>>> THE FLORIDA KEYS AND KEY
WEST ARE KNOWN AS THE CONCH
REPUBLIC.
>> THAT IS TRUE.
WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPLAIN WHY.
WE HAVE SEVEN GENERATION CONCH
SHELL BLOWER CLINTTON CURRY.
>> I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE.
>> THIS IS A RATHER UNUSUAL
TALENT YOU HAVE.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW --
>> UNUSUAL OUTSIDE OF KEY WEST
AND THE KEYS.
>> UNEXPECTED FOR MOST PEOPLE.
SO HOW DID IT BEGIN?
>> WELL, THIS BEGAN, IT'S A
CULTURAL PIECE DOWN IN KEY WEST.
YOU GROW UP, FIRST OF ALL,
LEARNING TO EAT THE ANIMAL OUT
OF THE SHELL.
AND THEN YOU GOT A SHELL.
YOU GOT TO -- WANT TO MAKE A
HORN OUT OF IT.
SO WHY NOT.
SO WE JUST GO AHEAD AND DO THIS
[HORN HONKING]
>> THAT'S ONE WAY TO GET
PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.
CRUISE SHIP.
CENTURIES.
HOW DID THIS ALL BEGIN?
>> YES, THE CONCH -- I'M FROM
KEY WEST, I'M KNOWN AS A CONCH.
IF YOU LIVE ON THE ISLAND,
CONCH.
>> -- YOU'RE A CONCH.
>> INSTEAD OF A WESTERNER,
YOU'RE A CONCH.
>> TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THAT.
AND FOR GENERATIONS.
WE'VE TAKEN PRIDE IN BEING
CONCHES AND SEPARATING
OURSELVES.
>> YOUR
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER IN
1841 STARTED DOING THIS?
BAHAMAS.
THEY BROUGHT THEIR LOVE OF
CONCHES AND EATING CONCHES FROM
THE BAHAMAS BACK INTO KEY WEST.
I'M SURE HE PROBABLY PLAYED A
CONCORD AS WELL.
DEVICES.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A CRUISE SHIP.
SO ON A FOGGY DAY --
>> DIFFERENT DINNER BELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
DINNER BELL.
GRAN IN ACE -- DINNER --
GRANDMA'S DINNER IS READY.
INSTEAD OF A BELL, YOU HAVE A
HORN.
>> THAT'S SO LOUD!
YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE A CONCH
CLASSIC.
CONCH.
YOU NAME IT.
>> IS IT COMMON TO HEAR THE
SOUND OF A CONCH SHELL BEING
BLOWN THROUGHOUT THE KEYS THEN?
>> IT'S FAIRLY COMMON.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVERY
SINGLE NIGHT AT SUNSET, PEOPLE
GATHER TO PLAY CONCH HORNS.
A CELEBRATION IN KEY WEST.
>> LIKE BUGLES.
>> EVERY HORN SOUNDS DIFFERENT
AND YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IS GOING
TO MAKE IT SOUND A LITTLE
>> WOW.
>> KIND OF LIKE ONE OF THE COOL
THINGS IN THE KEYS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
OTHER THINGS.
THE NATURAL BEAUTY.
IT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS
ACTIVITIES.
>> AND IT'S THE ONE THING THAT
YOU CONSTANTLY COME BACK TO.
IT'S THE FABULOUS FLORIDA KEYS
AND WEES -- KEY WEST, WE PRESENT
YOU WITH ALL DIERCHT TYPES OF
BEAUTY.
-- DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEAUTY.
JUST TRAIL WALKING EVEN.
>> YES, PLEASE TO ALL THOSE.
>> ANYPLACE YOU WANT TO WALK,
YOU CAN GET LOST IN A NATURAL
FOREST OF THE FLORIDA KEYS.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S
SINGING BIRDS EVERYWHERE.
ALL AROUND YOU.
>> ESPECIALLY IN KEY WEST.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY, A BIG FAMOUS
IN THE KEYS.
AND HUMANS AND SO MANY A --
MUSEUMS AND SO MANY ATTRACTIONS.
>> WE HAVE THE HARRY S. TRUMAN
WHITE HOUSE.
IT'S THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA.
PRESIDENTS FROM SEVEN DIFFERENT
PRESIDENTS HAVE COME DOWN TO KEY
WEST JUST TO SHARE IN THAT --
THE EXCITEMENT.
>> HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU STOOD
BY THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT SIGN?
YEAR.
FAMILY IN TOWN.
THEY LOVE TO GO SEE THE
SOUTHERNMOST POINT SO YOU TAKE
YOUR PICTURE AND SOME DAYS YOU
GET LUCKY AND THERE'S NO LINE.
OTHER DAYS DURING THE SEASON,
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE
BIT OF TIME.
BUT IT'S THERE.
>> IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
THE SCENIC HIGHWAY ALSO.
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN
TO T KEYS --
>> THE HIGHWAY, YOU KNOW, FIRST
OF ALL, THERE'S 42 BRIDGES THAT
CONNECT THE FLORIDA KEYS TO THE
MAINLAND OF FLORIDA.
SO THERE'S 126 MILES WORTH.
>> YOU'RE BASICALLY ON LIKE A
DOWN --
>> THE LONGEST BRIDGE IS SEVEN
MILES LONG.
>> WOW.
>> THE SHORTEST ONE IS 31 FEET.
WE HAVE HARRIES GAP TO THE
SEVEN-MILE BRIDGE.
AND IT'S -- THE BRIDGES YOU KIND
OF ALMOST GET A SENSE IKE LURE
FLOAT OGWATER.
YOU LOOK TO YOUR LEFT, THERE'S
THE GULF OF MEXICO.
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
AND IT'S SPECTACULAR.
>> YOU CAN TAKE A FLIGHT FROM
HOUSTON IN THE MORNING, EITHER
FLY INTO MIAMI AND FLY ON TO KEY
WEST OR DRIVE FROM MIAMI OVER.
BE THERE FOR LUNCH.
>> YEAH.
>> SO DO YOU TEACH LIKE FRIENDS
AND FAMILY WHEN THEY COME IN TO
VISIT HOW TO PLAY THE CONCH?
>> YES.
AND ACTUALLY, THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THIS.
IS THAT THE CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO
SHARE A BIT OF MY CULTURE
THROUGH THE CONCH SHELL AND
TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO PLAY AND
I'D LOVE TO TEACH YOU.
TO DO THAT.
>> THAT WAS EXCELLENT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
SHELL-ABRASION, WATCH OUT.
>> I'VE NEVER DONE THIS.
SO I HAVE NO CLUE.
>> WELL.
I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE IF THIS
PLAYED A BRASS -- THEY PLAYED A
>> NOPE.
>> YOU TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
SO YOU WANT TO HAVE A GOOD
BREATH.
>> WE ONLY HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.
>> PURSE YOUR LIPS.
AND BLOW.
>> JUST LIKE THIS.
>> YEAH.
>> HERE WE G
>> THAT'S COMMON.
PURSE YOUR LIPS A LITTLE
TIGHTER.
DON'T BLOW YOUR LIPS OUT.
FROM YOUR DIAPHRAGM.
>> OH.
>> PAINFUL TO WATCH.
>> CAN I QUICKLY TRY IT?
>> YES.
[LAUGHTER]
>> WE DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
PERRY HOTEL.
[ HORN SOUND]
>> I DON'T GET APPLAUSE, GUISE?
NO ONE IS APPLAUDING FOR ME?
[APPLAUSE]
>> ANOTHER DAY AT THE MALL.
WELCOME TO THE GALLERIA.
>> THE PERRY HOTEL IS ONE OF OUR
NEWESTS OPEN YOU, -- NEWEST
OPENING UP IN MAY.
>> BRAND SPANKING ROOM.
>> BRAND NEW.
220 SLIPS WITH DEEP WATER
ACCESS.
>> WOW.
>> YOU CAN JUST LIKE GO AND SIT
ON A BOAT AND ENJOY IT.
IT SOUNDS FANTASTIC.
>> YOU CAN PULL YOUR BOAT RIGHT
UP TO THEM AND EAT.
TIME FOR THAT.
DO YOU PLAY THE BOTTLE, TOO?
>> I NEVER --
>> GOOD, CLINTON.
>> LET'S DRY THAT ONE.
>> WHAT IS THIS ONE CALLED?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> ALL RIGHT.
[ HORN]
>> HE'S A LITTLE TOO GOOD AT
THIS.
>> IF YOU WANT THE DETAILS OF
THIS AMAZING FLORIDA KEYS ISLAND
GET AWAY, JUST VISIT OUR
FACEBOOK PAGE
FACEBOOK/HOUSTONLIFE.TV.
GIFT CARDS FOR AIRFARE AND HOTEL
OR AIR FEY AND CAR RENTAL --
AIRFARE AND CAR RENTAL AS WELL
DEGREES.
>> IT WILL BE FANTASTIC.
YOU CAN GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
ALSO PUT IT ON TWITTER ON
INSTAGRAM.
WE'VE GOT IT ALL COVERED ON THE
DO IT ONE MORE TIME.