Key West, Florida - 26-27 January 2019


26 January 2019 - Saturday
Embarkation Day - Oceania's Riviera
Departure 6:00pm


We're up -- packed and ready to go to Cruise Terminal J at the Port of Miami just after a quick breakfast at Starbucks in the lobby of the Pullman Hotel.

We take an Uber to the Port -- unload luggage and by 12:15 we are on board Riviera in the Terrace Cafe having lunch.    Our luggage arrives in short order --- we unpack and get ourselves organized --- give ourselves a tour of the ship (we've traveled on the Riviera one other time) -- Phil checks on our alternate dining dinner reservations -- and we have our mandatory safety drill just before leaving Port enroute to Key West. 

Dinner is in the Main Dining Room --- then to the show, which is a medley by the onboard Entertainment Team showcasing each of their talents.  It is very good. 

We are exhausted -- so I'm proud we made it to the show -- still dealing with jet lag.


27 January 2019 - Sunday
Key West, Florida
8:00am to 4:30pm

Key West is 129 miles southwest of Miami and a seaport destination for cruise ships -- to the point that the economy here depends on these ships dumping their thousands of passengers in to town on a daily basis in the high season which is now.  

Highlights are Harry Truman's Little White House, Ernest Hemingway's home -- both are open to the public.   Other than that I see no other redeeming qualities -- we have been here a number of times arriving by ship and by plane.

This morning I am hoping to attend the 9:00 am Mass at The Basilica of St. Mary's -- so we hotfoot it down Duval Street after being dropped off by the shuttle in Mallory Square.   We reach the church in time for the gospel.  It is packed --- not a seat to be found and it is stifling hot.    I last about ten minutes.  Between the heat and not being able to see or hear the priest,  I leave before I pass out. 

As we wander down Duval Street again --- in search of a restroom this time.   Phil spots a bar, Lou's, and offers to have a beer so I can use the facilities -- what a guy!    We are the only ones in the place and the bartender who is 40 years old (he told me) is quite chatty so we hear all about his life in Key West.  Originally from Michigan -- he and his wife moved here three years ago -- she loves it -- he hates it.   He says people on drugs and alcohol are getting to be too much for him --- of course he is a bartender so I'm sure he sees more of these people than others living here.  We had a nice visit at Lou's.

After a stop at CVS -- Phil and I go our separate ways.  I back to the ship and he does what ever he does walking around.   Phil is back on the ship for lunch, after which we both lay down for minute that turned into a couple of hours -- jet lag is still rearing its ugly head.

Dinner in the Terrace Cafe --- seas are starting to get rough and continue in that vain through the night.  

We turn our clocks back one hour.

Thanks for Reading.

Pat


PS -- just discovered I didn't take any pictures in Key West -- sorry about that.








Location: Key West, FL 33040, USA

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