This Week on the Island 12/07/09

'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 (click to enlarge) is “Arrrrrrr’. Pirates in Paradise was this week. This lovely couple were next to a cannon placement at Fort Zack.

Weather: Hurricane season ended Monday, November 30. I celebrated by lying in the sun on the second floor back deck and listening to Michael McCloud on my MP3 player. It was a perfect day.

I continue reading ‘D. H. Lawrence, Volume Two, and ‘The Complete Short Stories’ by Penguin Books. His stuff is really depressing.

Things Tourist should know: Florida bicycle law is ‘A bicycle is a vehicle and will follow all vehicular rules.’ That doesn’t mean ride facing the traffic or riding on the sidewalk or any of those other things your mother taught you to do when you were five. There are also rules to follow when the sidewalk is marked as the bike path. (Like North Roosevelt). What is the bicycling law in your state?

This week was ‘Pirates in Paradise’.

There be pirates here. I went to the grocery store Tuesday morning and they were filming pirates as they shopped for groceries. There were pirate parties all over town. Go to http://www.piratesinparadise.com/ I think you will enjoy it. Also check out the Festival Schedule listed in the table of contents on the left of the home page. There are many activities so check out everything in the table of contents. If all the pictures don’t make you want to be here, what can I say? More pictures at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ThisWeekontheIsland/ click PHOTOS and then click ‘Conch Republic Pirates’ and ‘Pirates in Paradise’. NOTE: if you can’t get to PHOTOS it is because you haven’t joined this Yahoo Group.

There is a new bar/restaurant ready to open on Green Street near Sloppy Joes. It is in the building that used to house Conch Republic Cigars and is called Ernesto (Er-nest-o’s).

Wednesday I rode my bicycle to the Truman Waterfront to look at the USCGC Ingram. It is docked net to the USS Mohawk Thursday it was time for a bike ride to Fort Zack for the Pirates in Paradise encampment and a little time on the beach. Friday night Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band played at Schooner Wharf. Saturday morning while walking the dogs past Conch Republic Seafood, I saw 5 adult manatees swimming by in the bight. (Again all 5 had propeller cuts in their backs.) Saturday night Jo and I went to help with the Christmas Parade. Once the parade started we rushed back to Duval Street to watch. We sat across from Howard Livingston who was in front of Margaritaville.

In the north, winter brings in the wet season. Here in Key West the winter season is also the dry season. So on those Key West winter nights when it get down to 60 degrees, at least it is not wet. Another reason to love Key West.

Key West, You have got to love it
'Living the life that others dream'
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.55967N, Long 81.80169W

You may join this group by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ThisWeekontheIsland/

Sassi dancing to Schooner Wharf Bar Dog. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow_l9kgPmuQ