Fort Lauderdale and Key West

February 4, 2019

After another restless and sleepless night we are headed out for breakfast and then back to return our hire car before heading to Port Everglades to board our cruise. As we unloaded our bags at Hertz Car Return, Joe, the guy that checked our car offered to drive us round to the cruise terminal, so we loaded our bags back into the car and took off for the short ride. (Saved us about an hour and a few dollars not having to head into the terminal and find a taxi). Joe our driver was a great big friendly, black, American guy. Very talkative and happy and amazed at the tour we are about to embark on. He also informed us that it was an easy day at the Cruise Terminal today as there were only two ships in port, unlike Sunday which was frantic with 9 cruise ships in. He delivered us straight to bag drop, lifted our cases out of the car and wished us a great cruise. Made our morning. We are boarding the Holland America MS Veendam for the next few weeks. We checked in and had a short wait before we boarded. Once on board we went straight up to the Lido deck for lunch as our cabin wasn’t ready. After a very relaxed light lunch by the pool we wandered around the ship before heading back to our cabin, room 069 on Deck 10. Our bags haven’t been delivered yet so back up to deck 11 to enjoy a cocktail as we sail away. We met a lovely older couple from France who spoke very good English, Nellie and Victor, who we shared a table with as we left Fort Lauderdale. It’s a beautiful evening as we watch land slip away and the sun set over Miami.

Key West

This morning we berthed in Key West as we enjoyed breakfast on the Lido deck. Then it’s back to our cabin to ready ourselves for our tour today. We are not doing a ships tour but one Philip organised. This is a Food Tour and doesn’t start until 11 o’clock so we have a couple of hours to wander first. I love the architecture here, cute white homes set in lush surroundings, palm trees, hibiscus, bougainvillea and orchids amongst many others plants. Tiny narrow streets, tiny shops and food outlets, rum distilleries and cigar factory’s all crammed into a 2 mile by 4 mile island. We walked for several hours before arriving at our starting point for the tour.

El Siboney Cuban Restaurant was our first stop and here we met the other 12 guests and our tour leader Shannon. We enjoyed a Cuban meal of slow cooked pork, onions, rice, black beans and plantains and finished off with a small Cuban Coffee. Shannon told us the history of this typical Cuban meal as we ate. It was all delicious, except the very strong sweet coffee.

(P-a bonus Judith doesn’t like coffee, I had hers as well – credit where it’s due tho! She did try it.)

After this we walked to our next destination with Shannon showing us points of interest along the way. Tasting number two was at Bad Boys Burritos, where we enjoyed a fish taco with Red Grouper, tomato, cabbage, crumbled cheese and peppers in a soft taco. Again this was delicious and in a very relaxed setting. Everything was so fresh here. They have no freezers and no microwaves, everything is prepared fresh and replaced every 48 hours. Next stop was the Rum Factory for a rum cocktail. As Philip drank my coffee I suggested I should drink his cocktail but unfortunately that didn’t happen. While finishing our cocktails we wandered along the streets past some quaint old homes and a grocery store, to the highest point on the island. Got to work off those calories. It was a big climb all 14 feet. There is now a lighthouse here that was moved from the outer reef after a storm damaged it. It now marks this high point and can be climbed for great 360 degree views of the area. After this stop we head to Blue Heaven Restaurant where Ernst Hemingway and his wife once resided. At this stop we got to taste the famous Key Lime Pie. Delicious and enjoyable in another great setting. Our last stop was just around the corner in Duval Street at Mangoes. Here we tasted conch fritters. Conch has a texture a bit like abalone and was very tasty served with a key lime aioli dressing. So now after three hours of great food tasting, local history and information and a nice bunch of people we have finished the tour and look forward to receiving some recipes which will be sent to us soon. I’m sure cooking these things at home will not be near as nice as tasting them here in Key West.

(P- the slow cooked Pork shoulder will definitely be cooked along with it’s marinade as it was delicious!) A thoroughly enjoyable day it was indeed! Now we are lost at sea for a few days – next post when we find civilisation somewhere!!!