It was long overdue I thought, an essay even more than usually about nothing in particular. I could have called it a vignette but the unifying theme was me hanging around Lower Duval and neighboring alleys one sunny afternoon with nothing much to do. So I took some pictures of course.
I have never found Duval Street to be especially photogenic, and every time I try to take a street scene it ends up looking rather blah. So I turned my camera on things and people closer to hand. Hog's Breath yielded a couple of stereotypes,two riders of BMW motorbikes who were somewhat overdressed by local standards. Helmets, gloves, jackets...phew!
This cool cat is more like it, with it seems, skin to spare in case of a wreck:
He was also playing loud music as though he thought he was riding a cruiser, and I don't suppose it would be surprising were I to confess loud speakers are second only to loud pipes in the noise pollution stakes. Grump. 
There, that's better. Strolling Duval you never know what you might see. A man balancing a sidecar on his Vespa 150, for instance:
As you can tell I barely caught the picture, such as it is, and I missed entirely his dutiful wife following along behind on her yellow Vespa. Very cute I'm sure. This dude collects money for parking and doesn't he look like he's been sitting under the sub tropic sun for quite a while:
And this man was not apparently getting the information he needed so he glued a phone to his ear:
For some this is all they need on Duval Street,or indeed Key West as a whole:
Which prompted me to photograph a store advertising "Fine" Silver Jewelry, and if that wasn't inducement enough to enter they had this sign up as well:
Elsewhere look for the mannequin if you are an energetic shopper:
Or an Adirondack chair if not so much:
Dogs are welcome in Key West more than many cities though the Health Department has stepped up enforcement as far as dogs in eating establishments goes and generally they aren't welcome inside. They show up on Duval nevertheless:
And then there are those working scooters, frequently Chinese made, that give sterling service yet are so often the object of scorn from people who ride flash Italian scooters. I like my (wife's) Vespa but scooters like these are the back bone of Key West's rental fleets and they are abused day in and day out:
And on the subject of food... you know those little rolled up napkins with cutlery in them? Someone has to do that rolling up every day, like this worker at the Lazy Gecko:
And even though it may not look it, I'm sure working the bar at Captain Tony's ("Florida's Oldest Bar") has to be hard work. He's the one leaning up against it, not the dude with the back pack who is I think a customer and was probably hoping his mom didn't know where he was:
Perhaps it's the not-so shorts, they are youth enhancing. I should take notes I suppose for my wardrobe. And what would Duval be without it's energetic cyclists?
On the subject of bicycles i saw this rather trim cruiser propped up against the wall. Then I saw the No Trespassing sign and then I thought how valuable that sign is. I was just about to consider trespassing up that manky moldy looking wall on Telegraph Lane, but I was saved by the presence of that stern signage:
I stayed on the street and mold free. Kino Plaza was around the corner and looking good in the sunlight:
Sunlight there may have been, all over downtown, but not enough apparently for this spendthrift:
By the time I was back on Greene Street I had time to wonder how lucky, or smart one might be to make a living selling kites and similar apparatus:
And for the love of Art someone built this biplane, not for sale but decoration: 
Gotta go, I hear my wife calling, Duplicity's playing at the Tropic. Tour's over.
I have never found Duval Street to be especially photogenic, and every time I try to take a street scene it ends up looking rather blah. So I turned my camera on things and people closer to hand. Hog's Breath yielded a couple of stereotypes,two riders of BMW motorbikes who were somewhat overdressed by local standards. Helmets, gloves, jackets...phew!This cool cat is more like it, with it seems, skin to spare in case of a wreck:He was also playing loud music as though he thought he was riding a cruiser, and I don't suppose it would be surprising were I to confess loud speakers are second only to loud pipes in the noise pollution stakes. Grump. There, that's better. Strolling Duval you never know what you might see. A man balancing a sidecar on his Vespa 150, for instance:As you can tell I barely caught the picture, such as it is, and I missed entirely his dutiful wife following along behind on her yellow Vespa. Very cute I'm sure. This dude collects money for parking and doesn't he look like he's been sitting under the sub tropic sun for quite a while:And this man was not apparently getting the information he needed so he glued a phone to his ear:For some this is all they need on Duval Street,or indeed Key West as a whole:Which prompted me to photograph a store advertising "Fine" Silver Jewelry, and if that wasn't inducement enough to enter they had this sign up as well:Elsewhere look for the mannequin if you are an energetic shopper:Or an Adirondack chair if not so much:Dogs are welcome in Key West more than many cities though the Health Department has stepped up enforcement as far as dogs in eating establishments goes and generally they aren't welcome inside. They show up on Duval nevertheless:And then there are those working scooters, frequently Chinese made, that give sterling service yet are so often the object of scorn from people who ride flash Italian scooters. I like my (wife's) Vespa but scooters like these are the back bone of Key West's rental fleets and they are abused day in and day out:And on the subject of food... you know those little rolled up napkins with cutlery in them? Someone has to do that rolling up every day, like this worker at the Lazy Gecko:And even though it may not look it, I'm sure working the bar at Captain Tony's ("Florida's Oldest Bar") has to be hard work. He's the one leaning up against it, not the dude with the back pack who is I think a customer and was probably hoping his mom didn't know where he was:Perhaps it's the not-so shorts, they are youth enhancing. I should take notes I suppose for my wardrobe. And what would Duval be without it's energetic cyclists?On the subject of bicycles i saw this rather trim cruiser propped up against the wall. Then I saw the No Trespassing sign and then I thought how valuable that sign is. I was just about to consider trespassing up that manky moldy looking wall on Telegraph Lane, but I was saved by the presence of that stern signage:I stayed on the street and mold free. Kino Plaza was around the corner and looking good in the sunlight:Sunlight there may have been, all over downtown, but not enough apparently for this spendthrift:By the time I was back on Greene Street I had time to wonder how lucky, or smart one might be to make a living selling kites and similar apparatus:And for the love of Art someone built this biplane, not for sale but decoration: Gotta go, I hear my wife calling, Duplicity's playing at the Tropic. Tour's over.
8 comments:
Conch:
. . . and a fine tour guide you are (I must say). A little bit of everything for everyone. Again, your shots perfectly captured the mood of this street. You have an eye for photography and excellent photos, as usual. I noticed that there is even a place for Jack to revitalize his Energy.
Can't wait for your movie review
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Dear Mr. Conch:
I think you did an extraordinary job of capturing the "other" human side of Duval Street -- without going into its subhuman, more nocturnal nature. The types and colors of the two-wheeled traffic on this street remind me of birds in an aviary.
From the raptor-like nature of the Teutonic GSs in the opening shots, to the disarming charm of a young woman (possibly a pole dancer on her day off) on the blue and silver scooter, you seem to have captured the long and the short of it.
Your shot of the Adirondack chairs brought a pang for my former life (as did the beer on ice in the little zinc tub) to my heart.
Thank you for this.
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads
I can't wait! I'll be down Friday for a weeek long visit. I have to get away from the weather in NE Pa. for awhile and get away form work.
Thank you thank you thank you, my dear dear friends.
In regards to the jewelery store selling beer, pragmatism wins out.
On a side note, I knew the Keys were the place to be when the hardware store on Big Pine Key had beer for sale.
We always said that beer is other home improvement supply that is missed at the hardware store. Albeit the reason for many returns trips to the store (during the improvement and after to remove the "improvement"). Try getting that level of service at one of the big box stores.
As usual, fantastic photos and verbage.
As always, be well and have a fantastic, super duper, fabulous day!
Jeffrey
Hmmm, I'm pretty sure I've sat in that very same Adirondack chair though then it wasn't /quite/ on Duval; I think it was down one of the sidestreets, if only by a couple dozen paces. I really need to get a few of those chairs, they're so dang relaxing
As I recall it's on Greene Street between Telegraph and Whitehead. I included a few shots of places I'd seen when I walked Charles Street as well. The Cocacola Airplane is next door. Thank you for commenting. (I nearly forgot to add that but being nice is tiresome and it's wearing me out).
Steven, if you want to sit in one of those chairs, there are two parked in my postage stamp backyard on my even smaller patio. I've given them their annual paint job. I regularly retreat to my microscopic back yard, sit in an adriondack chair and listen to Buffet and day dream about salt air breezes.
I didn't know they made sidecars for Vespas. I have to ponder if it has enough ump to pull two people and the side car at a ground speed greater than a swift walk. But then again, it took an hour and 20 minutes to go 5 exits to work today. I basically walked the Harley doen the highway. I probably could have walked to work faster.
When we were down, I found the mannequin outside Energy to be a bit creepy. Funny they were advertising a sale then too :)
Don't let the folks in south Georgia see the pic of the jewelry store selling cold beer. They'll all be doing it and maybe even add fried chicken and live bait. Before I moved to the city, I had pondered opening an establishment selling cheap car parts, fried chicken, and live bait. I'm pretty sure it would have been recession proof :)
The chap preparing to mount the BMW must be a scientist. The boxes on his bike look like science experiment tranport cases or shipping cases for expensive microscopes. But I guess aesthetics don't come into play with their offerings. Their other offering looks like a weber grill :)
Excellent post, Sir. How are the guided pedal cab tours going? I trust they are supplementing the regular salary nicely this time of year. Watch out for the peptobismal colored Crown Victoria taxis.
-Peace
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