Our Mother's Day/Father's Day/Anniversary Trip

      We decided to take a short family vacation this weekend to go to Key West.  We decided it was our celebration for Mother's Day, and an early celebration for Father's Day and our Anniversary next month as well.  We planned on leaving home around 5 am, so we could arrive at the beach that we planned on going to around 9 am.  However, it took a little longer to finish getting ready to leave, so we didn't end up leaving until 7, so we arrived around 11.  Miguel slept for all but the last 30 minutes of the 4 hour drive.

      We couldn't check-in at out hotel until 3 pm, so we drove down to Atlantic and White Street, where White Street Pier is found.  We walked around a while trying to find a restroom.  We ended up finding a small botanical garden right by the beach where they had a restroom and had free admission.  We used the restroom, changed Miguel's diaper, and fed him while walking around the garden.

      We then went to White Street Pier, and tried to fish a little.  Unfortunately, we didn't catch anything...my hook even got caught on something out in the ocean, so we had to cut it and let it go.  Despite not catching anything, we enjoyed the time we had trying.  I wore Miguel in the baby carrier, and he slept the whole time we were fishing.  He got mad anytime we tried to put the baby hat we got for him on him, so we used our umbrella for shade for him.

      At 3 pm, we decided we'd spent enough time in the sun, so we went and checked into our hotel, the Courtyard Marriott.  Dany fell asleep almost the minute he laid down on the bed, so I worked on unpacking the car and even put all our clothes in the drawers and ironed Dany's clothes for church.  We got ready and went to downtown Key West around 7:30.  We got a fish sandwich at Wendy's so it would be quick.  After eating, we went to the La Concha Hotel where we were to meet up for a ghost tour.  The La Concha Inn is the tallest building in Key West and has many ghost stories associated with it, most having to do with a guy who fell down the elevator shaft and now rides up and down the elevator and puts his hand on the shoulders of people who comes in.  They may feel his hand, but if they turn to see who's there, they can't see anyone.  We went to Marrero's Guest Mansion, where the tour guide said that Marrero's wife's ghost haunts the house, and you will know if she wants you there or not.

      Then, we went to the old courthouse and were told a few different stories.

      We went to a few other places and heard stories about ghosts related to each location.  These included the Banyon Resort, Capt. Tony's Saloon, the Audubon House, the Truman Annex (where the "Little White House" is found), and the Shipwreck Museum.  At the last location, we also heard a story about a doll named Robert who doesn't like to have his picture taken.  It is said that if you take his picture without asking for his permission, either the camera will never work again, or any other pictures on the camera will disappear.  Oh yeah, anytime anyone would walk or ride a bike or car past us and make any comment about us being on the ghost tour, our tour guide would point to us and we would shout out in unison, "You're doomed!"  It was an interesting tour, though I personally didn't see any ghosts.  Oh well.

      On Saturday, we went on a glass-bottom boat out to the coral reefs to see some fish.  It was Miguel's first boat ride.  I stayed on the indoors part of the boat with Miguel, but Dany did venture out onto the front of the boat for a little while.

      After the glass-bottom boat ride, we went to a little restaurant on Duval Street, where we got the Seafood Platter.  All freshly cooked seafood:  conch fritters, fried shrimp, fried cod, and some hand-cut french fries. A couple came while we were there and ordered 6 pieces of conch fritters but after each of them had tried one, they decided they didn't like them, so they gave the rest to us.  We also got a piece of frozen chocolate covered key lime pie (a local treat in Key West).  It was all so yummy.

      Saturday night, we went on the Party Cat Dinner Cruise provided by Sunset Watersports.  Shortly after we left the dock, they invited us to come downstairs to eat.  They had rolls, shrimp pasta salad, mixed veggies, yellow rice, black beans, mashed potatoes, fried fish, mojo pork, and jerk chicken.  It was really good food.  The rest of the boat ride, we rode on the upper level watching the sunset.  It was pretty, though Dany was sad because the sun itself was hidden by clouds as it set, so he thought he couldn't see the sunset.

      We went to Sacrament in the Key West branch on Sunday morning before driving home.  It was a fun vacation...our first family vacation since Miguel was born.  We think he liked it, though he slept through most of it.  When he was awake, he was happy, even allowing us to catch smiles on camera finally.  Hope you enjoy the rest of these pictures of him.

P.S.  Dany was so sad about being unable to catch any fish in Key West that as soon as he had unloaded the car at home, he went out to try to fish in the lake behind our house.  Still nothing though.