bahia honda bridge

Old Bahia Honda Bridge was constructed as part of the the Old East Coast Railway which was built by oil mogul Henry Flagler. Sometimes called Flagler's Folly, the railway was started in 1905 and completed in 1912.  For many years, the railway was the only way to get down to Key West. 

zachary taylor beach

house of hemingway

While in Key West, we were able to visit Ernest Hemingway's home and hang with the 50 or so cats that now reside there as descendants from his six-toed cat, Snowball (about half sport the extra toe).  Hemingway lived here from 1931-1939 and wrote The Snows of Kilimanjaro, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, and To Have and Have Not.

Francis - she rules the roost and was born during a hurricane

So hot and humid that the cats were panting

Portraits of Hemingway

Where Hemingway wrote while residing in Key West

hurricane season in key west

dodging scattered showers at smathers beach

palm trees & gravestones: key west cemetery

The local hypochondriac's tomb 

he was trying to hide from me.

masts

higgs beach

brick & mortar: fort zachary taylor

mallory square sunset

Every evening in Key West, crowds gather in Mallory Square and sailboats gather on the water to watch the sun go down.  There's usually a whole lot of chaos and a ton of vendors and performers all vying for your attention.  We paused to watch a crazy frenchman and his cats jump through flaming hoops and I was called up to assist at one point.  He kept calling me "Mary," and it took me awhile to realize that he was talking to me. Awkward.

conch house: the architecture of key west