Foto-story Friday #24-- Key West cont.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Everyone needs to take cut-out pictures at least once right?  And what better way than to switch it up a little?!  :)  Troy is smokin' in his bikini! :P
I on the other hand look like.... well, like I partied!  {Which, I most certainly did not, I don't drink!) This is why Troy is fired as a photographer!  {it's Ok I still Love him! :) }
The guys with the original Sponge Bob!  The collection and sale of sponges is what use to keep Key West in business.  Now it is tourism. 
I was just in love with the buildings here.  I love the old style and quaintness of the island.  Many of the building bear the Cuban origins. 
Ok, we HAD to go to DelSol for the color changing nail polish.  They have quite the selection and it is SO cool to watch the color change.  I finally decided on silver to ruby.  {I'll have to get a before and after shot of my nails in action!}  This awesome nail polish comes with a heart stopping price tag {for me at least!} of $10 a bottle {normal size}.

We walked by the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, would have been fun to pop in there, but we were running late on time, had to be back on board by 4:30 or 5 PM.
Everyone who visits Key West should get their picture taken with the famous mile zero sign that marks the beginning {or end} of highway 1.
I like this light fixture.... wonder if I could find some similar for my house.... probably wouldn't look as cool on mine :(
The same house had these cool window boxes flanking the front door.
I don't know what kind of tree this is, but it IS cool!  There were also trees that came together and covered the road.  It was very interesting to this northwesterner, used to pine trees and shrub pines!
This is the Kapok tree or the Ceiba or the Silkcotton tree. It is a sacred Mayan tree.  They believed that the souls of the dead climbed a Kapok to get to heaven.  This tree can grow 10 feet in one year.  It can reach heights of 130 feet.  The Kapok shed their leaves once a year and flower every 5 years.  Commercial Kapok comes mainly from Java Indonesia.  It is used for furniture, insulation, stuffing and is found in some life jackets.  In Africa they use it for canoes and caskets. The fibers are short and breaks easily, so they are not suitable for clothing like cotton is.  The seeds are edible.
I love the base of the tree.  These buttresses are huge, as you can see from the picture below.  You could play hide and seek real well with this kind of tree in your back yard. 
Another must take photo if you visit Key West is this sign.  The third place to get a photo is with the bouie at the tip of the island.  Sorry, we didn't get off the trolley for that one.  The line was way long, so I didn't do it!
Here are Troy and his parents kicking back and taking it easy on their veranda.  Our stateroom was the one on the left.  They waved down to us and so I, of course, snapped this picture.  (I should not admit this, but) As I was replacing the lens cap and walking at the same time, I failed to see that there were 2 steps up and I missed them both!  Yeah that's me Miss Grace!  The scrape on my knee is almost healed, thank you! 
As the ship moored behind us set "sail" and the sun began its westward journey to kiss the sea, it was a wonderful day in Key West!