Florida Day Six: Key Largo. A Walk Through A Quiet Neighborhood And Along A Busy Canal Ending With A Manatee Sighting.
There was little rest for me on my recent visit to the Everglades and the Florida Keys. I pretty much was active from dawn to dusk every day, hiking, editing photo working on my blog and eating. I was also checking in with my office and returning calls and emails. This wasn’t the plan. I was going to try and get some more relaxation in on this trip and work on my tan at the pools in my hotels. This was plan on for Monday afternoon during my stay in Key largo. After my 5 mile hike on the trail near the HM40 abandoned Nike Missile Base I intended to spend some time at the beautiful pool at my hotel in the afternoon.
The hotel, Courtyard By Marriot, was located on Ocean Avenue along the Key Largo Canal. The canal attracts many tourists and local residents visiting the restaurants, resorts or just enjoying the beautiful canal. I had a beautiful view of the pool and canal from my room. 
I was just about to head to the pool when I changed my mind decided I wanted to explore some more of Key Largo. It was a great decision . I left the hotel, the pool, and the canal and walked into the surrounding neighborhood. I love exploring the local neighborhoods in the cities I visit. You learn so much form seeing the residential, commercial and industrial areas of a town or city. 
I wasn’t sure what to expect. Many times when I walk near a hotel I find a bust business district. Not here, I walked a short distance from my hotel on Ocean Drive and found small, modest, but well maintained residences almost directly across from the hotel property.
I walked down quiet, treelined Poinciana Drive and found more modest homes along the street. 
It was surprising to see this quiet residential neighborhood so close to busy Highway US 1 and the hotel. It was like being in a small rural town. 
People were working in their yards, enjoying the shade the many trees provided from the hot afternoon Florida sun,
including this friendly cat. 
I followed the streets to a dead end along with a wooded alley near the ocean . Here I spoke to a neighbor who had lived here for 40 year and wasn’t happy with a large house that was built near the wooded area. He said he believes it will change the neighborhood as other rich folks will offer the neighbors large sums of money to build large homes near the ocean. 
I began my hike back to the hotel when I saw a few palm warblers and ,
this bigfoot sign in one the yards. As I said I love exploring the towns I visit, you never know what you will see. 
When I came back to Ocean Drive I decided to follow it along the canal and came to a private gated community and marina near the ocean.
I walked back along the canal and saw the many large boats docked along the way. 
I walked along the canal, past my hotel and onto the other side of canal.
Here I saw the famous African Queen, the boat in the classic 1951 movies starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. It is one of my favorite movies. 
I believe one can arrange for private tours in the famous boat on the canal, and., I will definitely look into taking one on a future trip. 
I walked along the busy canal which was crowded with tourists on this Monday afternoon. It was still hot in the late afternoon sun and I was ready to head back to my hotel 
but I decided to walk a little bit further along the 
canal. It was a good decision. I was treated to the wonderful sight of three manatees swimming in the waters of the canal near crowded Skipper’s Restaurant.
including a mother and her offspring. 
It was an amazing sight to see these graceful sea mammals swimming in the clear waters of the canal. causing many of the folks to stop and admire this wonderful sight. 
I was glad I continued my hike but , after seeing the manatees, I started back to my hotel. 
Stopping first, on the way, to watch a flock of brown pelicans flying over piers,
and swimming in the canal. 
It was a nice 2 mile walk and I am glad I decided not to “relax”. Walking and exploring is relaxation for me. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from my hike through the streets and along the canal in Key Largo. Florida Day Six. Key Largo afternoon March 24 2024. 
It was now late afternoon, I had walked over 7 1/2 miles, and I was, as usual, hungry again. I walk a lot, and like Humphrey Bogart’s character in the African Queen I like to eat a lot. I also like sharing my dining experiences on my travels. So after a long shower I headed to Hobos Restaurant for dinner. I started my meal with a garden salad,
a large and delicious portion of key lime mahi mahi, and,
of course, for dessert, key lime pie. This was my least favorite of all the key lime pies I tried on my trip, But it was still good. After dinner I returned to my room and looked for the rising full moon. It wasn’t visible from my room and I didn’t want to drive and look for it. So once again I retired early setting the alarm before darn to visit Dagny Johnson State Park one more time before I left Key Largo this year. 
“Just listen to this stomach of mine. Way it sounds, you’d think I had a hyena inside me…Ain’t a thing I can do about it.” Charlie Allnut African Queen
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