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I remember the first time I was self conscious about my body... I was 7. And contrary to what we hear all the time, it wasn't because of fashion magazines or unreasonable expectations set forth from the media. It was just normal insecurities. It was second grade and we were learning how to measure things. We were split into groups and given tape measures. We measured the circumference of our heads and how tall (or short) we were. Then we measure our waists. When it was my turn, I sucked my stomach in and was immediately called out on it. Being 7, I thought I was super clever and I tried to convince them that, I hadn't in fact sucked my stomach in, and this is just how I look normally. Needless to say, a career in espionage was not in my future. As mature as I'd like to think I am now, my 7 year old insecurities never went away. In fact they probably got more elaborate. I was saying just the other day that the only part of my body that I don't see any room for improvement in, is my ankles. I think I can safely say that I have nice ankles. But that's crazy! I realized just how crazy I was when we were in Key West. And I think it's safe to say that I'm not the only one suffering from this brand of crazy. I know a lot of women who won't be seen in a swimsuit or subject themselves to wearing cover-ups the whole time and not swimming for fear of someone seeing a less than taught stomach. And that's just not how things are in Key West. There's something different about it there. I saw women who had to be at least 75 wearing booty shorts and halter tops. I saw women of all shapes, sizes, and ages rocking string bikinis and crop tops. It's just so laid back there and hot, that you just start to not care so much about all of the stupid stuff. And if you're looking too uptight about anything, you're probably going to stand out like a sore thumb, and this goes for men too. Pat was sassed by a barista for having his shirt too buttoned up. That attitude is infectious and you just start to have fun without worrying as much about whether anyone notices your muffin top or that your thighs don't look like Gisele's. Having that attitude definitely made for a more fun trip. I'm glad to say that I 100% embraced it. That was until I got back and the warm glow of Key West started to fade and I was sorting through our pictures and I saw this one. Now, let me start by saying that this is not a compliment fishing expedition. Do I think I look like a grotesque ogre? No. But I am sad to say that my first reaction was not a nice one. All I saw were the same problem areas that I've been self conscious about since I was 7. But then I remembered that this picture was taken just a short time after I was snorkeling fearlessly with sharks. Yes, this little friend of mine, the Black Tipped Caribbean Reef Shark. Ok, before when I said "fearlessly" I will amend that to a healthy amount of (heart pounding) fear and respect for sharks.
But, my point in all this is that sure, our bodies may not be perfect, and we all have insecurities about how we look, but we shouldn't let that stop us, ever! If you've been putting off taking a beach vacation until you're in bikini shape, don't put it off any longer. You'll never be younger than you are today. And if you're still feeling unsure, book a trip to Key West. I've never been anywhere where people where so comfortable just being themselves. Book that ticket, buy that swimsuit, and stock up on SPF. You're going to have a great time even if you have a muffin top. Never let your insecurities stop you from having fun and don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter
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It's finally here! We've been back from Key West for a while now and I'm finally getting this put together. Not only is the Key West Bed & Breakfast beautiful, but it's also practical for a relaxing get away. In each nook and cranny you'll find comfortable places to relax and forget about life anywhere else. Deciding to stay at the Key West Bed & Breakfast was one of the best decisions we made. It was perfectly located. You'll find it on a quite tree lined street with other historic and beautiful homes, all while only being a couple minute walk to Duval street and great food. The bed and breakfast was more than just a place for us to rest our heads at night. The staff and owners treated us like family and really cared that we enjoyed our stay. The home was built in 1898 by Bahamian ship builders and is listed on the National Historic Register and is know as the "popular house" and I can see why. The owner is an artist and you can feel that throughout each room. Each item feels so carefully chosen and perfect. This back patio was the perfect oasis for us to drink coffee in the morning, soak our hot feet in the afternoon and drink champagne in the evening. It seemed like the only outdoor space in all of Key West that wasn't the same temperature as the sun. I don't know how they do it, but it was one of our favorite spots to be. Our room was perfectly cozy and was always nice and cool after a long day at the beach. Every day they bake in house new breads and sweets to serve the next morning. The smell wafting through the house was intoxicating. The fruit was possibly the most amazing fruit I've ever seen served anywhere. There was fresh papaya and pineapple cut fresh that morning. Delicious juicy oranges for fresh squeezed juice, and the coffee...the COFFEE. There was something amazing in it. In fact, Pat asked if I could call them to find out what exactly it was because he's got a craving. Ok, now that you know where to stay, now it's time to play. Play A review of a bed and breakfast wouldn't be complete without the breakfast part. Before we left Pat commented that he had read on the site that they do not serve meat or eggs with their breakfast. Pat looked a little sad that he would't be having bacon in the morning. With that said, at the end of the trip Pat commented that he LOVED the breakfast. It might have had something to do with me delivering it in bed every morning, but I don't want to take all the credit. 1. Take an excursion We took a couple of excursions and they were both fun, but if we had to pick one, we'd go with Fury. We did the Island Adventure excursion and it was so much fun. They took us out snorkeling and then to a sand bar that's only exposed at low tide way off the coast of Key West. From there they took us paddle boarding and kayaking to a mangrove forest. We saw sharks, some sting rays, and lots of fish. The crew were really fun, laid back, and made sure we had a good time. One of the crew named Josh was out snorkeling with us and saw a Hog Fish way down below. It was deeper than I could dive, so he took my camera for me and dove down to get a picture. They were awesome! We did the afternoon one so that we could catch the sunset while we were out. They served us champagne and it made for a perfect day. Another couple that were staying at our same B&B did a different excursion with Fury that included parasailing and they LOVED it. I don't think you can go wrong. 2. Go to the Butterfly Conservatory Now, I know what you're thinking, because I thought it too. "Butterflies? It sounds like it might be fun for children, but I'm looking for something a bit more extreme." I would seriously consider giving it a try, because it was AMAZING! It felt like there were thousands of them flying everywhere. There were huge ones, small ones, all different colors. Every once in a while they'll land on you, and you'll feel amazing. There are also all sorts of birds including flamingos. It's a fun and really magical experience. For only $12 it's well worth it in my opinion. If you're following us on Instagram, there's a video on there of the butterflies doing there thang. Insider tip: Wear something colorful. They are attracted to flowers, so do your best flower impression and go in there and make some butterfly friends. 3. Hit the beaches I'm sure I didn't need to tell you to go to the beach, but I'm going to give you the down low on which beaches to go to. Our personal favorite was the beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park. This beach has a $2.50 entrance fee for the whole day if you're walking or on a bike, and a bit more if you're in a car. You can come and go as you please. We liked this beach the most because it seemed a little less crowded, the snorkeling was pretty good, and there were picnic tables in the shade for a break from the sun. There's also a little snack shack with beer and lunch. You could spend all day here and never leave. The natural beaches of Key West are primarily coral, so I would suggest some water shoes, not because they're super sexy (which they are) but so that you don't have to hobble across the beach to get to the water. If you want a break from the beach, there's also a fort there that's really fun to walk around and they do tours daily that are included in your $2.50 admission. Our second favorite beach was Higgs Beach. This one was busier and had a restaurant right off the beach. The sand was softer which was nice. The water was a bit cloudier right off the beach, but once you swim out a ways to an old dock that's out there, the snorkeling was actually pretty great. We saw a HUGE star fish, a puffer fish, a sting ray, lots of conch. It was pretty great. Based on how cloudy the water was off the beach, I decided not to bring my camera with me snorkeling because I didn't think we'd see anything...such a dummy. 4. Check out the music scene We happened to be in Key West for the annual Songwriters Festival, so the music scene had been taken to the next level. But, there's always somewhere to find fun live music while you're there. If you want to have music everywhere, all day, and in the street, you might want to visit during the festival. It was a lot of fun. Either way, you won't have any trouble finding music if that's what you're in to. 5. Don't miss the sunset Ok, so I know this isn't a picture of the sunset. There is a ritual in Key West of going to Mallory Square to watch the sunset. Tons of people show up about an hour before to pick out their seat and to wait for the sunset with the local street performers. We went a couple of nights in a row and it was a lot of fun. Some of the people down there are a bit crazy, but that's part of the charm. EAT 6. Bring your fat pants One of my favorite parts of traveling is the food, and Key West has some fat pant worthy food. We tried lots of places and here are our favorites in no particular order. I could never be a food blogger though because I rarely manage to take a picture before I eat my food. I think my priorities are in the right place though. -Amigos Tortilla Bar- This place had tasty and affordable food. Honestly, tasty doesn't do it justice. We were so sad that we didn't find this place earlier in our stay because we would have went probably a lot more than the two times that we did. They're famous for their square tortillas. Their Mexican potatoes where killer and their tacos delicious. Pat and I invented a game while were were there called the Dirty Half Dozen. Try the 6 flavors of hot sauce they have there and see if you can take it. The waitress saw us taking this on and she said "ugh, your going to ruin your night, those are pretty hot" Ha! She obviously doesn't know us! ...take this advice with caution... If you do take the challenge, let us know on Facebook! -Onlywood Pizzeria- If you enjoy being greeted by handsome Italian men as they serve you their delicious homemade sangria and Italian style pizza made in a wood fired oven they had imported direct from Italy, then this is the place for you. We ate there our last night and we were so sad that we couldn't try more of their menu because everything looked great. Their restaurant has a beautiful shady patio that felt like a little romantic retreat. -Alonzo's Oyster Bar- This was a recommendation from our B&B to check out their happy hour. We went a couple of times to get drinks, appetizers and dessert and it was so nice. It's right off the marina so it's also got a fun atmosphere. It's a fun cheap way to have some tasty food and a nice view. -Cuban Coffee Queen-Their coffee is great! It's one of those places that makes coffee ice cubes for your iced coffee which I think is one of those touches that makes all the difference. That, and the barista sassed Pat for having his shirt too buttoned up. To Pat's defense, he didn't have his top button buttoned, but this is Key West, and to the barista's point, you need to relax a bit and let it all hang out. So, if you want your delicious coffee with a bit of a laugh, go here. -Blue Heaven- Ok, so this place is pretty popular and for a good reason. They have a really fun atmosphere and world famous Key Lime Pie. It's a $10 slice of pie, but you wont find pie like this anywhere else. Prepare for a bit of a wait. We didn't have to wait to get in anywhere, except here. but it was worth it. 7. General Tips
There are a few things to know to help make your trip extra awesome. -Rent bikes or scooters. Key West isn't huge and you may be tempted to explore the whole place by walking...like we did. Don't do that. Get bikes at least one day. It's so hot and humid that even a short 1 mile walk can seem like a trek across the sun. There's tons of places you can rent them and if you stay at the Key West Bed and Breakfast you can rent them on site. -Sun screen up- I don't know if I'm just acclimating the the weather on the Oregon Coast or not, but It was warm and sunny, which is exactly what we wanted, but don't get burnt on the first day and ruin your trip. I'm not too pale, and a lady said to me " eh, you northerners are going to burn to a crisp". SPF 75 X 3 times a day was what we did for Pat's pale self and he came back burn free.. You'll still come back a little darker, but less likely to be accompanied by blisters. Drinking plenty of water will also help keep you from burning too bad. -You're not going to be driving much- After we parked our car at our B&B the first day, we didn't drive it again until we left for the airport. It seemed like a waste, so keep that in mind during your planning. -Dive into the history-If you like history, you'll enjoy the Ernest Hemmingway house (and all the resident six toed cats), and you can also check out the Little White House and lots of other historical sites. These are all fun easy paced things to give you a break from the sun. So, now that I've written half a novel here, I'm going to wrap it up. There's tons more to Key West! We did a lot more than I managed to cover here, so if you have any questions, please feel free to let me know in the comments. Ultimately, if you've ever thought about going to Key West, I would highly suggest it. It was a lot of fun, and I'm so glad Pat talked me into it. It's a place where people of all ages can have fun. We saw college kids, retired people, families, romantic couples. It's a melting pot for fun, so make sure to add it to your list. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter That's the song we've been singing around the house lately. We just booked our tickets for Key West, and are so excited!
We stopped there for a couple hours on a cruise a few years ago. Ever since then we've wanted to spend more time there. It's one of the places Hemingway called home and that's reason enough for me to want to explore a bit more. We were able to score great tickets for only $130 round trip...how did we do that? Well let me tell you about my new favorite travel tool, Hopper. It has a feature called "reports" that helps you know when is the best time to buy based on your departure city and destination. There are general thoughts on when is best to buy and fly, but that's not always the case. Hopper weeds through all that and helps you know how to find the best deal. When I checked Hopper it let me know that flying from Portland to Fort Lauderdale that I would find my best deals leaving and returning on a Tuesday...and I did! It also let me know that I'd find a better deal early May then mid May. We saved around a hundred dollars by moving our trip up a week. If your travel dates are flexible I'd add this to your search tools for finding great deals. We also used $200 vouchers from US Airways that we received from them when one of our flights was canceled last year. This is a prime example of why it never hurts to ask for a little compensation if you've been inconvenienced. You've paid to go from point A to point B at a certain time. While certain things like weather are out of their control, it still doesn't hurt to ask. Through the use of the vouchers and price hunting a bit, we were able to save around $600 on our flight, which is huge! That will go a long way to pay for hotels and excursions. Travel doesn't have to be expensive! As we discover more about The Keys and find more deals out there, we'll be sure to share them. What about you guys? What's your favorite thing to do in the Florida Keys? Have a great week, and travel happy, Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
December 2016
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