Key West

 Who is the guy in my photo?  Ugh, tourists. I made it to Key West and yep I'm in the southernmost point in the continental US. 

Off to see the cats at the Hemingway house.  Ernest Hemingway had a house in Key West because he fell in love with the island’s laid-back lifestyle and found it an inspiring place to write (and drink). The house became home to many cats, including one with extra toes given to him by a ship’s captain. Today, the cats—many with extra toes—are famous for being descendants of Hemingway’s original feline and are a unique feature of the property.

Hemingway didn't have much money but his wife (at the time) had a rich uncle who funded the restoration of the house (including adding a swimming pool).

This the room where he wrote some of his famous works including To Have and Have Not, Snows of Kilimanjaro and a little bit of For Whom the Bell Tolls. 

More cats, so awesome.  These cats are federally protected. The gate to the house is open and the cats are free to go but the guide said they never leave.

There are a ton of chickens in Key West and they are protected by the city. Why you ask? There are so many in Key West because they are descendants of birds brought over by early settlers for food and cockfighting. When cockfighting was outlawed and people no longer needed them for food, many chickens were released and began roaming freely. With the island’s warm climate and lack of natural predators, the chicken population continued to grow and is now a well-known part of Key West’s charm.

These chickens weren't too friendly to this fox. Must keep my distance.

Drinking is a big thing in Key West (Drunk Fox used to hang out here in the 70s and he could tell you stories).  I went to a few bars, this is the Green Parrot. Good drinks, loud music. 

The Key West butterfly convservatory was amazing.  Why are there no pictures of butterflies with me?  Well, have you tried to take a photo of a stuffy and a butterfly?  Very challenging.  Flamingos were much easier to take a photo with.

There's more to come in Key West but this little fox heard the sunsets are amazing at Mallory Square.  The universe wasn't cooperating for a sunset this time but got some nice pictures none-the-less

Hello Marathon, Florida

Hiya Gang, Little Fox relaxing and chilling.  I really fit into the Florida Keys lifestyle. 

Now, it's time to explore. First I watched people feed the Tarpon fish at Robbie's Marina.

The fish know how to jump so it's safer for me to hang out with the roommates.  Next stop is the Dolphin Research Center. 

A refuge for 27 dolphins who are not able to be released back to the wild.

Dolphins are so cool (like foxes).  There is more to the middle keys than dolphins and Robbies.  The old 7 mile bridge has walkable sections and some of the sections are bikeable as well.

The 7 mile bridge is quite the engineering feet.

Next up.  A little bike adventure.

The old 7 mile bridge is right next to the new one.  Fun fact, it was originally a railroad bridge, then in the 1930s the state transformed it into an automobile bridge.  It was in use until 1982 when the new bridge opened.

See that island?

 
It's Pigeon Key, a former rest stop when it was a interstate highway but before that it was a railroad work  camp.  When the railroad was built in the early 20th century by Henry Flagler (and crew) Pigeon Key was a work camp for the people who built the railroad. 

A short 2 mile bike ride later I reached the end of the bridge. 

Pigeon Key was originally established as a temporary camp for workers building the Overseas Railroad. During that time, the buildings were left unpainted since they were not intended to be permanent. Later, the site was preserved and transformed into a historic landmark to honor its role in Florida's railroad history.

My roommates found a great place on the Atlantic Ocean.  Time for a little break.

Should I take a chair or a lounger? 

Brrr..it's cold in Florida.

Who gets cold in Florida?  No one I know except for little stuffies that make a conscious choice to visit an Ice exhibit. 

The exhibit is at the Gaylord Palms hotel, a fancy (i.e. expensive) place to stay in Orlando.  They do an ice sculpture show every year.  This years theme is based on the movie called "A Christmas Story".

This is the family car (all out of ice).

Massive bears out of ice. 

A nice Christmas village.  Yep, all out of ice. 

Ice dogs. 

This is a very popular attraction for stuffies.  Look at all of these friends I met.  I wonder if they have blogs too?

Time to go out of the ice into the warmer parts of the hotel.  This looks like a nice area. 

This stature is a fountain.  A fox could really reflect and relax here. 

Looks like other stuffies come here too. 

Besides the relaxing area and the ice sculpture they also have a Christmas tree trail. 

Found one:

Here's another.

Found the big tree!  Now it's time to relax. Perhaps this fancy hotel has an ice cream shop?

Tour: Local History at the Manatee Country Historical Park

Hi Gang.  Little Fox here.  I have woken up from my Christmas sugar coma and today I am off on an adventure.  I am at a local history center which is a hodgepodge of local history.

  First up is the Cracker Trail.  The Cracker Trail is named after the sound of the whip that cowboys used to move cattle.  Apparently, Florida supplied lots of cattle back in the day and often cowboys needed to move the cattle from inland to the ports on the gulf coast. 

Next, is a locomotive engine that was used for the Manatee Crate Company.  Florida grows lots of citrus and in the 1900s the Manatee Crate made crates for the citrus growers to transport their fruits to the world.  Old #2 (the name of this engine) was in service for the Manatee Crate Company from about 1900-1950. Now it's retired at the Manatee County Historical Park.

Next up:  The old boarding house. The five flags represent the five countries that have been flown under Florida.  Spain, Great Britain, France, The Confederacy, and the United States.   

Throughout the park the Chick-Fil A mascot is hiding.  Similar to a scavenger hunt but you don't get a free piece of chicken at the end, just the satisfaction of knowing you found all of the cows.

Do you see the cow in the blacksmith shop? 

What about now?  Do you see the cow on the old piano?

This is a great picture (I think).

Time to explore the old courthouse. 

A cow is on the jury? 

The courthouse is in great shape.  I like the old wood.  Very rustic. 

Next stop:  The old house.  These homes are called Cracker Homes as they are essentially built on a raised foundation for airflow in the summer.  They also have 3 sided porches to keep residents cool during the summer.  This is the kitchen.  It is in really good shape and I bet I could cook up a good meal for my humans. 

A well stocked pantry.  

My roommates told me I am not allowed to use the pioneer kitchen....their loss.  Perhaps we can stop by a chick fil a on the way home?

An adventure (finally....).

Hey Gang,
Little Fox here.  I am hanging out at the airport waiting for a flight.  First class ticket?  Ha!  No, coach for this fox.  The airport is always adding new art to display.  This mural really calls to me (I wonder why?).

Where am I off too?  Perhaps this sign will give you a clue?

Yep, if you guessed Florida you were correct.  First stop was Sarasota and Siesta Key for a nice beach walk.  Siesta Key is voted one of the best beaches in the USA so it seems appropiate that I should check it out. 

Lots of nice hotels to stay at. 

Quite a few people out today. 

Wow what a nice sunset.  Time for dinner and a new adventure tomorrow.