Enjoying the Keys

We left Cypress Nat'l preserve on Wed. and headed to Miccosukee Indian Tribe Casino Parking Lot in Miami, Florida.  We found out about the place from some friends who were heading there.  We stayed there for 2 nights.  .  You had to check in with security to stay there.  They let you put down your jacks and put out your slides.  There were probably 10 to 12 rv's plus a few truckers.  For a free place to stay it was quite nice.

We headed to the keys on Friday morning.  They had been calling for rain but it was just a light sprinkle when we left.  At one point we went through some heavy rain and wind but I guess we drove out of it or it stopped because the weather turned nice and sunny.  We stopped at a shell shop that had some unusual shells plus other things.  I guess it doesn't take much to impress us.

just a small sample of their shells



These look like sand dollars but were told they are called sea biscuits. They were big.

I don't know what you would do with these but thought they were interesting. 

 

This shop had a little bit of everything in it



this was one huge mirror

I think we spent over an hour just looking around.  We are still tourists.

Well we did finally leave and head on to our rv campground  We are staying at Jolly Rodger Travel Park in Marathon, Florida.  Marathon is about half way down to Key West.



I have always heard of Key West or The Keys and never really thought much about them.  But just look at this long string of islands.  It was amazing driving out here.  One place there is a 7 mile long bridge.



Coming off the bridge



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even the electric poles were in the water 

We went to buy Ed a salt water fishing license and he was going to come back and fish at the rv campground.  After he bought the license since we were only going to be here 2 days we decided to drive on down to Key West.  It was about 35 from where we were.    It was a good thing we did because the weather was great and today the weather turned nasty.

There was a street with all kinds of shops and eating places.  We had a hard time finding a parking place.  We stopped on one street with parking meters.  I put a quarter in and than I read the meter and it said 1 quarter for 10 minutes.  We decided to try and find another place to park.  We did find a free one a little later.  We stopped at a cafe and had dinner.

It was almost empty but later that evening around 9 o'clock it was packed.  The place sort of reminded me of what I think New Orleans would be like (although I have never been there).  People on bicycles, a trolly car, people on bicycles hauling people around, like a rick-a-shaw. 

some really neat buildings

 there are trees growing on the roof

I was hoping to be able to get back there and see more, but the campground here is full and we only had a 2 day reservation, so we have to leave tomorrow.  But I am so glad we came.  If it hadn't been for our friends Mike and Mo, we probably wouldn't have come.  I had heard the roads were narrow and the campgrounds were hard to get into and very expensive.  But we were able to get in here with Passport America for $33 a night.  Otherwise I think it was $72 a night.  Which is a lot and I would want to pay for very many nights at that rate.  But I am thankful for the 2 nights that we had.

I guess we are heading back up to the Thousands Trails CG Peace River where we were before.  We are going to take a couple of days getting there.  We are planning on stopping at the Casino which is 100 miles from here and than I am not sure where we are going to stay Monday night.                                                                                                      

All in all we have had a very nice stay here and I have to say I had a nice birthday in the Florida Keys.                     

Happy Trails from the Keys.    Ed and Lyn                                 

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