Key West

Okay so I recently went on a little trip and I have failed to tell the world about it.

During the first week of Sept. I celebrated 21 years of life by doing what other 21 year olds do, drinking.

Oh I went drinking alright, but 90 miles from the coast of Cuba. I went to Key West, Florida.

According to the History of Key West, the island was originally called Cayo Hueso, the page goes into detail on the historical use of the island of Key West. Fishing port, trading port, creators of Key Lime pie, and Ernest Hemingway.

I didn't stay in Key West, I stayed in a hotel in one of the neighboring islands, the Sugar Loaf lodge. The place has a wonderful view of the waters in the back, had a bar to order drinks, and a bat tower in the backwoods behind the hotel.

The view from our hotel room. 

The Sugar Loaf bat tower

For my trip I decided to primarily act as a tourist in the Duval area. Drinking at the various bars, visit the Hemingway house full of cats, climb the top of the lighthouse, and went on a ghost tour at night with the Ghost and Gravestones Tour. Every local screamed to us "Doom!" as we went location to location learning of the deaths and history, based on what I learned we were the doomed.

View from top of the inland lighthouse. 

This was not my first time going on a little ghost adventure, I have done a ghost tour before while visiting the historic town of St. Augustine.

But I learned of the eerie hauntings that plagues the town full of bars, expensive housing and tourists attractions. My tour guide claimed that Key West is one of the most haunted cities in the U.S., along with Savannah, GA, and New Orleans, LA. Personally I can't find an article that backs up that claim. But it is one of the most haunted places in FL.

On this ghost tour I was introduced to a peculiar entity, his name is Robert. Robert lives in the Civil War Fort, Fort East Martello. Because it is said that this entity is malevolent, I had to ask permission before taking a photo with the doll so he would not harm us. Originally the childhood doll of Key West painter and author, Robert Eugene Otto, some have dubbed the doll the originally Chucky doll. Here is more information about the legend and history about Robert.

Robert the Doll and myself. 

The ghost tour also introduced me to a darker story than that of Robert and his pranks. A love story that is definitely frowned upon and illegal in the United States. No I don't mean a love between an adult and a minor, I mean a love between the living and the dead. I am talking about the relationship of Carl Tanzler and his precious "Elena", a girl's body he took from the grave to attempt to reanimate her. But in the process of his failed Frankenstein experiments had relations with the body. I got the chance to purchase the novel that tells it all, Undying Love: The True Story of a Passion That Defied Death. It follows the story that put Key West on the map, well besides for its Key Lime Pies.

I also got the chance to kayak on the beach in Key West and enjoy the various sites of what Florida has to offer.

I could rate this trip, I would give it a 8 out of 10. I enjoyed the history lesson of Key West, the bars, and the tourist atmosphere that makes you wish you can stay longer.