November 29, 2012 - 02

In the evening we walked around Duval Street, which is really the only shopping district in the Keys. But there were all kinds of galleries, sidewalk cafes, souvenier shops, open-air bars, jewelery stores and boutiques stretching more than a dozen city blocks. There are several well known brand-name stores, like Banana Republic and Birkenstock, but most of the places are owned by locals and are "infused with a salty-sweet Key West flavor" you won't find anywhere else!!


Sloppy Joes Bar on Duval Street is where Ernest Hemmingway used to hang out. There is a lot of memorabilia honoring him in this bar, BUT everywhere you go in Key West, there is Ernest Hemmingway "stuff".

Key West is also where Jimmy Buffet began the original "Margaritaville"! Now they are EVERYWHERE!! But he started here first!

Key West is only 90 miles from Cuba at it's most southerly point.