Subscriber Services Weather

Burnett's Urban Etiquette

Monday, May 14, 2007

As promised, more pics

Here are a few more pics from Key West. My tastes in what qualifies as interesting are a little wacky. So forgive me if these aren't very exciting.

First, here's a rooster wandering around the garden of the Hemingway house. Very weird thing. You'd have thought you were in farm country. There were roosters and hens and little chicks strollin' around everywhere. And either these things are really smart or they're considered sacred in KW, 'cause I didn't see one bit of chicken road kill.


Here's another six-toed cat at Hemingway house. Those of you who need creative writing inspiration feel free to share in the mojo.


Here's a shot that isn't from KW, but rather from a park next to my house. Can't figure out why it's in here, other than maybe I hadn't deleted from my camera card and accidentally added it to my upload list. Oh well, the birds are cool.


The next two pics are from a ghost tour we took the other night. The first is an old church-turned-theater-turned-nightclub-turned abandoned building we saw on a ghost tour the other night. I have to tell you that while I believe in weird crap that can't be explained with terrestrial logic or conventional wisdom, I've never been fully sold on the ghost thing. This tour did not help my skepticism. I expected to see some shadows walking around, and spooky howling, and bloody-eyed little girls wearing dresses from the 1800s, whispering "Redrum! Redrum!" Nope. The scariest things we encountered were a trash can on the sidewalk that smelled like death itself, or like Sheryl Crow's wiping hand, and the stove pipe hat our tour guide wore. And BTW, that whole "orb" thing? Lights and reflections bouncing off of walls and what not. You want to convince me there are ghosts out there kickin' it, have one walk up to me and levitate my furniture.



Here's the lighthouse across the street from the Hemingway house. According to a tour guide, Hemingway's friends used to tease him that he bought the house, because it was across the street from the lighthouse, whose spot light was always on, so after a night of drinking he'd always be able to find his way home.


Me lounging on the balcony of our hotel. We lucked out. There were two balconies - one facing the gulf, and one facing the Atlantic. For some strange reason all our time was spent on the gulf balcony. Something about the Atlantic balcony that wasn't as appealing.


I can't explain the grimace. Maybe I was being bitten by a skeeter at the moment Mrs. B snapped this shot or something. I can't remember. But I'm trying to commune on a psychic level with yet another six-toed cat. Hey, as the kids say, I'm trying to get my write on!


Last Hemingway reference, then we'll let him rest in peace for a while. Simple shot of the front of his house. Can you tell I spent a good bit of time here, soaking up the ambiance?


Another pic not from KW that slipped past me. This is some kind of lizard on a tree in my front yard.

Labels: , , , , ,

30 Comments:

  • I actually believe in ghosts. Or at least I WANT to believe.

    Great pictures.

    I've often considered just up and moving to Key West and becoming a beach bum. But, I can't afford it. LOL

    By Blogger Jay, at 10:17 PM  

  • Great pics! But now I must go play some Jimmy Buffet for some reason.

    By Blogger Michael C, at 10:24 PM  

  • But did you fight any bulls in his house?

    Key West is a lovely place, and it sounds like a great vacation. The two balconies alone, facing ocean and gulf, would do it for me, even w/o the 6-toed cats.

    Great pix. Thanks for sharing.

    By Blogger heartinsanfrancisco, at 10:30 PM  

  • Jay, a true beach bum wouldn't care if he couldn't afford it ;-)

    Michael C, thanks. And I hear ya. I swear, I thought Buffet was a spiritual entity when we got there last week. Lots of references to him for obvious reasons.

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 10:31 PM  

  • HeartsinSanFran, I didn't fight any bulls - at Hemingway's or anywhere else. But I was fascinated by his love for it. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during his trips to Cuba to see the fights.

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 10:32 PM  

  • Looks like a heckuva good time. We'll see if any of the Hemmingway rubbed off ;)

    By Blogger none, at 11:00 PM  

  • You look relaxed and enjoying yourself. Good for you! The photos rock.

    By Blogger Christina_the_wench, at 8:22 AM  

  • Those are some great photos...I would love to go to the Hemingway house and gawk at the six-toed cats. I never can think of the proper name for them - the only thing that is coming to mind is pterodactyl, which is SO NOT IT.

    You look awesomely suave - chillin' on the balcony!

    By Blogger Tiggerlane, at 9:37 AM  

  • hope we can provide as much fun/things to do when yu and mrs b come up here!

    By Blogger savannah, at 9:41 AM  

  • Oooh, the next time you go, you and Mrs. B. have to have brunch at Blue Heaven. It was formerly a brothel that Hemmingway frequented, and they still have the little rooms upstairs with peep-holes, for the ladies. The food is FABULOUS, but the best part is that, while you're eating the most exquisite lobster eggs benedict, ever, you are seated under a canopy of gorgeous trees and ship sails, and there are chickens and roosters and cats walking around, under your table and underfoot. There's even a rooster shrine (or something) in the back of the yard. I swear, except for the eggs bennie, it's like eating at my grandma's house in Jamaica.

    Good stuff.

    By Blogger Yvette, at 11:49 AM  

  • Never been to Key West, but I had friend there who used to live and work in the area.

    Wish I was in those pictures!

    By Blogger Evil Spock, at 12:41 PM  

  • I can smell the salt air just looking at your pics. I'm very jealous!

    By Blogger captain corky, at 1:09 PM  

  • I'm jealous - it looks gorgeous there. Thank you for sharing your pictures, it's the next best thing to going.

    Enjoy!

    By Blogger fiwa, at 1:13 PM  

  • I'm playing a bit of "catch-up blog" today - skipped the reading yesterday and just did my post so I could move on to some other projects and get them done, out of my hair.

    I really enjoyed all your posts today! Especially the pics and comments about the Hemingway home. Very interesting, indeed.

    I think too the little vacation break must have done you a lot of good as you sound really upbeat, more so than usual, in your commentary today.

    By Blogger Jeni, at 1:52 PM  

  • Next time, take me with you & Mrs. B. I don't take up too much space, and I'm always good for adding useless commentary to a situation.

    Errr. I mean "useful."

    Useful commentary.

    By Blogger thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy, at 1:58 PM  

  • James, these are really cool pictures. Don't the cats at the Hemingway house have extra digits on their paws or something? I remember my wife telling me something about that.

    That first pic of you (with the laptop). New profile photo! Yup! crop it at just above the chest and leave some of the sea in the background. Very cool.

    By Blogger Dan, at 2:33 PM  

  • awesome pix!

    i've heard about the roosters everywhere in Key West... i think that would creep me out.

    By Blogger minijonb, at 3:39 PM  

  • That house is nice. I'll have to get my keyster to KW. It looks very relaxing.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:31 PM  

  • Awesome pics, looked like a wonderful time for sure James. Hey James, you are a good looking sort mate (winks) :-)

    By Blogger Cazzie!!!, at 11:39 PM  

  • one of my cousins had an 8 toe'd cat.

    The photos are GREAT. Even the birds on the picnic tables. I hope you take plastic table cloths for your lunch.

    By Blogger Pamela, at 1:24 AM  

  • Nice photos!Are you believer of Ghosts? I'm not! But other than that the pictures are really superb!!!
    AA Breakdown Cover

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:39 AM  

  • I just took a huge, relaxing, ocean scented breath. Thanks James! I needed that!

    By Blogger Lee, at 8:10 AM  

  • Damn, James. You need to start doing your push-ups again!

    Very nice. Looks like a beautiful place to be.

    By Blogger M@, at 10:10 AM  

  • What -- no photos of the Green Parrot? On Whitehall, about 6 blocks below H-House. "The best neighborhood bar in the best neighborhood in the world."

    By Blogger Steve ("Klotz" As In "Blood"), at 12:58 PM  

  • Great pics... I looks so nice there. :)

    By Blogger Erica Ann Putis, at 1:30 PM  

  • I am incredibly jealous.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:22 PM  

  • Nice pics. Neither Duval nor Mallory Square piqued your fancy? What about the Mel Fischer Museum, Ft. Zachary Taylor or the southernmost point? You didn't miss Turtle Kralls or Cap'n Tony's did you? It's a little island, but lots of flavor (even though it's too garish and touristy now). KW is more west FLA than south FLA--that lighthouse in the photo was originally erected in 1824 and Ft. Taylor was built to help protect US shipping lanes from Cuban pirates. Next time, take the ferry out to Ft. Jefferson to see the Dry Tortugas and the last resting place of the doctor that set John Wilkes Booth's broken leg (nice to see he suffered). Also don't forget to drop in and see Sir Peter Anderson, Vice President of the Conch Republic (whose motto is "Seceding where others have failed"), get a mojito at Cafe Pepe, and get a pair of handmade sandals.

    BTW, that lizard in the the last photo is a baby iguana. They stay in the trees until they're big enough to fend off wading birds.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:27 PM  

  • Great Pix! I used to own a female cat that had six toes. She was solid black. Amazing kitty.

    love the line about the light house. has to be true! :giggles: hope the trip lit up the lighthouse in your soul.

    By Blogger Mermaid Melanie, at 4:28 PM  

  • I'd rather share in the mojitos, James Burnett.

    I do like six-toed creatures, though.

    By Blogger 123Valerie, at 5:26 PM  

  • I love KW! Thanks for sharing the pics. I took a little mental vacation viewing them. Where did you stay? It looks beautiful.

    By Blogger Dayngr, at 3:18 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home