Day 7, 8 and 9: KEY LIME PIE

Don’t know you, but I love traveling by car while I’m on holiday. I love that “on the road” feeling, when every song you listen to becomes the soundtrack of the beautiful movie which is playing just outside of your windows.. And when you can share it with somebody that makes you feel like home everywhere you go, well, it’s even better.
We left Miami downtown and Martina’s office behind our shoulders and drove down south all along the Florida Keys and their incredible bridges chasing one of the most colourful sunsets I’ve ever seen. Destination: Key West.
Have you ever been to New Orleans? No? Me neither! But the Old town of Key West looks exactly how I imagine the Louisiana metropolis to be like! And both me and the girls agreed upon it. Tropical trees and flowers, hot weather, white wooden late 19th century bungalows and villas, set on foundations piers and gifted with covered porches, jazz and funk music in the air, the feeling of being in a timeless place where everybody wears a smile on their faces and lives their life carelessly… Our daydreaming was abruptly interrupted as soon as we reached Duval streets, one of the main roads, and found out that a huge gathering of Harley Davidson fanatics from all over the U.S. was on! Every single restaurant, street, pub and bar was crowded with leather dressed, highly tipsy, proud bikers singing along to live country music while their shameless middle-aged spouses were sultry dancing with each others. Love the States! We found our own spot of American Folklore in the bier garden of the Smokin’ Tuna Saloon (http://smokintunasaloon.com) where me and Isa tried Peruvian Ceviche for the first time.
Waking up in paradise! That’s not a metaphor, Marti really made a bargain when she booked our accommodation! We had the proof of it when, still almost asleep, we went on the balcony of our room and looked down (http://nyahotels.com). After spoiling ourselves with a heavy breakfast (follow Richard’s advice and spread an extra layer of jam on top of a toast with peanut butter…) and lingering on the poolside under a cloudless sky , we strolled around the old town adopting its laid-bak attitude, stopped in an old book shop, and reached the beach in the Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park where we lazily spent the rest of the afternoon. On our way back, at dusk, we picked a different path and crossed a bewitching old residential area with its typical conch-houses. That night, me and Isa were introduced to the joy of ribs, chopped pork and brisket in our first proper XL size American barbecue (http://www.charliemacs404.com). Once again, the capacity of my stomach managed to impress Richard. After our ten thousand calories dinner we “rolled” next door to the Green Parrot (http://www.greenparrot.com) and enjoyed the charismatic live performance of an incredible talented blues/funk band from Orlando, the Legendary JC’s. I guess that day spent in Key West was another highlight of our holiday. We loved every single moment of it.
Not so lucky the day after when we decided to leave Key West to snorkel in Key Largo, after a morning spent trying hopelessly to take underwater selfies, and we arrived to John Pennekamp State Park Coral Reef too late to take part in whatsoever tour. At least we succeeded in meeting Blaine, lomography’s “clownshoes”, and his muse, Miss KT, in their radio station and hear their point of view about how boring it can be to live in Key Largo. Who would have thought? They sounded like me, Martina and Isa when somebody asks us about the place where we come from in the North of Italy! Anyway guys, I’m still impress with how you can’t care less about possible alligators encounters when you swim in the canal!
Time to head back to Miami, just in time for a tropical storm and Richard’s lesson on how to survive when you drive on a flooded highway. It was actually quite providential considering what would have happened in Nassau, Bahamas, the following week…

Outward journey track: Branko – On Top

From Picture #1 to #17 (except #3, #4, #5 taken with Lomography LC-A+, Lomochrome Purple 100-400): Nikon N55, Petzval 85, Fuji Velvia 50 (35, expired)

From picture #18 to #34: Olympus OM-1, Agfa CT precisa (35)

18-19-20/09/2015, Downtown Miami, The Keys, Key West (Florida)