The beacon

I stayed at The Lighthouse Court Hotel, so called because it's right in the backyard of the Key West Lighthouse. Built in the mid-1800s, the lighthouse is more than 85 feet tall ... and we climbed all the way up and all the way down.


Even though I'm a big fat moo-cow, I'm still in pretty decent shape. At least compared to the other tourists who were sweaty and breathless when they reached the top. I guess hurrying up the train platform every day, twice a day, is good for me. And it turns out going down was more difficult than climbing up. Those narrow, circular steps were a little dizzying.

I loved the romance of the old lighthouse. The views on the way up were pretty, too. I enjoyed looking down at my hotel. We had a wonderful time.

Welcoming 2012 in Key West

 The weather down there was ideal. Simply terrific. Warm but not hot. Sunny but not blinding. I couldn't have been happier with the send off Mother Nature gave 2011 down in Key West.

I spent more time in the water this time than I have in years gone by. As you can see, my pedi met the Atlantic Ocean, and liked it a lot. I also swam in the charming little pool at my hotel. And at midnight, we returned to the pool and dangled my little pink toes off the deep end.

More about my vacation to come. Happy New Year, Blogosphere.

How I didn't welcome the New Year

New Year's Eve is a very big deal in Key West. Not only is there a giant shell that falls at midnight at Sloppy Joe's, one of Hemingway's favorite haunts, there's Sushi, who climbs into this stiletto and is dropped onto Duval Street as the new year begins.

I've been in this crush of people at least three times ... once at Sloppy Joe's and two times (or more) watching Sushi. And it's fun. But I'd rather not do it again. (I took the photo above myself, early on New Year's Eve. To see Sushi in action, watch the clip below.)