Save yourself some dough............cancel the trip and go to Haiti.

I just got back and wrote up some "trip imprtessions." There is nothing
about diving, but if this will otherwise help...

My first impression is that Key West never disappoints me. After having
gone down for twelve or thirteen years, as many as three times in one
year, there are always places that I can go to for a sit-down, a drink,
and a snack and be happy there. There are new places to explore, but
there is never enough days to do everything I want to. It takes me
about a day and a half to stop walking fast, and then I start to relax.
I was scheduled to arrive at 12:35 but my flight from Newark came into
Tampa early enough that I could be bumped to an earlier shuttle and got
in at 12:05 - and extra half-hour in paradise. I stowed my bags and
had a welcome back Key West Sunset Lager at Sloppy Joes. Just sitting
there made me happy to be back. Then check-in at 2:00, swimming until
4:00, margueritas at Kelly's by 4:30.

Secondly, Key West has recovered about 85 % from the last hurricane
season. The Sheraton Suites, for example, has had the exterior repaired
and re-painted, and it looks like new. It looks like all of the
construction at the Hyatt is done and they are now finishing up the
painting there, too. The vegetation has come back, more quickly than I
would have guessed. The Royal Poinciana trees are blooming as are the
hibiscus and various other bushes and plants. There are still a few
dead or dying fronds on the palm trees, but these are slowly being
replaced by new ones. The gardens at the Pier House are growing and all
of the palm trees have survived. The Pier House still strikes me as a
great value, mainly because of the beach and the location, but it is
critical that you get a good room. This is probably true of every place
to stay.

Thirdly, if you want Key West to yourself, go in May. I didn't have
to wait for anything and there were times when I was one of only a
couple of customers. Talk about good service! Even the Island T'ing
did not fill up...32 vs. 40 people.

Because I was alone I got into a routine of going running in the
morning, and then having breakfast, and again all of the old faithfuls
didn't disappoint; Turtle Kraals on Monday for the huevos rancheros
special, Two Friends on Tuesday for an omelet, Pepes on Wednesday for
another omelet, The Rooftop Café on Thursday for the Eggs Benedict
with a crab cake on both, two eggs over easy on pancakes at the Secret
Place on Saturday, and Martins for brunch on Sunday. I never made it to
Sarabeth's. Then I would spend most of the day reading and swimming
at the Pier House beach, sneaking down one bottle of beer. (Only caught
once but there was a new towel boy the first few days, and the regular,
Nate, doesn't usually hassle me).

Then I would go out for a drink and maybe a snack. Afterwards, I would
walk for a while, then go back to the Pier House and read or snooze a
little, then have dinner. I had more real dinners this trip than any
other. Various items. Big Daddy Conchs does not have the 1.99 / dozen
oysters, but at 10.00, it's still not a bad place to go. I still like
the peel-your-own-shrimp with a Sunset Ale at the Half-Shell Raw Bar
and oysters and a Sunset Ale at the Conch Republic. But the best deal
now is Alonzo's. You bring your See Key West magazine with the free
drink coupon on page 36 and order half-price oysters or clams or
whatever, and end up spending maybe $6.00. You could do this every
night And Kellys for margueritas and chicken wings. Again it comes to
$6.00. IMO the best Bloody Marys are at the Pier House (thanks Markd)
but for pleasant surroundings, go up to the Rooftop Café and have one.
They are very good, cost $8.25, but the location is great -
overlooking Front Street at about the level of the tower at the
Wreckers Museum. The Duval Beach club is a good place to sit and have a
Sunset Ale and overlook the ocean. I never actually went into Island
Dogs or the Rum Barrel, but the thing to do on a Saturday night seems
to be to get a bottle of beer at the former, then stand on the sidewalk
and listen to the band form the latter. (The latter is going to get
wise and call the cops, which would be a shame). And the Iguana Café
(across from Capt'n Tony's?) has been demolished and is going to be
re-built. Croissants de France is still not done and I'm getting
worried.

Dinners were great. Without too much detail...grilled shrimp with a
kind of Key Lime chutney sauce and rice and beans at Turtle Kraals. A
Cuban dinner of beef and pork with plantains, rice and beans and a
glass of Spanish red wine at El Meson de Pepe. Finished with a café
con leche which was better than D*mn Good Food Co. Blackened grouper
with rice and beans (do we see a trend here?) at Blue Heaven with a
Kalik. And two dinners of fish and chips and a Corona at B.O.'s
Fishwagon, still my favorite place. I meant to have a dinner of Black
(not blackened) grouper at the Rooftop, but never got around to it.

And in terms of activities, the Sebago Island T'ing is still the best
IMO. And for a change I went out on the Caribbean Spirit for the
snorkel, sunset sail. This is a little more expensive than the others,
the Fury, e.g., but if they go to Sand Key, this is the best spot
I've found for snorkeling. There are "fingers" of coral reef
which you swim through and where all of the fish hang out. The only
place I've found a coupon (2.00 off per person) is on their web page,
but if they go to Sand Key it's worth the extra money. Ask when you
book. For deals, try Janet Masilgill at booth # 1 on Duval and Front,
or Captain David Brown just before you come to the end of Front Street,
on the right.

I always need some diet soda and orange juice for the room, and might
need film or whatever. There is a coupon for $3.00 off a $10.00
purchase at the Walgreens in the See Key West magazine on page 51. Not
usable for beer 8-(. I bought myself a nice tank top at Summer Salt on
Front, and, finally, a new pair of patch-pocket shorts at the Saltwater
Angler off the Mallory Docks. These are great for a vacation - wallet
in one patch, digital camera in the other, and See Key West Magazine
stuffed over one cheek in the back.

And!!! I left my initials somewhere at one of the places mentioned
above. (Not at Sand Key) I'll buy drinks for the first person who
spots them.

Pjk