Key West Heat

I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office reading my Kindle when a couple came in and sat down huffing and puffing. "Hot out there," he groaned. "She agreed. "Too hot for me," he muttered. I said nothing but inside a small voice was gathering strength in my chest wanting to ask in no uncertain terms what the hell he meant? It is but June and there is still a fresh breeze blowing from the east. The damp flat heat of August and Seotember isn't yet upon us.

Why on earth choose to live in Key West if you don't like heat? Makes no sense to me, but I was reading on a web forum recently the complaints of some pantywaist complaining of 106 degrees in Illinois. Around here it's getting into the low 90s, so why people flee the Keys in the summer to stay among relatives Up North I couldn't say. Might as well stay here, enjoy the breeze and the water and the reduced summer population.

I love the flat white heat of summer, with the proviso that air conditioning be available to sleep in. I don't even mind riding in it, walking in it, sweating a little, but I did not find downtown Key West that hot this past week. I got a clean bill of health at my annual check up so maybe that had something to do with it but the day felt good and I was walking with brio.

Living without air conditioning isn't at all impossible but there are certain requirements that have to be met. Buildings need to be built with breezes in mind. Standard closed cubes masquerading as living spaces turn into convection ovens. Cities absorb tons of heat and radiate it back and you can feel the difference between Key West and the canal-lined suburbs.

Seeking Out shade is always a good idea summer or winter. And when you are on vacation you don't have to deal with a lot of the aggravation that comes from working in the heat. Even working in an office has its issues. I can't stand being at my desk when the a/c breaks. I work at night and we have fans and open windows for back up, but sitting in a 24 hour chair sweating is gruesomely uncomfortable. So you get used to a/c and then you get in your car and you go home and a/c is the way of life.

The primary colors of bright summer dun make me feel good, the shifting patterns of shadows on the ground intrigue me.

I am not alone in enjoying riding under the sun!

One gets the distinct impression that making progress on the unbaked sidewalks can be a chore.

And dogs too need shade.

L

Those misting devices make outdoor seating, or phoning bearable.

Or close up in the heat of the noon day sun.

Sloppy Joe's as Hemingway never saw it:

The Bull, nowhere too terribly full this time of day:

Or take your drinks with you.

The family that sweats together stays together:

Duval Street baking gently at lunch time. Suits me.

 

PODCAST NOTE

My podcast schedule is changing slightly. New interviews will post on Wednesday mornings at TravelandSafety Thus this week's new interview with Tim Fargo a traveler who has seen most of the world, built and lost businesses and had great success, will be up on Wednesday. It will be worth the wait. Thank you for your patience. Meanwhile Peter Easton, the human Dynamo, gets a couple of extra days. Cool.

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