Monthly Archives: May 2009

Sponge Bob and Tarpon Frenzies…

After eating a great breakfast at the Geiger Key Marina Smokehouse Restaurant here at the RV park, we headed back down to Key West with our friends to spend some more time exploring.

The first thing we noticed was that there was a new addition to the scenery. Since we left last night, a Disney Cruise ship had docked right on the square.

Disney Magic Cruise Ship

Disney Magic Cruise Ship

After finding a place to park, we wandered some of the many gift shops before taking a tour of Key West on the Old Time Trolley.  It’s a 90 minute ride going past all of the major sites in Key West.  Our tour guide, Tim, was excellent and really kept us laughing.

We also came across what seems to be the original ‘Sponge Bob’, although his pants weren’t square.

Sponge Bob

Sponge Bob

After wandering thru more gift shops, we ate a late lunch at Alonzo’s Oyster Bar, right on the water at the Key West Marina. Once again the food was good and the scenery was great!

Right across the dock from us, a fishing boat had come in and was cleaning some of their catch, throwing the waste overboard.

This attracted a lot of gulls, and some very large tarpon, all of them fighting over the feast.

Gull Frenzy

Gull Frenzy

Some of the tarpon seemed to be at least 6ft in length.

Tarpon Frenzy

Tarpon Frenzy

 But now it was time for us to head back to the RV park since our friends planned on heading back up to West Palm Beach, about 220 miles north.

We had a great time visiting together and will see them again in a few days when we stop over in West Palm on our way up north.

Later…

Old Friends and Good Times…

Our friends showed up about 4:30pm after driving down from West Palm Beach with 5th wheel trailer.  They’re parked about 3 spaces down from us here at the RV park.

As soon as they got settled in, we headed the 10 miles down the road to Key West and sunset on the historic Mallory Square.

Mallory Square

Mallory Square

Mallory Square 1

Mallory Square 1

Mallory Square 2

Mallory Square 2

Sunset Dinner Cruise

Sunset Dinner Cruise

From where we were on the pier we couldn’t see the sun set directly, but it was beautiful, none the less.

Mallory Square Sunset

Mallory Square Sunset

After watching the sunset we walked across the street to the world-famous Hogsbreath Saloon. The food was really good and the drinks were great.

Jan had Chicken Tenders and Jalapeno Poppers appetizers, and I had the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. But the drinks were a whole ‘nuther story.

Jan had the GoomBaySmash, which is pineapple juice and coconut milk mixed with Bacardi Coco Rum. It wasn’t long until she feeling very, very good.

And I think my Hogarita was made with rocket fuel. The few times I order a mixed drink I normally complain about the fact that there seems to be little or no alcohol in it.

A couple of weeks Jan and I were eating a Cuban restaurant in Downtown Disney, a commercial shopping/restaurant area that’s not actually part of the Disney theme parks.  Since I had never had one,  I decided to order a Mojito, a drink made with rum, sugar, lime juice, soda, and mint leaves.

And I would swear that this drink had absolutely NO alcohol in it whatsoever.  I mean it was sugar/lime/mint favored, but I might as well have been drinking ice tea, and it would have been a lot cheaper, too.

However I think my Hogarita had my drink’s alcohol in it and two or three other people’s drinks.  I certainly got my money’s worth.

And I’ll just say that I’m glad I wasn’t driving us home.

More tomorrow…