After our visit in the Everglades, we made our way to the Southernest point of the United States, Key West.

The main industry in Key West nowadays is tourism, but the island has a rich history and once had very close ties with Cuba, the cigar industry was thriving. After all, Key West is closer to Cuba (90 miles) than it is to Florida’s main land (120 miles).

Conch fishing also used to be important, but over-fishing brought this industry to and end. They also dived for sponges, but a red tide destroyed the sponge beds, and the industry moved to Tarpon Springs. Salvaging wrecks made a lot of people rich, sometimes as many as 5 boats a week would sink while trying to navigate the treacherous waters surrounding the island. Once sunk, the cargo was fair game, whoever could get it off the boat and bring it to land became the owner of the goods in their own right.

The distance from the main land prompted some people to declare Key West a separate republic and they began issuing their own passports.

Island natives call themselves “Conchs” and if you move there, after 7 years they will adopt you and you will become a “Fresh water Conch”

Famous for its sunsets, Key West puts on a show every night. You can go sit at a bar and sip a beer while you watch the sun slowly go down over the water. Street performers animate the event.

Very famous people made Key West their home, Jimmy Buffet and Hernest Hemingway come to mind.

Jimmy Buffet is know to come here and give free concerts. His fans are called Parrot Heads.

We stayed close enough to town that we didn’t have to drive the car, we were able to ride our bike to town, which saved a lot of parking fees. On base though, we had to wear helmets, so here we are, with our brand new helmets.

We walked all the way to the Southermost point of the Continental USA

And while doing so, we passed by US 1 mile 0, the beginning and then end of US1, which goes from the Keys all the way to Canada.

The beginning and the end

At Debi’s request, we went shopping for shoes at the famous Kino shoe factory. In the spirit of Key West, it looks more like a bar than a shoe factory/store. You be the judge….

Chicken are allowed to roam freely in Key West, they eat bugs and clean the streets.

Key West is a party town, and home to a lot of weird, special and always interesting and funny characters….

This guy goes around with his pet bird on his head while he is riding, and then he takes a nap in the parking lot of a famous bar, while the bird keeps a watchful eye.

This one plays the flute while his dog sings.

Elvis, shopping…..

and finally but not least, these two characters, after a visit at Hogs Breath Saloon….