Christmas Eve in Key West

Mallory Square in Key West

Two other ships were docked but we parked right in the same spot overlooking Mallory Square where we had docked the last time we cruised this route.  The Cheeks were off to explore and we watched the life unfold below and around us.

Kay West Aquarium

We watched the feeding of a number of fish at the Key West Aquarium. The fish are free to swim in and out of the enclosure where people stand to watch…..but being smart fish they come back often to eat. At one point we heard a conch shell being blown and blown. Turns out it was our crowd trying to get our attention but we never looked the right way.

Juggling Knives and other things

As Will said , “Key West is almost like going to a foreign country without having the leave the US.” People  were in and out of the shops and the condos around. We watched the performers begin to gather in the square. There must be a very careful pecking order because at least 8 different performers and about a dozen vendors rolled right to a spot and began to set up their wares or get prepared to perform.

Straitjacket  escape

The first one began calling to the crowd to assemble as he marked off his spot with some sort of liquid. He got on a tall ladder and walked back and forth in his spot. He juggled pins and then flaming things. He got onto a very tall unicycle and continued his patter to entertain the crowd while he peddled around.

Next came a guy who finally stood on top of three layers of boards that rolled back and forth. Quite a balancing act. He then proceeded to juggle a threesome of a knife, a potato masher and a meat tenderizer. Seemed hard to me since they all weighed and must have felt different. The crowds seemed to move back and forth between the number of performers.

We then watched a guy who put on a straitjacket and rolled around on the floor trying to take it off. People were enthralled with that.

There were two guitar players, a singer and a banjo player in various corners of the square. Vendors were selling everything from Popcorn, to lovely jewelry, to woven palm baskets, to painting on vinyl records, to beautiful photography. 

We watched Kathryn and the children stopped and search for their ship ID's and then board. Quickly they appeared at our door to share stories of their explorations- the butterfly conservatory, the conch train, the aquarium. They had a great time!! Will came back from doing a little shopping. We were all aboard to watch the sail away at 6:00.

We went to the Rotterdam Dining Room about 6:15 but couldn't get a table together. Jim and I ate on one side of the room and they were on the other. Had a delicious meal of prime roast beef and then shared a piece of pecan pie for dessert.

The evening ended perfectly- at least for me. We all went to the MIXX Lounge and sang Christmas songs. Having Christopher sit on my lap and sing was so wonderful. We even sang the funny version of Rudolph that all the grandchildren have loved- "like a light bulb."

Kids were off to bed so Santa could do his work when he arrived.