Key West’s Vietnam Memorial

Vietnam Memorial

Vietnam, most U.S. citizens over the age of 16 know that our military heroes fought there but unfortunately still can’t find it on a map. Percentage wise, just as many locals from throughout the Keys and Key West couldn’t tell you where the Key West Vietnam War Memorial is either. In this case, every one of you will be in the top 1% of knowledgeable people in finding its exact location on your next trip to this beautiful island.

First find your way to Bayview Park near the corner of N. Roosevelt Blvd. & Pearl Street. It’s here at Bayview Park’s northernmost side exactly in front of the parking area you’ll find the Vietnam Memorial just a few feet from the sidewalk. The parks biggest building is a gazebos, if you find this you can see it from here just a stones throw north. Now that you have exact directions on getting here don’t fret when you get to the park and DO NOT see a sign saying “Bayview Park”, it wasn’t up the last time I visited. So stop on by and pay tribute to those brave men & women that have served  and especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our liberties & rights as Americans!

Man & Woman Torso Statues

Nudity or Art? Key West has long been a haven for starving artists, poets, & writers long before Tennessee Williams & Ernest Hemingway arrived stamping their imprint on this island city’s culture.

This example of art begs me to ponder and wonder only replying with… “Hmmm!” I guess I’m just not hip enough to appreciate its artistic relevance here in a public park. If you can’t tell, these are an artist’s rendition of a female & male torso. Yes, the female is the one with the blue & yellow… uh, uh, uh… things on her upper body 🙂 while the male has its back tuned away from the photo for A GOOD REASON! 🙂

While you’re in the park, also check out the José Martí  Monument, All Wars Memorial, Vietnam War Wall Memorial & New York State Yellow Fever Civil War Monument previously blogged.

You inquisitive artistic type can find this example of freedom of expression in Bayview Park located at the corner of Roosevelt Blvd. & Eisenhower Drive in Key West.

All Wars Memorial Monument

I’ve always been a history buff particularly interested in wars that our American servicemen & women have fought. My father, a veteran of the Korean War survived his stint in the overseas battle and was lucky enough to return home to his family, these Key West fallen heroes inscribed on the memorialized marble weren’t so fortunate.

You can find this All Wars Memorial Monument by the gazebos/bandstand in Bayview Park located at the corner of Roosevelt Blvd. & Eisenhower Drive in Key West. This is FREE and well worth the 5-minutes it would take to park your car and read this unique tribute to our fallen heroes.

Key West Seafood Festival 2014

It’s coming this weekend, the time-honored tradition ‘Key West Seafood Festival’ at Bayview Park, January 18th & 19th, Saturday 11am-8pm & Sunday 11am-5pm.

I went 2 years ago and man was that place packed on a gorgeous day with FREE admission and in the dead center of town. It was a bonanza for event organizers as 1,000’s upon 1,000’s of shrimp sucking, oyster shucking, clam popping, lobster dipping, conch crunching frenzied festival participants stood in line in front of each booth waiting patiently for their turn to spend hard-earned cash for some sea-faring creature of the deep to adorn their plates. The longest lines if you are interested… then again, even if you aren’t interested they were for the conch fritters, ice-cold beer and of course the BATHROOMS! 🙂 (ok, port-o-lets)

I’ve heard rumors that this cultural crustacean celebration is working its way up the Keys. So if you can’t wait for next year’s Key West Seafood Festival just look for the signs further north (ie… Key Largo, Marathon) heading down the keys and maybe you too can feast on some flounder… heck, just drop by for the hal-i-but! 🙂