October 20 Wednesday 2010 Key West

We decide to spend another day and go to Tortuga national park and Fort Jefferson. A whole day trip. $135 ea. A 68 nautical mile drive by boat. About 2and ahalf hours each way. We have to be at the dock by 7:15 so miss our breakfast at the cottage but they are serving breakfast on the Fast Cat. Breakfast was coffee ,juice donuts and bagels with cream cheese. Lunch was better -cold meat ,cheese , tomatoes cucumbers etc. (with a variety of breads.) And salads . fresh fruit also. Pop no beer. We get a very good tour of the fort. We also can go snorkeling . Hudson and I take advantage of that. They supply all the gear. We get to see many colourful fish in all sizes and different coral. We leave at 2:30 a great day . Bill and Dina found it a little hot. We are back in time for a quick shower before dinner. Yesterday Dina found a lovely turtle wood carving so she went back to pay for it and have it shipped home. We went back to Alonzo for dinner again sure can't beat their prices.

REMEMBER-love doesn't make the world go around, but it makes the ride worthwhile.

October 19 Tuesday 2010 Key West

well what do they offer for breakfast? coffee, juice,tea, half a grapefruit, apples ,oranges bananas, and boiled eggs.

Then came the breads, bagels, waffles and French toast. What more can one ask for?? After a huge breakfast we take the Trolly tour- an hop on - off all day. $18 ea .It was narrated. And so good we did it3 times . We take a stop for lunch then a stop at Hemingway's house $12 ea. Here he wrote many of his stories. A colonial style mansion built in 1931 with lush gardens and home to 50 cats descendants of Hemmingway's 6 toed cats. Next a stop at Mel fisher's museum. $12ea. Artifacts recovered from the wreckage of 2 Spanish galleons that sank 40 miles off Key West, I loved the 77.7 caret emerald. Back to the cabin for happy hour and back to Alonzo's for dinner, and walk to Mallory square again. I get WIFI to work in the room

REMEMBER- He who searches for friends without faults will never have a friend.

#5 Gardenia our cottage

October 18 Monday 2010 drive to Key West Florida

We stop at what we thought was a visitors center and get talked into renting a cottage at a discount rental center right in town off Duval street. When we get there we are impressed. We have a 2 bedroom (queen size)with kitchen, living room,porch and private patio. Also a private garden with a hot tub all for $125 each. Simonton Court is an historic Inn with cottages. This also includes breakfast . After a drink on our porch we go for dinner recommended by the desk at Alonzo's where it's half off for appetizers and cocktails. Between 4-6:30. That really works for us. Then we go for a walk to Mallory square. We come home exhausted. Oh yes our parking is free too. What a deal. The place was a old cigar factory and the cottages were for the workers. the large pool was a citron for holding rain water. The place is surrounded by gardens and also has a locked gate in the evening.

REMEMBER-True friendship is seen through the heart, not through the eyes.