Our original plan for the day was to hang around – something we do very well. LOL. After some discussion we determined we would like to extend our stay in the area. Ron had met some people who told him about the Blue Water Resort and how wonderful it was, so we decided to check it out. It is located about 14 miles from Key West and sits on a bay. When we arrived our first clue that it was a high end establishment was that it was a gated park with a massive closed gate at the entrance.
The manager was very gracious and gave us a visitor pass to drive through. We learned that the sites were all privately owned and that some of the owners rent out their sites when they are not using them. Ron asked if any were for sale and she gave us a listing of those that were for sale by owner.
As soon as the gates opened we knew we had entered the world of the elite. The sites were beautiful with equally beautiful MH’s ranging from the low 500’s to 2 million dollars. Just a teensy, weensy out of our league. The park was gorgeous and certainly would be a great place to stay. I guess the owners rent out their spaces anywhere from $135.00 to $200.00 per night. The cost depends on the location of the site.
We had the price list for the RV sites and were speechless when we looked at them:
This site on the bay can be had for a mere $900,000.00 Yes, that is what the asking price is!!!! Notice the RV – it is a 45 foot Prevost – cost – 1.5 million. Again, I say , what the heck do these people do for a living. In addition to the cost of the lot there is a $5000.00 per year HOA fee and then anywhere from $3500 to $5000 for taxes and then $150 to 250 per month for electricity. Now I say – that is NUTS!!!
As we continued our drive we would ask – how, why, what????
The site below was cheaper – only $599,000. Although purchasing is definitely not in the cards for us we would consider staying for a few nights but not this trip because no availability.
The whole idea of spending upwards of a million dollars to park your RV seems ludicrous, but here we were seeing the ludicrous.
Well we moved on from Blue Waters to check out Boyd’s CG. Boyd’s is 4 miles from Key West and has gotten some good reviews. Their sites run from $93.00 – $125.00 per night but they do monthly rates as well. Boyd’s and Blue Waters couldn’t have been any more different. Where Blue Waters was elegant and spacious, Boyd’s was anything but. The sites were so close you could hear the people in the next camper breathing – no joke. It was so crowded it looked uncomfortable. Ron was in a state of culture shock so much so that he didn’t even take a picture. OK – so much for extending our stay down here! LOL
Since we were so close to downtown Key West we decided to take the opportunity to check out the Key West Light House. We did manage to get a parking place down by the Southern Most Point in the Continental US so we paid our parking fee and off we went. Since we were passing by the iconic buoy we stopped for a picture like a good tourist.
We passed the Southernmost House that is absolutely incredible.
Some Competition as to who is the southernmost house LOL!
The weather had gone from unseasonably cool for the area to normal. So it was 85 degrees with 99% humidity. As we walked we were once again impressed with the quaint homes and amazed by the narrow streets. We had picked up a real estate book and the homes that we admired were incredibly priced in the 700 to over 1 million dollar range for the privilege of living in downtown Key West.Sure is a pricy area to live.
We made our way to the Key West Lighthouse that stands on the highest point in Key West (18 feet above sea level) in the middle of town.
This lighthouse only had 88 stairs to climb so was easy for us. The views from the top were spectacular and we could see for miles because it was such clear day.
“Almost immediately after the U.S. Navy established a base in Key West in 1823, the need for a lighthouse became evident. Erecting a lighthouse was essential in assuring the safe arrival of both military and commercial vessels navigating the shallow, reef-laden waters off the Florida Keys
The current lighthouse opened in 1848 with a woman as its Keeper; nearly unheard of during the 19th century. In the years following, the Key West Lighthouse underwent a number of upgrades including the installation of a Third Order Fresnel Lens, an extension to the tower which allowed the light to be seen from a greater distance, the addition of Keeper’s Quarters, and finally the electrification of the light.
In 1969, the U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the Key West Lighthouse since there was no longer a need for a full-time Keeper due to technological advancements. Today, this sentinel of the sea stands as a museum dedicated to Key West’s maritime heritage and to the men and women who bravely kept the light burning through the threats of war and weather.”
The light keepers quarters was still in excellent condition and beautifully maintained.
Outside on the grounds there was statuary similar to what we had been seeing throughout Key West. The statues are so lifelike and detailed.
We stopped to take a look at the cistern building. Bob the groundskeeper was there and opened the door so Ron could look in. Bob was an interesting person and told us his life story. He was from New Jersey (as was the man who sold us our tickets) and he migrated here via a circuitous route via Alaska. He had an interesting story to tell us about his bike boat and has a video on You Tube.
We decided to walk back to our car via Duval Street and drink in the atmosphere of the day. We stopped to buy a tee- shirt for Ron and bought of all things – a refrigerator magnet for $5.99. WOW, Ron is really surprising me. Lots of iterations of bikes but we like the zebra bike the best. We also thought a picture with the elegant cigar man was in order. The nice part about being a tourist is most everyone else is too. So asking someone to take your picture is a given. Works out well for them and us because they want a picture taken too.
Duval Street is the happening street in Key West, similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Except it is a lot cleaner, with high end stores and no smell. LOL However, there is a house of ill-repute on Duval Street and of course Ron had to get a picture. It seemed out of place in the neighborhood but there it was. It was a cute little house with bright pink shutters. Innocent looking enough but the ladies sitting on the porch soliciting said it all. There is also of menu of what is offered inside plainly visible hanging to the left of the door. Since we were on the opposite side of the street we weren’t about to cross to get a closer picture. LOL
We stopped by the butterfly store but they wouldn’t let us take any pictures of the butterflies so we got the plants outside instead.
We had paid for 2.5 hours on the meter so had a few minutes to spare when we arrived back at our parking space. We took a walk out on the pier and enjoyed, once again, the sparkling clear waters.
Next we opted to take a look at the cemetery where there is a memorial to the sailors lost on the USS Maine.Finding a parking space was a chore but we did luck out and find one that was not designated as a residence parking space and it was FREE. We didn’t think free spaces existed in Key West but had been told there were and we found one.
Some parts of the cemetery was in disrepair while other areas pristine. Walking through cemeteries can bring many surprises and reading the epitaphs can be interesting .
One in particular caught our attention. That of Captain Outrageous adorned in Mardi Gras beads.
Ron looked him up and he was a local artist that was very popular in Key West. Since all the photos I could find on him are copyrighted and the web site wouldn’t cooperate. If interested in this guy just type in Captain Outrageous, Key West.
We stopped for pizza at a local restaurant but wouldn’t you know their pizza ovens were not working. Our waitress was new (day 3 on the job) stressed and ended up having someone else serve us. She was having difficulty with the computerized ordering system so her other customers were not getting the right meals.
Despite the fact there was no pizza available the food was quite good. Back at home we took Jewel for her evening walk. Or should I say she took us. She did not want to go back to the MH so pranced right by our street. It was a beautiful night with clear skies and bright stars so we let her guide the way. Once again another great day in paradise.
Saturday will be a clean the MH day for us. Our friends Carolyn and Jack from Raynham/Boynton Beach are driving down to spend the night with us. Looking forward to their visit and a fun time at the Eagles Tribute at Boondocks.
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