Lynnfield Does Key West!

While we were in Key West for the holiday, Kent and Mary stopped in to see us. They share their time between Florida and Massachusetts. They were on a New Years Caribbean cruise and their first stop was Key West. We got to spend the afternoon together! Their cruise ship docked in Key West at the Outer Mole. The Conch Train brought them to the top of Duval Street by Mallory Square. This is a picture of some of the passengers on their cruise ship as they arrived. Kent and Mary's train actually let them off around the corner from Mallory Square at the top of Duval Street.

The weather was sunny and warm that day. So we got an electric car to go around the island. Neal practiced being a tour guide - in case he decides to be a Conch Train driver in retirement!

We took a ride by the beach and it was packed. We stopped by at Ft. Zachary Taylor Park and walked through the Fort. Neal, Kent and Mary checked out where some of the cannons were originally mounted.

 

We also walked along the top of the wall the surrounds fort. There's a really beautiful view of the entrance to KW harbor from up there. Here are Kent and Mary with their cruise ship in the background off to the right. It was a beautiful ship they were cruising on.

After walking through the Fort, we climbed back into the electic car and took a ride down Duval Street and around Old Town. We drove by the 801 block and the Bourbon Street Pub. This is where each New Years Eve the KW drag queen "Sushi" climbs into the pink slipper and is lowered down at the stroke of midnight to welcome in the new year!

And of course we drove by Sloppy Joe's Bar at the other end of Duval Street where the conch shell is lowered at the stroke of midnight to welcome in the new year. Key West has something for everyone!

Like I said earlier, the weather was warm and sunny on this day so the Key West chickens were out  and about crossing the street.

After our tour around town, Kent and Mary treated us to a wonderful lunch in the warm sun on Sunset Pier. Thank you again - that was really great. We loved it!

After a lazy, late lunch, they had to start to head back to their cruise ship. It would not have been a good thing if the ship sailed with out them! So we walked to the top of Duval where the Conch Train was waiting.

Their cruise ship was set to sail out of Key West at around 6:00 pm.  So Neal and I rode our bikes down to see them off. We weren't sure if they would see us on the shore or not. But Kent called us to say they did in fact see us - that was great!! The sun was setting as their ship left Key West. It was a really a beautiful night.

Their cruise ship looked really amzaing on the ocean and it started to leave oh-so-slowly and carfully.

And the sun continued to set.

Their ship passed in front of us as we waved from the shore.

We think this is Kent and Mary on the top deck on the left side waving! (double click on the picture to enlarge it)

Then the sun slipped away.

Good-bye to Kent and Mary. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your cruise and had a wonderful New Years Eve. We enjoyed spending the afternoon together and are so glad you stopped by to see us. Thank you for a great lunch. Life is good and we are looking forward to joining you in the ranks of retirement!

Not only was it a beautiful sunset, if you remember New Years Eve was a full moon. This picture of the moon rising was taken as we rode our bikes out of the beach just after Kent and Mary's ship had sailed. It must have been just a wonderful evening to be on the ocean.