This Week on the Island 04/15/2007

'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.----------------------------------------------------------------------------The picture this week is the old Key West Power Plant at the end of Caroline Street that is being turned into condos.

This week I read 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens.

The Weather: Rain Wednesday and Thursday. But rain here doesn't help our water restrictions. We need rain in the Lake Okeechobee area where our water comes from.

We were on water restriction where we could only use outside water (water grass, wash cars, etc) 3 days a week. Now we are on a stricter water restriction where we can only use outside water (water grass, wash car, etc) 2 days a week and then only from 4 am - 8 am.

There are still a lot of people in town. I guess some took vacation last week for Easter and some took vacation this week.

----------------------Tourist-------------------------
Key West is a 3 mile by 5 mile island, or 2 mile by 4 mile island, depending on who you are talking to. Most people that come to Key West come to Old Town, which is south of White Street an area that is 2 mile by 2 mile. Most of these people end up downtown which is 1 mile by 1/2 mile. Most of these people end on Duval Street.

Key West is a tourist town. That is how we make our money. There are less than 25,000 people that live here and that number is getting smaller each day. Prices continue to rise, locals sell-out and move, and the house is turned into rental property. Most days we have lots of tourist here. Most days we have a cruise ship or 3 or 5 here. Each ship carries about 2,000 passengers. So on most any given day there are 2,000 to 10,000 cruise ship passengers in Key West (most on Duval Street). Luckily the cruise ships usually leave in the evening and that takes many people away for the night. Then we have days with special events like Hemingway Days that draws even more people. Our big event of the year is Fantasy Fest which draws about 75,000+. This little island is normally packed.

When Summer comes, Key West is hot and humid. Tourist go to places closer to home. The streets of Key West get empty. The bars get empty, the parking places are plentiful. Lots of business close, especially in September, and let their people take vacation. I love the summer in Key West. I can ride my bike without worrying about all the traffic. I can go to restaurants and not have to wait in line. I can go kayaking and not get run over by jet skies (personal water craft). I can ride around in my little car and find a parking place when I get back. The biggest problem with summer is HURRICANES. We have not left the island yet for a hurricane.

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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