Days 263 -268
Key West FL

Once again in our 7 years together I was able to surprise Angel. Without Angel finding out I made arrangements for her best friend Bonnie to come visit us. Bonnie and thier friend Evelyn flew into Fort Lauderdale and drove to Key West. Angel was on the phone with her grandkids when Bonnie walked onto the boat. The look of confusion and surprise was priceless. Bonnie and Evelyn stayed for five days.

We started their time with us, with a tour of our favorite bars, Sloppy Joe's, Irish Kevins, Flying Monkey, and Bull & Whistle they were all mixed in with a day of wandering in and out of the shops and stores on Duval Street and checking out the cruise ship at dock at Mallory Square.

We spent every day they were here exploring Key West. Bonnie has been here before but it was Evelyn's first time in Key West. Two of the must see stops for first timers are The Southern Most Point and sunset at Mallory Square. Of course we did them both. When you get to the Southern Most Point, there is always a line, but it move fairly quickly and it is easy to get the person in line behind you to take a group picture.

Originally we had planned to go snorkeling on Sunday, but even though it was clear and sunny the marine forecast was calling for 2 to 3 foot seas. We decided that it would not be fun to snorkel in those conditions. I am a firm believer in the old saying; I would rather be on land wishing I was at sea, than at sea wishing I was on land. Instead of snorkeling we spent the afternoon checking out some of the smaller bars in town. Almost every bar has live music all day long. The musicians in Key West amaze me, instead of having a set playlist, they mostly do request. Ninety-five percent of the time, they are able to play the requested songs. It takes a lot of talent to be able to perform on demand like that.

Sunday was the first night the forecast was clear while Bonnie and Evelyn were here. So we decided it would the best night to watch the sunset. Around 5:30 we headed Mallory Square to watch the street performers and find a good spot to watch the sunset. We could not have picked a better night to watch it. It was definitely a picture perfect sunset.

We also took Bonnie and Evelyn to one of our favorite restaurants in Key West for breakfast, The Blue Heaven. Unfortunately it seems to be everyone's favorite, when we checked in we were told the wait was over an hour and ended up being two hours. They no longer allow you to wait at the bar in the restaurant, but they have opened a bar across the street where you can still get Bloody Mary's while you wait. The Blue Heaven only offers al fresco dining where roosters and cats roam while you eat and listen to live music. The food was delicious as always, but I am not sure it is worth the wait.

We also spent time visiting places like the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory and the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, and spent an afternoon relaxing on the beach enjoying the sun and the waves. The water was too shallow and a little rough for swimming but it was relaxing. Because it was so windy there were several "Kiteboarders" riding the wind and the waves. Kiteboarders use a giant kite, and what looks like a small surf board to skim around on the water. It look fun and scary at the same time.

On Twosday (2/22/22) Bonnie and Evelyn return to New Jersey, It was great to have company, but we need to rest because on Saturday Rebecca and Zach come to visit us for a few days.