I realized just now as I wait for my mother to emerge from wherever she left from the pool at our lovely Gardens Hotel in Key West, that the reason I do not enjoy journaling is because I don’t like my penmanship. Nor can I spell, which makes me hesitate using words I’d like to use when writing long form. But I do relish reading my travel memories and I do like to type. So I’ve decided to type a journal.
The door to our room number 7 at the corner of our Garden sanctuary is open. The breeze is whistling through the tropical green trees outside. The air is smells of humidity and lotion from my shower. I can hear the fountain outside pour into itself from the mouth of a dancing frog statue. An airplane jets overhead with tourists coming or going. I’m not sure which.
My mother and I arrived in Key West in our White Toyota Camery after about 12 hours in the “traveling chair,” a phrase we use to describe the logistics from getting from there to here. It includes airport waiting areas, airline seats, cars etc. Mom arrived in DC on Friday night. Ruby, my loving schnauzer, had left for vacation already with Alyssa to spend Easter and this week with her while I was away. I missed Ruby so I went out for some retail therapy on Friday shopping for bright, airy clothes and shoes to wear down here. I am now wearing a very bright blue shirt that really only belongs in a tropical climate from that shopping spree. My shoe shop was a success as well – all three pair that I bought are the only shoes I have with me now. I venture to bet though that the Teva flip flops I purchased are the only ones I wear save for a nice evening out.
The flight to Miami was unmemorable. Just as we got on the eternal Highway 1, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel to rent a book on CD. We got a strange one about a psychic FBI agent. We listened for about an hour to it when we both realized neither of us were following the story.
This stop also got us some McDonald’s French fries. A mistake that proved to be our dinner, but satisfied a desire.
On the long drive down, we stopped along the causeway to watch the sun go down over the Gulf of Mexico. I tried my skill using Hannah’s hand-me-down SLR camera to some success. This is really my first excursion out with it and I’ve decided to dedicate part of this trip to a photo safari.
That goal was partly achieved this morning as my first task after our lovely continental breakfast on the patio was to take pictures of the garden. This garden is serene, lush, and with little surprises buried throughout like the carp pool, statues hidden away and charms hanging from trees. The many buildings of the lodge also provide some decent architectural photos, which I hope to make into a montage. The stark white of the buildings, their porches with blue ceilings contrast nicely with the clear sky and the green garden.
That garden proved very interesting upon our arrival last night. The entrance instructions were simple save the map to our room with the yellow highlighter didn’t exactly guide us well in the dark. We ended up in the back of the garden clutching our large wheeled luggage and navigating the many twists and turns of the path.
Once we finally found our room, we were very satisfied. A corner room with semi-private porch that houses two cozy chairs. The room is adorned with stately furnishings, tropical textiles, three windows and subtle lighting. The bathroom is stocked with anything you’d need from lotions to Q-tips – more so than a typical hotel. I’m looking forward to making use of the Jacuzzi tub and bath salts one night.
Our morning today has consisted of nothing but relaxation, reading by the pool and in the hot tub, but my craving to explore is itching at me now. It’s time to venture out.
I’ve relocated to the patio where we ate breakfast to see if mom was out here. She had showered in the pool bathroom and is almost ready – something I had wondered if she was doing earlier. So I will check the internet, enjoy this purple orchid on the table and wait a few more minutes.
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