Friday, April 17, 2009
Vignettes XIX
A few pictures without stories. Here is a view north from the Key West waterfront. It was Spring Break week and I found myself wandering waterfronts, like a lost soul, waiting for the winds to calm and the sun to warm the waters so I could drive my skiff out and go swimming. I think I was missing being out on salt water after being land bound all winter. In the background is Fleming Key, yet another Navy Base in town:
The numbers are in for January and February and hotels, motels and guest houses are reporting a significant drop in income this year. The newspaper reports a 15% drop in Key West and a 46% drop in the Upper Keys which were badly hit by the fire and temporary closure of the renowned Cheeca Lodge. The middle keys dropped almost 10%. They say that lots of people were bargain hunting and even though rooms were filled the room rates were the lowest in years. I wonder how ticket sellers in booths like this one, made out. Summer can be long and penniless if winter wasn't strong:
I read a post on the Modern Vespa forum recently about a Vespa owner who took a ride down Florida's East Coast and spent a few hectic hours in Key West. It amused me to read the denigrating remarks made about the "Chinese Junk" rental scooters seen on the city streets in response to the post. I am reminded all too forcefully how my expensive ($7200) Vespa 250 crapped out repeatedly on me until I sold it. Meanwhile the hardworking fleets of "Chinese junk" keep on going and going and going on the city streets, frequently providing sole transportation for their owners. Snobbery is a terrible thing to read. Seen here Japanese and Chinese scooters cluttering up one of the many municipal motorcycle parking lots.
Besides which there are cool Italian scooters in Key West if you know where to look. I saw this golfer turning onto College Road on Stock Island. He was riding a rather cute little Malaguti "Yesterday" and not being the least bit snobby about it:
When my wife and were having dinner at Alonzo's recently in the Key West bight we took a protected outside table on the boardwalk and across the water I could see the sole waterfront building of the old Watermark development which became "Harbor House." The development has gone bust and ceased construction but this sole building gives an idea for what was planned behind Schooner Wharf and Lazy Way Lane. I looked at it during the course of the meal, and even though I'm glad the development got stopped by the economic downturn, I wonder how massive the completed buildings would have looked. I wonder if they would have looked as overpowering as their many detractors claimed? I hope we'll never know:
Because it was cool and windy ( it might have been as cold as 63 degrees- 17C) Alonzo's rolled down the plastic windows that line the outside tables along the boardwalk. I thought they gave an odd effect to dinner, like eating in a green house. Our neighbors, tourists, didn't seem to care:
Outside gray clouds rolled over the square riggers docked across the way:
And their flags snapped in the breeze:
The blue flag represents the Conch Republic while red St Andrew's cross is the flag of the State of Florida, one of many flags that have been raised over the state during it's history, (Spain Britain, France, the US, the Sovereign Nation of Florida during most of 1861 between secession and then there was another flag on joining the Confederacy, and since 1982 the Conch Republic flag in the Keys). Which could be the subject of this languid conversation on the dock, but I doubt it. Sports or fishing or a mixture of both, most probably:
Apropos of fishing:
I enjoy watching tourists, though I'm never sure what the protocol is when I see people studying a street map. Do they enjoy the search? Do they want help? Should I offer to help? Will I be rebuffed? Does that matter and should I offer to help anyway?
Apropos of nothing in particular I liked these pictures of Cow Key Channel looking north, Key West to the left, Stock Island to the right, with the Stock Island Hilton visible overlooking the water- that would be the Monroe County Jail to give it it's correct name:.jpg)
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On my recent ramble on the White Street Pier I noticed, for the first time, that the trash cans had encouraging little messages from the city, an attempt to incite people to put their rubbish where it belongs:
And finally because Miranda wrote in from Up North to remark on my picture of Sandy's cafe, here is another one I put on the Adventure Rider's website. Miranda worked as a clerk at the jail before she came to the police department to dispatch. She was completing her training just as I was starting mine and later I got to work with the reclusive grumpy Conch. The more I worked with her the more I learned to enjoy her dry, acidic sense of humor and her encyclopedic knowledge of Key West, local habitual criminals and the secrets of the jail record keeping department. I watched her repeatedly uncover identities suspects wanted kept secret and she could trace almost anyone from anywhere to anywhere. And then she left, seeking a wider world than the little island she grew up on. I keep enticing her to come back but so far I guess the stakes haven't got high enough. I just hope that the economic recession will close enough of the Malls in her area that she will be forced to get her old job back in Key West. Besides, there's this:.jpg)
Not to mention an award winning fish sandwich. If Sandy's hasn't got an award for it, they should have. Can't find that Up North.
Besides which there are cool Italian scooters in Key West if you know where to look. I saw this golfer turning onto College Road on Stock Island. He was riding a rather cute little Malaguti "Yesterday" and not being the least bit snobby about it:When my wife and were having dinner at Alonzo's recently in the Key West bight we took a protected outside table on the boardwalk and across the water I could see the sole waterfront building of the old Watermark development which became "Harbor House." The development has gone bust and ceased construction but this sole building gives an idea for what was planned behind Schooner Wharf and Lazy Way Lane. I looked at it during the course of the meal, and even though I'm glad the development got stopped by the economic downturn, I wonder how massive the completed buildings would have looked. I wonder if they would have looked as overpowering as their many detractors claimed? I hope we'll never know:Because it was cool and windy ( it might have been as cold as 63 degrees- 17C) Alonzo's rolled down the plastic windows that line the outside tables along the boardwalk. I thought they gave an odd effect to dinner, like eating in a green house. Our neighbors, tourists, didn't seem to care:Outside gray clouds rolled over the square riggers docked across the way:And their flags snapped in the breeze:The blue flag represents the Conch Republic while red St Andrew's cross is the flag of the State of Florida, one of many flags that have been raised over the state during it's history, (Spain Britain, France, the US, the Sovereign Nation of Florida during most of 1861 between secession and then there was another flag on joining the Confederacy, and since 1982 the Conch Republic flag in the Keys). Which could be the subject of this languid conversation on the dock, but I doubt it. Sports or fishing or a mixture of both, most probably:Apropos of fishing:I enjoy watching tourists, though I'm never sure what the protocol is when I see people studying a street map. Do they enjoy the search? Do they want help? Should I offer to help? Will I be rebuffed? Does that matter and should I offer to help anyway?Apropos of nothing in particular I liked these pictures of Cow Key Channel looking north, Key West to the left, Stock Island to the right, with the Stock Island Hilton visible overlooking the water- that would be the Monroe County Jail to give it it's correct name:On my recent ramble on the White Street Pier I noticed, for the first time, that the trash cans had encouraging little messages from the city, an attempt to incite people to put their rubbish where it belongs:And finally because Miranda wrote in from Up North to remark on my picture of Sandy's cafe, here is another one I put on the Adventure Rider's website. Miranda worked as a clerk at the jail before she came to the police department to dispatch. She was completing her training just as I was starting mine and later I got to work with the reclusive grumpy Conch. The more I worked with her the more I learned to enjoy her dry, acidic sense of humor and her encyclopedic knowledge of Key West, local habitual criminals and the secrets of the jail record keeping department. I watched her repeatedly uncover identities suspects wanted kept secret and she could trace almost anyone from anywhere to anywhere. And then she left, seeking a wider world than the little island she grew up on. I keep enticing her to come back but so far I guess the stakes haven't got high enough. I just hope that the economic recession will close enough of the Malls in her area that she will be forced to get her old job back in Key West. Besides, there's this:Not to mention an award winning fish sandwich. If Sandy's hasn't got an award for it, they should have. Can't find that Up North.
Or it can be a thing of physical pain. The pirate shown below is hanging 8 pounds (3.7 kilograms) of water from his arm. On the other hand a longer arm could be helpful to him in other areas of his life.
Friends let friends ride scooters and cruise Key West together. Cute aren't they? And remember they are getting miles to the cup of gasoline. What would happen if they behaved like this at home?
This is my idea of the perfect wheels, sturdy sensible, a covered chain, lights and room for luggage. Across the street the tourist checking the map failed completely to walk into a car. I was hoping for a pratfall.
One inflexible rule of being a Key West tourist is men always go at the front, walking, riding a tandem or cycling. Why? Ask riepe, I haven't a clue.
Some lucky bastard is getting a Badboy Burrito delivered down Whitehead Street. The best (only) burritos in town get delivered by Vespa, of course. The best for the best.
A convertible for the fearful is the next best way to see the Key West sky. My wife is still enjoying her Sebring. And I am under orders to deliver her Vespa 150 to work for her to use around town. I have been prevaricating as I enjoy riding the ET4 from time to time.
This was the whole point of this essay. Tourists taking pictures at the Mile Marker Zero sign, the start/end of Highway One down the US East Coast. This essay was suggested by a reader after I took pictures at the Southernmost Point and watched tourists taking pictures of themselves.
On this occasion I had a moment between dog walks downtown and I sat at the county building waiting to see who would happen along. These were the only photographers who showed up so clearly I'll need to come back during the winter. They look pretty serious so there is potential for some fun pictures this winter.
Bobskoot keeps threatening to show up in Key West with Jack riepe; I can hardly imagine Mr Fussy being dragged around the titty bars by Mr Foul. Bob is so wedded to the idea that he's sending Jack some money to help him get down here. Bob is a Corvette driver, though I don't think he's bringing his car as Jack and his arthritis wouldn't fit.
Then the rain started and the government workers, the next privileged class to be dragged into insolvency by our homespun wild eyed clerics, discovered they had forgotten their umbrellas.
Not many scooter riders carry waterproofs, so like the improvident virgins in the Good Book they find themselves without their lamp oil at the critical moment when it is most needed.
If you are bald and butch a little rain doesn't hurt. Get undercover and run a piece of newspaper over your head and you are ready for the wet t-shirt contest.
There was another misanthrope sitting a few feet down form me in the arcade at the court house. He was amusing himself with a book, I was taking random pictures and Cheyenne was watching the world go by. We were all happy. Except the homeless dude who shambled off grumping, presumably because we were cluttering up his living room.
Finally, a sensible person properly equipped for the forecast.
Horrors! It dawned on me suddenly she only looks sensible from the ankles up.
Sensible people started showing up from all points of the compass.
Rain washed out my attempts to hang with the Parrotheads this past week. I was on my way Thursday and got massively washed out before work. Friday my appointment went late and so it went. So I took a commemorative picture instead.
The zero mile marker has gathered a few extra signs over the years because I guess everyone wants a piece of the action. This sign is at Whitehead and Fleming Streets, an otherwise undistinguished intersection for one very good reason.
It's where the seat of power resides in Monroe County, the county court house, symbol of government.
For some it is an oppressor, for others it offers shelter, so I left him to it.
As an aside Wikipedia has a picture of the other end of the road, 2300 miles away.
I expect Fort Kent, Maine is under six feet of snow by now. I wish them joy of it.