Leaving the Keys brought on a sense of loss, only because I did not feel I spent nearly enough time there.
But seriously, snorkeling and kayaking aside, no trip to Key West is complete without the Sunset Festival AND a trip to Ernest Hemingway's house. Even if you're not a fan of Papa's literary masterpieces visiting his humble abode is like stepping back into time; the long galley porches, his ‘man-cave’ where all the writing took place and of course, the cats.
Warning: Do not come here if you are allergic to cats. You will most certainly run into a few. 40 descendants of Papa's original six-toed kitty 'SnowBall' freely wander the grounds. They are used to people for the most part and will tolerate a pat on the head. Off the porch was a large cage with several rambunctious kittens bouncing about. Their quarantine was to adjust them to the constant crowds and the tenuous pecking order of the other 40 cats. Most of them are spayed/neutered but a few have litters each year to keep the polydactyl blood line alive.
Too many stories adorn Hemingway's home to recount in my mere 500 words. The tales are as numerous as the felines. The pool, for instance, was constructed at the request of by one of Papa's wives during the Great Depression. Although the beach is a mere walking distance she went behind Hemingway's back and had it built for $30,000. Ernest was so pissed he took a penny and threw it down into some still wet cement saying that she managed to spend the last cent he had. The penny lies under a square of Plexiglas for all to see. Years after their marriage ended the wife remained in the home where she threw galas and gathered her party goers around the coin, proudly declaring that it was Hemingway's last cent.
The lush backyard thrives in the Caribbean dampness, where fleshy flowers bloom and green lichen laces stone. This fountain I am proudly standing next to was actually a urinal from Sloppy Joe's that Papa was able to salvage.
On northward to Miami for a flight in the early morning. The trek back north was not as fun as the drive down to Key West. It almost made me wish we had spent $500 to fly out of there instead.
Our last night of vacation sadness was soothed with some vegan cuisine at a tiny cafe in Miami’s Little Havana. Vegan sushi was the star of the meal as well as tofu and quinoa salad. The storms we were spared from during our entire stay gave a bon voyage party in South Beach. Barely 5 pm the sky went pitch black and a deluge began. That does not stop the traffic on Ocean Drive.
The pictures speak better than I. It’s back home to LA for me so until the next blog, adios!
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