Sunset in Key West.
ANNE'S BEACH
Anne's Beach is a popular park whose "beach" (really a typical Keys-style sand flat) is best enjoyed at low tide. The nicest feature here is a wooden boardwalk that meanders through the wetlands.
After a brief wander through the park, and along the boardwalk, we jump back in the car and head to Marathon Key.
Marathon Key is where you really start to get a sense of the connected islands, and the typical images of endless bridges across the water. Before we get to the historic bridge, we have to pull over for at the sight of hundreds of Ibis and Egrets in a pond.
Finally we arrive at the epic Seven-Mile bridge, which has been the site of several movies including True Lies, it's a gorgeous ride over the water. On one side is the Atlantic Ocean; on the other, the Florida Bay (part of the Gulf of Mexico). When the sky is clear and blue, it's an unbeatable landscape of colors.
Seven-Mile bridge connects the Middle and Lower Keys and is believed to be the world's longest segmental bridge. The expanse running parallel to Seven Mile Bridge is what remains of the Old Seven Mile Bridge, an engineering and architectural marvel in its day (1908-1912) that's now on the National Register of Historic Places. Once proclaimed the Eighth Wonder of the World, it rested on a record 546 concrete piers. No cars are allowed on the old bridge today, but a 2 mile segment is open for biking, walking, and Rollerblading.
After walking the old bridge for a bit, it only made sense to head back and have lunch at the "Sunset Grille", a cute little restaurant with an unbeatable view of the Seven-Mile bridge. The seafood here was amazing, as you would expect when the back of the restaurant is a pier.
BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK
After lunch our next stop is Bahia Honda State Park, this huge park sprawls across both sides of the highway, giving it several miles of sandy coastline, including three beaches on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. if you're ever in the mood, and happen to be in Florida with a tent, there's even a campground here.
I'm pretty sure that when True Lies was filmed here, the exploding of the bridge was done with special effects, this segmented part of the bridge is just the old bridge. It sure looks intimidating, imagine driving along and... oops.
As you wander around the park, one of the funniest sights to see is that everywhere someone is fishing, within 10 feet is a Pelican hoping to score an easy lunch. Never take your eye off your fishing rod, and be very careful when winding in your catch.
Bahia Honda State Park is regularly declared to have the best beach in Florida, and you'll be hard pressed to argue. The sand is baby-powder soft, and the blue blue water is warm, clear, and shallow.
KEY WEST
Our last stop is as far as the road will take us, Key West. Not only is it the Southernmost Point in the United States, but it is also Mile 0 of Highway 1. We are only 90 miles away from Cuba. Apparently you can see the lights of Havana on a clear night.
Key West has a very different feel to it than the rest of the keys, it feels like a mix of a Caribbean town with New Orleans. It definitely is a tourist town, with unique structures, statues, and a wide variety of shops and restaurants. The dancing couple below is 2 stories high.
As we explore the town, we are struck by the unique buildings, the awe-inspiring trees, and these crazy chickens and roosters. This Rooster walks right into the Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream store, up to the counter, clucks a few words, then turns around and leaves.
I'm assuming he didn't have any bills to pay for the Ice Cream... Bills, get it?
The old houses are amazing, reminding us of the "Gone With the Wind" homes, even their theatre is straight out of the Fifties. Complete with a Marilyn Monroe statue out front, I love the fact it's all bikes in front instead of parking spots..
It's a tradition in Key West to have a nightly Sunset Celebration at the waterfront area known as Mallory Square. Everyone comes to this area, there is fire breathers, jugglers, all manners of street buskers, and thousands of people, all to watch the sunset, and then they all leave.
As the sun starts dropping, the people gather, the boats start heading out into the Bay, and the local birds nestle in. I assume they are waiting for the crowds to clear so they can swoop in for the leftovers.
I could go on describing the colours of the sunset, and the beauty of the silhouetted boats,
but sometimes you just have to step back and let the pictures speak for themselves.
When the Disney cruise ship has transformed from it's gold embossed scrollwork to a silhouette it is time to hunt for food.
We wandered past a few restaurants, Hogsbreath Saloon, Bagatelle, but they weren't quite right. We pass a hidden doorway and a southern lady convinces us that the quiet confines of her Jungle Hideaway restaurant was our best choice. She leads us down an overgrown walkway into a small jungle oasis, and a collection of tables, the place is deserted... uh-oh. The waiter was great, the menu looked really good, so we took a chance and had an incredible meal full of seafoody goodness. Nice surprise!
After a most excellent seafood dinner, we drove home in the dark. There was a car accident where the car somehow ended upside down on the grass beside the road, everybody seemed to be OK, but how does that even happen? Don't Drink and Drive!
After our free breakfast we left our nice beach hotel, and drove back up the keys through Key Largo towards Miami.
THE EVERGLADES
Since we didn't have to be in Sunrise, Florida until game time, we decided to take a side-track, and check out the Everglades. Recommended by the travel books was Coopertown, they have been doing airboat tours since the 40's. When you see the sign advertising Frog Legs, you know you must be in the right place. The only thing missing was the sound of Banjos.
We would be taking one of these crazy airboats out across the Glades, and be looking for Alligators. They have a mini zoo like area where you can see some of the bred and rescued critters of the local marsh areas. Did you know that parts of the Everglades are below sea level and thus flow, and is considered one of the largest rivers in the world? That's what our guide told us.
After spending some time with the locals, we put cotton balls in our ears and boarded the airboat to head into the waterways. Then we got off the airboat cause it wouldn't start, and got on another one. Then we headed out to the marshlands of the Everglades, at a very rapid speed. It's hard to describe the experience of riding an airboat, so loud floating on the water, and turning is like drifting through the snow, the boat just slides sideways as he turns and spins us, having fun gliding across the water and grasses of the marsh.
The first critters we spot are the elusive red-eared slider turtle and a heron. Now we are heading to denser areas on our hunt for gators.
Within no time at all we started spotting gators, nestled in the grasses, hiding in the weeds, and floating through the waterways. Even more special and rare is a very striking bird walking amongst the grasses, the purple gallinule or moorhen. After a while the female came out too.
Raptors circle overhead, perhaps thinking we wouldn't survive, and the crazy Anhinga's dry their wings in the trees after diving for fish.
After a half hour of alligator spotting we head back through the Glades to our base, where we wrap up our visit by holding a baby alligator.
And then he peed on me... time to go.
As we leave the Everglades, and work our way towards Miami, we see another car accident, and the car is upside down...
crazy, hope everyone was ok.
Next stop Sunrise, Florida... Home of the Florida Panthers (the hockey team, not the animal).