Spontaneous Key Largo Trip

This morning, my dad announced that we were taking a trip down to Key Largo for a few days this weekend. I love when he does stuff like that. It made me really happy, because we didn't get to take any vacations this summer; I've pretty much been stuck at home the whole time. Plus, dad wants me to get in driving practice (since I just got my permit some weeks ago). I drove half the way there, and I'll probably be driving half the way back too. I dislike long car rides because I hate sitting still, but I don't mind so much I guess; four hours isn't that bad. I'll work on this blog post while I'm not behind the wheel. (-:

Dad took a picture of me driving--without me being aware of it, of course.

When we made a rest stop halfway to do a change-over, I took a picture of some blackbirds. They had feathers that shone that pretty midnight-blue color. My youngest sister started feeding them cracker crumbs, and a bunch of them flocked over to our car.

By the time we reached Key Largo tonight, it was around eight. It took us a bit to find a place to stay with rooms available, and all the good places were full (by good I don't mean expensive resorts and such, I just mean the good lower-priced hotels and motels) but we managed to find a vacancy at a Marriott Inn--although just barely; it was the last room they had left! I guess, even though the mini lobster season is over, it's still pretty busy down here this weekend.

It was past nine by the time we went out to eat, but this isn't North Port, where everything is sleeping by eight-thirty, so of course it was fine. We went to our favorite restaurant here, the Fish House. We love it because the fish is always SUPER fresh, which is the ONLY way to eat fish. Ordering wasn't a problem, since I'm a pesca-vegan and all. I ordered the yellowfin tuna, one of their catch-of-the-day, very lightly broiled so that it was still mostly rare (I would have ordered it sashimi-style, my favorite way, but it wasn't on the menu) and completely uncooked in the middle. It was AMAZING. This is why I'd never give up fish. Like I said in my first post (and will eventually be posted on my 'philosophy' page, when I get around to it), fish is way too delicious and healthful, and I don't support mass-fishing, just local.

We took some fun pictures outside the restaurant before we left.

Look at our happy, happy faces. I love the look my youngest sister Lauren is giving the camera. ;-) We were actually having an awesome time, but dad was taking FOREVER to take the picture and being obnoxious about it. ;-P

This wooden sculpture, we decided, is a fisherman, not a pirate. He doesn't look mean enough to be a swarthy pirate; he's just a fisherman/sea-man of some sort who just happens to have a peg-leg and an eyepatch. ;-)

Anyway, I'm here back in the hotel room writing this post. It's late, and I'm going to get some rest for tomorrow (if I can get my little sisters to turn off the television!). Another post from down here in the Keys coming tomorrow. :-)