This Week on the Island 07/30/2006

'This week on the Island' is written by Doug Bennett and is an update to friends about happenings in Key West last week. Everything is true except for those parts that are lies.
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Key West: The picture this week is of some of the shrimp boats of the 1950-1960 era. The picture was taken from an empty lot where Monty's is now located. In the background is Trombo Point and the pier is now used for yachts.

The Weather: typical July, hot and humid with a chance of rain, but still cooler than a lot of the places way up north in America.

This weeks books were: I completed 'Across the River and into the Trees' by Ernest Hemingway (1950) that I started last week. I also read 'Men Without Women' (a book of short stories) by Ernest Hemingway (1927). I also started 'Life's Missing Instruction Manual' (2006) by Joe Vitale.

The house, 5 houses up from ours, is now on the market for $1.9 Million. It was purchased many years ago for $600. Now there are only 2 houses left on Caroline Street that are 'Family Houses' and ours is one of them. Everything else is a business or converted to rental property.

'Blue Heaven' is approved for 61 seats. Over the years they have grown to 248 seats. The Bahama Village neighborhood complained and 'Code Enforcement' threatened to close 'Blue Heaven'. They are now back to 61 seats and are planning to sue the city. More later.

Hanns has left the island, he will be missed by many. Hanns left Germany in 1934. He moved to New York in the 1960's to work for a travel agency. In 1972 he started his own travel agency for gay men. In 1977 he moved to Key West. He lived around the corner from me and we would talk as I walked the dogs or as he passed the house each morning headed to the ocean for his morning swim at the Pier House. Hanns was a well educated, dignified, gentleman. He died Monday.

I found the problem with PHOTOs at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ThisWeekontheIsland/ so you can look at the PHOTO's now.

-------'Lobster Fest'-----------------
We have 2 days every year, Wednesday and Thursday, known as the 'mini lobster season'. These are days when tourist can collect 6 lobster each on each day. The tourist are everywhere. They destroy personal property, they don't purchase license, they take lobster that are undersize, they take more than their 6, they show up in gigantic speed boats (to catch lobster?), they get in the canals on personal property, etc, etc, etc. We have also had 5 deaths by drowning this year and 1 person missing. Many of the people that live in the Key's wish 'mini lobster season' would be cancelled.
BUT
'Mini Lobster Season' is only while the sun is up so the tourist come to the bars on Duval Street when the sun goes down and spend lots of money. Duval street has been packed. The parking lots are charging $25 to park and they are full.

Key West, You have got to love it
'Meet me at the end of the road' - Conky Tonkin'- Jimmy Buffett
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.5597N, Long 81.8016W

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