Changes in Latitude

And for Tuesday's edition of the travel journal...

This morning we woke up leisurely and once again enjoyed breakfast pool-side at our hotel. After breakfast, we walked to the Mallory Square and historic seaport area and toured the Key West Aquarium, which was the first tourist attraction on the island. We enjoyed the touch tanks with horseshoe crabs, starfish, hermit crabs, and more. We watched sting rays and sea turtles splash tourists, and we took part in the shark feeding. We got to see sea horses and shrimps, several fish indigenous to the area, and many species that we swam with during yesterday's snorkeling trip (to include the Great Barracuda).

After the aquarium, we walked around the Mallory Square and seaport area for a little bit, but it was really crowded as a cruise ship pulled in early this morning. We wandered off the beaten path a bit and found a great little hole-in-the-wall diner for lunch. Since we got quite a bit of sun yesterday, we decided to come back to the hotel to relax a little bit before hitting the gym. This evening, we walked down to the seaport to the Sunset Pier to take part in a local weekly tradition: Sunset Shrimp Spectacular. For $5, you can buy a half-pound of steamed shrimp, complete with cole slaw and corn on the cob, and for another $5 you can wash it down with a margarita. If 'ritas aren't your thing, you can purchase a "bucket of beers" instead. The pier was completely packed, and we had to stand in line for a little bit, and then stand at the pier's rail to eat, but that was the best $5 meal I've ever eaten! With the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration going on in the distance, a live band playing at the end of the pier, and sail boats gliding into the marina, it was a great atmosphere and delicious food! Too bad it's only a weekly event! We continued the evening at the famed Rick's Bar on Duval Street with $10 all-you-can-drink Rum Runners before crawling into bed...which is where I am now, and I'm going to snuggle under the covers and fall asleep listening to the pool fountain outside our door! Night!