Key West Diary Vacation 1

Cheyenne's Vacation

I am embarking on my annual summer vacation, which I like to think can be accomplished before the onset of the height of hurricane season, around September/October usually. This year owing to a variety of factors we are not sure what we are doing. Partly our new business is in its critical early birthing stage, our dog is elderly and not as road-trip-worthy as previously and partly also because perhaps after a year of frantic work a stay where we live, itself a desirable vacation destination, sounds relaxing.

In any event if I assemble material to write about I will post essays here. If not, not.

However even though I may be resting from daily toil, I have collected some pictures to post on this page to pass the time until life gets back to normal by about the beginning of August. 

Till then, sporadically yours,
Conchscooter.

Uber Banned

I took a step back and had to remind myself not everywhere has  pink cabs. Key West dies, for now. The city has passed  a law outlawing Uber taxis. They have been seen around town in increasing numbers lately and the regular cab companies, Yellow, Key Lime and Five Sixes (the pink ones) have been callimng for an end to the Uber phenomenon in town. The city is trying to comply. 

Personally I doubt the march of technology can be stopped, after all the past decade has seen shopping radically altered by these same techniques and doubtless drone deliveries are coming soon to a metropolis near you. So I don't think one small town in the sub-tropics is going to stop the march of Uer.

The thing is people will do almost anything to save money and Uber is far cheaper than a regular cab, so it seems to me the revolution is assured. Its just a  matter of time which will allow everyone to get used to the change and I expect soon cabs will be gone, like bookstores and VHS  video tapes.

Flags  are changing in this country at  last. This nonsense is on the way out, at least from public buildings and the homes of the more thoughtful among us...

...and these flags ar eon the way in.  I don't have much inclination for either flag but I'm glad gays are getting their civil rights. I wonder how Canada managed this feat  a decade ago and gay marriage up there hasn't stirred much animosity at all. Perhaps they are all stoned smoking legal weed or enjoying free health care, which relaxes them.

The stories I read about people  invoking their religious obligations as a way to avoid issuing marriage licenses makes me wonder what sort of religion they belong to. The Bible says a good Christian renders unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and yet public servants across this country are refusing to obey the mandates of their jobs. In  time we will look back and wonder what the fuss was about.

Do you remember how Chicken Little prophesied the end of the  world when women got front row seats in the military? Or when gays were allowed to serve openly? A huge big deal it was at the time and now its a big fat yawn.

Incidentally the city's rainbow crosswalks are looking rather worn out  just a few weeks since they were installed with much fanfare. They cost the city and the chamber two grand each but  in paying from them no one remembered to include periodic soap and water and a good stiff brush. 

Above we have gentrification gone mad and below we have the world's least comfortable sandals. I tried them once and decided to stick with versatile, weatherproof Crocs. I have a pair of actual, locally built Kino sandals which I use when I am traveling, especially by motorcycle as they pack flat. I find it quite extraordinary that there is an actual factory making the sandals in Old Town Key West. 

Kino manufacturing is decidedly not the rule. Most stuff on Duval is not anywhere near useful, outside the two convenience stores and a collection of bars and restaurants, cafes and wine tasting rooms if you are looking to eat or drink. Otherwise if you are planning on shopping you can count on art galleries, trinket shops, t-shirts and all that stuff. If you want a local souvenir the best place is the sunset celebration at Mallory Square and see what they have on offer. You might be surprised. 

Occasionally my hairy pig gets surprised and finds an unconsidered trifle for breakfast. Pizza rind is high on the list. In this case she found an individually wrapped (?) slice of bread. She wasn't going to let clingfilm plastic stop her and she tore like a wolf at her prey.

...trinkets, t-shirts mass produced souvenirs and discarded food in our overly abundant world. That's what you can find on Duval before the sun has properly come up and burnt everything and all tourists to a crisp.

Sunday Morning On Duval

Another early morning Cheyenne walk. Starting at McConnell's on the 900 block of Duval, the best successor to Finnegan's Wake so far. With Backspace gone I wonder who might replace the former Irish pub on Grinnell Street?

Olivia Street looking east toward the dawn and the Key West Cemetery up the road.

The 801 and it's performers emblazoned on the wall.

In some parts of this country patriotic bunting on a gay bar may look out of place, judging but the opposition to the recent gay marriage ruling, but not here.

I like the idea of the rainbow cross walks but boy, they getting grubby real easy! Somebody get a bucket of hot soapy water and a stiff brush, please.

Weekend Without Words

Getting ready for summer vacation...took a few pictures recently while out walking Cheyenne. These are early in the morning around Simonton Street. 80 degrees, a fresh light breeze and an eager dog. Nothing better. Enjoy your weekend.

Coming and Going in Key West

The new first station on Simonton Street is fully operational and has been for a while.

The parking lot around it is open now too with quite a lot of motorcycle parking though they seem to have gone in for a bit of landscaping as well compared to the old days...

...which it seems to me has cut down on the number of spaces. 

I was quite surprised they didn't put the new fire station where the old city hall was, on the Angela Street side of the lot. I figure if they had done that the parking lot could have been built as a structure and stored more cars.  Plus the firefighters could have parked their cars downstairs in the shade. 

I miss the overhanging trees on Angela and even the funky old city hall building, even though it was long overdue to be torn down. The new space is clean and efficient and does the job a lot better.

Certainly the old fire station was overdue for removal and replacement.

There have been a few other changes around town. The French owned chain of electrical suppliers has retreated from Key West. Rexel used to have a shop on Angela Street near Duval...gone!

The funky old Spindrift Motel on Simonton Street is now a hole in the ground much to my surprise.

I got this poor quality picture off Trip Advisor:

It used to be listed as a lost cost motel in this high cost town and I know the Seashell and Youth Hostel are due to go. I saw an article a few months ago in the newspaper about a modern sleek replacement but I forgot about it. I guess we will have something fresh and new and impossibly pricey to look at before highest season in the winter.

Meanwhile I noticed that Backspace, the not very much appreciated replacement for Finnegans Wake on Grinnell Street has closed not for the summer, but for good. Their lease is available for $200,000 from Berkshire Hathaway. I won't miss it. And oddly enough Bank of America in Big Pine Key suddnely shut it's doors. That was inconvenient for me as I used to drop off the rent their every month for my MIami based landlord. Oh well, another excuse to ride into town and take some pictures each month...as though I needed an excuse.