As I begin this post it’s barely after 7 AM on a Saturday morning, but I’m ready to go all ‘Retro’ on you right now ! The fact of the matter is that I’m leaving for the Florida Keys with a buddy in a couple of hours, and we may head all the way down to the end of the road – Mile Marker Zero – in the heart of Key West. If we reach the end then we probably won’t be back until late tonight, so I wanted to get this posted now in that event.
About 21 years ago during the Spring of 1988 my Mom, Dad, and Brother visited me here in America’s Riviera for the first time ever. We actually stayed at a popular hotel resort in Key Largo (bayside), and we drove all the way down to Key West in our rental car. (I didn’t even own a car at the time.) I think it was the very first visit for all of us into the Florida Keys.
I’ve actually visited Key West via cruise ship more so than via automobile. In fact I’ll be there again on the Tuesday after Labor Day in September as part of another short Carnival cruise that I’ll be on. Key West is a fun town. It’s a nice place to visit every now and then. It seems so far away from Homestead and points north – besides its geographic location. It’s like a whole different world down there.
21 years ago in 1988 when we were discovering the Florida Keys for the first time this tropical song was emerging as a megasmash on the radio. As it turns out it became the biggest-selling (platinum) and longest-running single of their long historic careers. I’m talking of course of the legendary Beach Boys. Here’s their ENORMOUS 1988 smash “Kokomo”.
