This Week onthe Island 06/28/2015

‘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.

Weather: In the high 80’s with lots of humidity. Lots of sunshine, white clouds and blue skies.

This week I continued reading ’Back to Blood’ by Tom Wolfe.

I remember when I were a kid and the fair came to town. I would get all excited, but we couldn’t go until dad got off work, so by the time we got there it was dark and all the lights were on. Dad paid our way in and we stepped thru the gate and there it was with its lights and music and smell.  That is what Duval Street in Key West is like to me.

If you have never been to Key West, it is easy to find. If you are on the east coast simply go to US#1 and head south until you run out of road. Once you get here most people look for Sloppy Joes. This is the place that Hemingway hung out.

Before Sloppy Joe’s, Hemingway hung out at a little bar around the corner now called Captain Tony’s. It was the ice house and therefore the coolest bar in town (before air conditioning). Because of it being the ice house it was also the morgue. And standing next to it was the old Key West hanging tree.

Lots of Parrot Heads come here looking for the first Margaritaville. The original Margaritavile was at Lands’ End where Margaret St runs into the bight. But the Margaritaville on Duval is the one the Parrot Heads visit.

Across the street from Margaritaville is Willie T’s a nice interesting little bar.

And back at the beginning of Duval Street is Hogs Breath, another great little bar.

My favorite bar is Schooner Wharf.

Lots of people want to open a bar here but like the Buffett song says ‘In the tropics they come and they go.’ World of Beers on Green across from Sloppy Joes closed.

And Backspace (Where Finnegan’s Wake used to be) has closed.

We leave you this week at Smathers Beach looking out at the Atlantic.

 Key West you have got to love it
'Close to Perfect, far from Normal’
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.5591N, Long 81.8016W

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