Casa Marina

I admit I was surprised to see a pedicab in the Casa Marina district of Key West. It's not that you don't see working stiffs in this upper class neighborhood, after all lawns don't mow themselves and trees want trimming from time to time. But pedicabs normally lurk in the Duval-Simonton corridor with occasional forays up Truman, cheerfully blocking traffic as they go.

Casa Marina is where you see normal sized houses planted on normal sized lots at Key West abnormal prices.

But even here the tone drops sharply from lot to lot, and next to a multi million dollar mansion you may find a home of normal proportions, even perhaps a little run down. "Not Apartment 21" - what an intriguing inscription.

Lovely isn't it, wide avenues, trimmed lawns and swaying palms under a perfect summer sky... And within pedicab distance of Duval Street!

This place has been closed and mouldering for as long as I can remember. A healthy reminder to all the perfect homes nearby that we are all bound to return to dust one day.

I like Casa Marina even though you'll find more tourists wandering here than you might expect. It is far from off the path beaten by visitors to Key West. Certainly part of the charm is the variety of housing and the abundance of greenery, but there are hotels and guest houses as well which bring the world outside to the broad shady streets.

Not that the current heat wave encourages pedestrians this time of year. A quiet Casa Marina, a bonus.

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