I am still a little wired from our trip, so I thought I'd take a little time and share a few thoughts. When we booked this trip, both of us had very few expectations--we were going in with an open mind.
An Open Mind: One Human Family
What I love most about Key West is that for the most part, everyone treats everyone else with respect--and that everyone has a story. It's something akin to a-stranger-on-an-airplane mentality. You end up spilling your guts to a stranger--knowing full well you will never see them again--and yet feel that your life has been touched and changed for the better in some small way.
And it spite of the beer/wine/rum/margaritas flowing, Key West has to be one of the safest, laid-back places I've been. I can picture a few guys sitting around in a Lebowski-esque fashion:
Dude 1: Look man! That chick dropped her purse!
Dude 2: Oh hey! It's a Coach. My sister has one just like it.
Dude 3: (hollering) Hey Girl, you dropped your purse!
Dude 4: Cool, man. Y'all wanna go for tacos?
(I can attest to the niceness of humans when I misplaced my Kindle by the pool, and some kind soul returned it. And the nice guy in that shop on Duval, who when I approached him with him clutching a sundress after wearing too-warm clothing, stating, "I am MISERABLE!" I need to try on this dress now, PLEASE! You must have a place!"
To which he replied without mising a beat: "I understand--I have four sisters. There's a room in the back." )
One Human Family
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| One Human Family |
Hemingway: the Cat Factor
I feel like it's a sin against my former life of scholarship, but is it wrong that my favorite parts of the Hemingway House are the kitties and the fact that Hemingway was so pissed that his wife put in a pool without his consent that he commandeered the urinal out of the original Sloppy Joe's location (during the move) and installed it as a cat drinking fountain in his backyard?
Vive le choice, Ernest! Vive le choice.
And the kitties: they DO have six toes. :)
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| The Hemingway Pool |
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| Polydactyl Kitty |
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| Ernest Slept Here: I took his spot. |
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| The Bookstore: Cat on a Shelf |
The Keeper of the Light
One of my favorite places and stories on Key West. One of the original keepers, Barbara Mabrity, climbed the 87 stairs to the top of the lighthouse--as many as five times a night well into her 80s. Not only did she suffer the loss of her husband to illness but she tragically lost her six children as well.
I could barely make one flight work!
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| The view (bravely) from the top |
And some of the magical artwork outside of the museum (more to follow). Reminds me of my Beloved.
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| Dancing Couple |
The Beauty of Butterflies
Possibly my favorite place on the island. Look at this little guy.
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| Too cute: No idea what he is |
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| One of my faves... |
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| It's a bird, it's a... |
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| flower :) |
Sunset On My Mind
Over Mallory Square...
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| Dipping below |
More to come.
FITD love!
xo,
B
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