We’ve made it into the Keys now. This area is probably my favorite part of Florida socially as it’s much more laid-back and just relaxed. The entire atmosphere is different — less charged, less frenetic — even as touristy as it is. Today was a travel day and we had all of our belongings in the vehicle. Since we didn’t want to stop anywhere for that long, we visited the small aquarium and displays of reef wildlife at John Pennenkamp Coral Reef State Park.

We saw some anemones. (Photo by zanna.)

And this yellowhead jawfish. (Photo by quoderat.)

And these, uh, tentacly things from a Japanese manga…whatever they are. Marine biologists we are not. (Photo by quoderat.)

Zanna found this shed cicada exoskeleton and took a photo of it. As shed exoskeleton photos go, it’s top notch.

Then we made a brief stop at Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, where Key Largo limestone or keystone — limestone that is chock full of coral fossils — was quarried until the 1960s. Some examples of large cut blocks can still be seen in the park. (Photo by zanna.)

As we made it to the very-colorful exterior of our hotel room, a polka-dot wasp moth greeted us at the door. (Photo by quoderat.)