” There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” Thomas Aquinas

 

March 20, 2022

 

” There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” Thomas Aquinas

Spending time with our friend Dakota and her two adorable daughters during their three-week visit to our house has been one of the highlights of our year. We just love having the kids here and getting to spend a bit of quality time with Dakota is pretty amazing as well.

Introducing Sloane and her sister Norah to the fun things for kids to do in Key West has been especially enjoyable. We have spent time exploring some of the fun things to do in Key West.  One of the first places we wanted to visit after the butterfly garden was the Key West Aquarium.

Built in 1932, The Key West Aquarium is one of the oldest and among the first tourist attractions in Key West. It is the oldest aquarium in Florida .  The aquarium is located in Mallory Square and is one of the most popular destinations in Key West. The entire area in the vicinity of the aquarium is tourist oriented.

The displays in the aquarium really have not changed all that much in all the years it has been open. In the main room, large aquariums line each wall featuring a collection of fish, crustaceans and other sea life that is found in local waters. The center features large tanks that hold nurse sharks, sea turtles and larger fish. 

All manner of cool wildlife is featured. We parked nearby and walked across Mallory Square and through the Shell Warehouse to the entrance of the aquarium. Once inside, Sloane and her sister took in all the assorted sea life that is on display.  While at the aquarium, I got a message that another long-time friend was in town and near us, so we arranged to meet at the nearby Clinton Square Market.

My friends Thor and Steph, who I have known for close to 40 years and who I grew up with in Indianapolis were in the Keys for a vacation for Spring Break with their adult children, Hannah and Wolfgang. It has been years since I have seen them and even longer since I spent any significant time with them.

I ended up spending the rest of the day and evening with them, walking the length of Duval Street, bar-hopping before heading out to eat at the Stock Island location of El Siboney restaurant. It was a fantastic afternoon and evening spending time with old friends.

Later in the week, Dakota, Sloane, Norah and I spent time visiting Books and Books at the Studios of Key West where they got to meet owner and author Judy Blume. We also went over to take a tour of the Key West Wildlife Center, which rehabilitates injured birds and animals and has a cool trail back to a small pond that has wild birds and a plethora of small turtles.

Finally, I attended a new play at the Red Barn Theatre that starred a couple of my friends called “Hurricane Diane”. My friends Erin and Sussanah played major roles in the sort of strange new play that was a comedy/drama. 

https://www.keywestaquarium.com/