This Week on the Island 10/28/2007

'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 ME. Ready for Fantasy Fest, Halloween, and Pirates in Paradise.

The Weather: Rain, lots of rain, almost every day. Last Friday and Saturday we got nearly 7 inches of rain and then Wednesday night we got 3 more inches of rain. This week is the two year anniversary of Wilma. Two years ago this week, after cleaning up from Katrina, we were hit by Wilma.

This weeks book was 'Stormy Weather' by Carl Hiaasen. Another mystery in South Florida.

Monday morning we found the refrigerator upstairs had quit working about a week ago. It was very bad, smelled like some one died. We threw all the food away, drug the refrigerator out and purchased a new one. Wednesday, while cleaning up outside, I got white milky sap from Jo's pencil tree in my eye. It is poisonous and will blind you if you get it in your eye. I washed my eye out with water, then Jo washed it out with saline solution, then we waited. It felt good for 8 seconds, then for 2 seconds it felt like someone stuck me in the eye with a pin. This went on for some time. Thursday morning my eye was OK. Friday we got ready for some friends from Tampa coming for the last of Fantasy Fest and the Parrot Heads next week.

Last week was 'Goombay' , This week is
FANTASY FEST:

It happens every year. This city of about 25,000 gets invaded by about 75,000 visitors and they all come to the first 3 blocks of Duval Street. The town goes crazy. There are people everywhere. Every bar/restaurant in town tries to have a party that features something unique. This years theme is 'Gnomes, Toads & White Rabbits'.

Friday - Crowning of the King and Queen of Fantasy Fest

Monday - 'Dragons and Dungeons' at 801 Bourbon

Tuesday - 'Headdresses Ball' at Southernmost Hotel, 'Green Party' at Finnegan's Wake, 'Voodoo Luau' at Guy Harvey's, 'Party in Plaid' at Captain Tony's

Wednesday - 'Pet Parade' at the Westin, 'Celebrity Look-a-Like' at Crown Plaza, 'Red Night' at Fogarty's, 'Bikini Contest' at Hog's Breath

Thursday 'Pool Bash' at Dante's, 'Somewhere under the Rainbow' at the Pier House, 'Toga' at Sloppy Joe's, 'Get-r-Wet' at Cowboy's, 'Monster Ball' at Green parrot, 'Pajama Party' at Mango's
Friday - Street Fair on Duval, 'Masquerade March' at Fairvilla, 'Tattoo Contest' at 801 Bourbon, 'Pool Party' at the Southernmost Hotel, 'Fantasy Art' at Wylands Galleries, 'Living Art' at Ocean Key, 'Pirate Bash' at Rum Barrel, 'Pimp & Hoe' at Redfish/Bluefish

Saturday - Duval Street Promenade, 'Tea Party' at Bourbon Street, 'Epidermal Art' at Green Parrot, 'The Parade' by Captain Morgan

Sunday - 'Children's Day' at Bayview Park, 'There's no place like Gnome' at the Hyatt, 'Halfway Home' at Robbie's Marina, 'Big Pecker Wine Tasting' at Parrotdise, 'The Fat Lady Sings' at La Te Da

Sunday Morning dog walk at 6:30AM: Parts of costumes, bits of clothing and beads everywhere. Duval Street looks like a war zone. Trash everywhere. Every intersection on Duval is blocked by a mountain of trash pushed up by front-end loaders. Dump trucks being loaded with trash. The smell of day old beer everywhere. It will all be cleaned up and washed down by 9:00 AM and you will not be able to tell Fantasy Fest even existed.

Next week the Parrot Heads come to town.

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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