Islamorada, The Keys

Friday we had a staff retreat and did our best at it, spending the entire day at Islamorada, down in the Keys. Fluorescent crystal clear water, jetski's snorkeling, cayaking, bbq, white sandy beaches, sunshine - I need to stop working so hard.

The Keys is an archipelo of about 1700 islands (courtesy of Wikipedia) that stretches down from Florida's Southernmost tip in a gentle arch South-Southwest to West. It divides the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. Key West, the South/Westernmost inhabited island, is only about 90 miles from Cuba. Key West is the most densely populated, with around 32% of the Florida Keys population. The diving and snorkeling around these islands, which are connected at one point by a 7-mile bridge (quite awesome) , are said to be some of the best in the world.

At Islamorada (Purple Island - population about 6800 - 2006) you can, among other things, swim with the dolphins, go on a chartered fishing, as the island is known for its great fishing. The laid-back attitute here is vastly different from big city Miami a little to the North. It's like "de-cellerating" your motorcycle from 120 to 30 miles/hour. It takes some getting used to.


I had a ball - any day outside in the sun is better thaninside an office. Marco's Theory: Happiness does not come from being in an office, wearing shoes and breathing in air conditioned, circulated air on a daily, routinely basis!