Key West…Mallory Square (March 2009)

Key West … what can I say…. you can be inspired, excited, and delighted by the busy crowd induced feverish atmosphere or you can simply slow down and relax at the waters edge or a quite little nook secluded from all the hustle bustle…. that’s just around the corner. There’s always something that compliments whatever mood your in. One minute you are all wrapped up in the excitement of everything with sensory overload… the next quietly relaxing… without a care in the world. Ohhhh… that pineapple-coconut-rum-tropical-frozen drink looks especially nice… I think I’ll have one… but I’ll pass on the conch fritter thing. Food, drink, street performers, shops, stores, vendors, the cruise ships… the smells, the sounds, the whole package combines to make Key West special and Mallory Square is one of the focal points… especially near sunset. Normally a sunset is a sunset is a sunset…. but not here… it’s always something special… just because you are here. All the varied groups of people come together to enjoy the atmosphere… and no one is ever disappointed. The excitement builds as sunset draws near… you never know what you might see or hear. On the land… on the water… everyone gathers to enjoy the special moment and all the festivities that lead up to… the sunset! It’s like no one has ever seen a sunset before… and when it’s slipped below the ocean blue…

there’s the huge crowd response… cheers and claps… hooping and hollering, and than the party moves to Duval Street and swings into full gear. I think I’ll have another pineapple-coconut-rum-frozen drink with a big chunk of pineapple on the top of the glass… ahhhhh ! Now where’s that quite little out of the way nook. So… now I can cross off another item on my own “bucket list”… hey… you have to plan ahead before you time slips away… none of us are getting any younger. Enjoy! We did! You may even get the chance to be surprised and see things that you didn’t expect to find. Little treasures can be found everywhere… just keep your eyes open and take it all in. Just watch out off those crazy roosters… they are everywhere… and they come in all colors… sometimes all at once. Don’t forget all your favorite spots to eat and enjoy a little music… you never know who you might see… one can only hope!

But a word to the wise…. if you are from the Chesapeake Bay area… just say “no” to the crab cakes… it’s never the same… ever. Well… I’ve reached my limit both on the blog and the pineapple-coconut-rum-frozen-tropical drinks… but I will have another piece of pineapple… and “no”… I do not want to try another conch fritter. Thanks anyway.