This Week on the Island 08/07/2011

'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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The first picture this week (click to enlarge) is ‘Cruise Ship’, thanks to the Key West Citizen Newspaper Friday. With the storm Emily running around down in the Caribbean, we have had lots of extra cruise ships in the harbor this week. The ships are trying to stay away from the bad weather caused by Emily. So although it is the middle of the summer and usually our slow time, Duval Street is packed in the daytime with cruise ship passengers. The second picture is the tearing down of the old city hall annex on Simonton Street.

Weather: I like to say that it very seldom gets below 60 or above 90, but this summer we have seen continuous strings of days with a high of 92.

This week I finished ‘Loitering with Intent’ by Stuart Woods. I also read ‘The Key West Bucket List’ by David L. Sloan. It is a list of 100 things to do in the keys and I found that I had already done over 60 of them. I also added a few of my own: (1) Dance with your dog to ‘Schooner Wharf Bar Dog’. (2) Walk in the rain with your dog down Duval Street. (3) Walk, walk, walk every side street you can find in old town. (4) Watch the sunrise alone. (5) Kayak on Duval in a hurricane. (6) Identify the gingerbread on the houses in Old Town. (7) Smell the flowers on a December morning (do not pick them). (8) Ride a bicycle all the way around the island. (9) Have an adult beverage, smoke a cigar and listen to some music. (10) Ride a jet ski around the island. (11) go parasailing. (12) Get to know some of the homeless. (13) Walk, run, or bike from one end of Duval to the other, then you can say you crossed Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.

Jo came home with a bunch of old books. ‘Key West the Old Island’ 1971; ‘My Memories of Old Key West in the 20’s and 30’s’, by Nilo C. Lopez; ‘The Key West Hemingway Loved and Key West of 1998’ by Nilo C. Lopez; and ‘Return to Viloria’ by Nilo Lopez.
I have enjoyed them all.

Sunday will be ‘The Battle of the Bars on Lazy Way Lane at Schooner Wharf Bar.

Next Week-end will be ‘Lobster Fest’ on Duval Street. Where else can you eat a lobster dinner, sitting on the curb in 90 degree heat, while drinking a beer.


Key West, You have got to love it
'Living the life that others dream'
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.5591N, Long 81.8016W

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Sassi dancing to Schooner Wharf Bar Dog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbxD3D-rPqo