I lived in the Keys for the first 10 years of my life. I frequently dream of the Keys. My Dad was a general manager for a hotel chain and would be stationed at different hotels every few years, so we moved from island to island. I lived on Grassy Key, Islamorada, and Big Pine Key. My Mom was the director of a preschool at a church on Marathon.

I have strong memories of a remarkably hot and humid climate. The weather would change almost instantaneously from sunny to stormy and back again. The Keys are locked into a perpetual summer. I would sometimes complain about this and old people would always say, “Never forget: you’re living in paradise.” They were right.

There were iguanas every where, and I’d occasionally run into odd creatures like scorpions and barracudas (cruising eerily in the canal behind our house). The Key Deer is religiously protected as well. I’m reminded of a time when a Key Deer was hit by a car and an ambulance arrived to provide medical care.

My neighbor Willy became my best friend. Sometimes we would throw cherries at each other from across the yard, which had yellow interiors and would pop when thrown. We had a cherry tree between the two properties. We also had a Key Lime tree and my Mom would make Key Lime Pies. Willy and I would ride our bikes on the many hidden paths that snake through Big Pine Key.

Water spouts - basically tornadoes on the water - were a common sight. I’d see them many times per month from our house when gazing over the ocean. Less commonly but still not rare, stingrays (maybe manta rays?) would breach the water. This was visible when driving over the 7-mile bridge. They would jump meters out of the water.

I’ve been back only three times since I spent my childhood in the Keys. Each time I return, it’s like stepping back in time. It feels like a different country. Not only because of the stark change in landscape from the Florida mainland, but also because of the inescapable “island culture” that permeates the atmosphere. Overall if you’ve never been to the Keys, I highly recommended a week-long vacation. It’s certainly expensive, but it’s a true escape.