A Celebration: Why We Went to the Keys

First, a short geography lesson:

The Florida Keys are a chain of islands strung from the southern tip of mainland Florida -- due south, then turning west. (Here's a set of maps: http://www.fla-keys.com/maps/ .) There are dozens and dozens of islands in the chain, but many of them are uninhabited and not connected to the major chain by roads and/or bridges. The major thoroughfare is US Route 1, which terminates at Key West -- the last inhabited island in the chain. (For simplicity's sake, building addresses throughout the Keys are identified by Mile Markers rather than by the name of the island. It's a wonderful system: if you're at your motel at Mile Marker 38 and you want to get to a restaurant at Mile Marker 24, you know to head towards Key West [i.e., towards Mile Marker Zero] and drive 14 miles. Capisce?)

The inhabited chain of Keys is roughly 120 miles long.

The islands closest to the mainland, Key Largo and Islamorada, are heavily developed and don't hold much attraction for Deb and me for that reason. If it weren't for the marinas full of huge sport fishing boats, marinas that are occasionally visible from Route 1, you wouldn't know you were on an island at all. And where's the fun in that?

And Key West, the island at the other end of the chain, has a reputation for hedonistic lunacy which it richly deserves. (There are a number of quiet, lovely old neighborhoods on Key West where the craziness never goes, but the "Bad Boy" reputation of the island is how most people think of it.)

BUT! Between the overdeveloped Upper Keys and the loopiness of Key West are many quiet islands which are charming and pleasant and (pardon the pun) as "low-key" as you could possibly want. And it is this in-between area that appeals so much to Deb and me.

The Middle Keys have a number of State Parks, beautifully kept, each of which has a different flavor from all the others. And this time of year, the parks are home to a wonderful assortment of migratory birds as well as populations of year 'round residents like the White Ibis (link to photo: http://photohome.com/photos/animal-pictures/birds/white-ibis-1.html ) that you'd never see up North.

And the island that we tend to hang out on or near, Big Pine Key, is the home of the Key Deer population. Imagine, if you would, a deer that looks just like our typical White-Tailed Deer, but miniature in size. A full-grown Key Deer stands 30 inches at the shoulder. (Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_Deer .) Industrial-strength cute!

So anyway, Deb and I stayed at Parmer's Resort (link: http://www.parmersresort.com/ ), a place where we had stayed several years ago. It's located on Little Torch Key, which is adjacent to Big Pine Key. From there, it's an easy drive to 5 or 6 State Parks (to re-connect to Nature) or to Key West (to dis-connect from Reality). And during our week, we did both.

One of the remarkable things about the Middle Keys is the sense of caring community that so evident at every restaurant, store, library, everywhere you look. Most of the people you meet are full-time residents, and the occasional tourist you come across is staying in the area for the same reasons you are: the restful quiet, the parks, the beaches, the birdlife. You can strike up a conversation anywhere with anyone and be glad that you did.

We never had a bad meal -- come to think of it, we never had a mediocre meal. Fresh fish beautifully prepared, fresh vegetables, and a wonderful assortment of desserts -- with everyone claiming to have the best Key Lime Pie in the islands. And the beverage of choice (other than the fine wines and good beers) is cafe con leche (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_con_leche ), which Deb describes as being halfway between coffee-flavored ice cream and hot chocolate. Oh yes!

So, what's not to like? You're away from the crowds of the Upper Keys and those on Key West. You're surrounded by beautiful scenery, fascinating wildlife, and the (usually) warm air scented by the ocean on one side and the Gulf on the other. It's life at a slower pace. A pace you can adjust to easily and just... breathe. And be glad to be alive.

Even if you're not recovering from cancer...