Key South

Thursday, February 06, 2014
Key West, Florida, United States
Dinner last night was delightful again with Jan and Valerie, Brits Wendy and Tim, and Poles Sabena and Stan. The conversation ran the gamut from political refugees fleeing persecution before and after the Solidarity movement in Poland to exile in Siberia to the Russians hosting the Olympics to American Exceptionalism to the recipe for lemoncello. In other words, dinner was perfect.

Despite my best intentions to party like a Norwegian, I instead opted for a quick stop back in my cabin which turned into accepting an invitation from my bed and book to stay in. Also, perfect.

Lovely daughter Megan, now six weeks from delivering her and son-in-law Eric's second child updated me on Kansas City reality. The snowfall totals are significant with just under a foot falling at their Olathe home. Eric, good husband and father, has shoveled and shoveled and shoveled. I received an email from Matt Clark, a reader of this blog because he and I shared some quality time together on a previous cruise. He is, get ready for this, in Kansas City and I missed him. Sad.

Here the temperature hovers just under 80 degrees while the seas and winds and yours truly are calm. I am joined on the fantail over coffee by, first, Jan and Valerie and soon after by Sabena and Stan. Jan produces a contraband bottle of Kahlua and the coffee becomes more interesting.

My eight miles this morning are not on the jogging track on Deck 13; instead I try the Promenade route on Deck 7. Fewer laps with less wind and sun.

We have a leisurely morning at sea culminating with a noon arrival in Key West. Looking at a map, one quickly sees why they call it Key West: it is the farthest West of the Florida Keys. I tend to think of it as Key South because of the fact that it is at the end of the road and the closest part of the United States to Cuba, our neighbor not to the West but to the South. I feel a bond for this place in part because Ernest Hemingway lived here for a time after he lived on Kansas City’s Plaza (where I live), also for a time. He was a reporter for the Kansas City Star before he wrote that for which he ultimately became famous. I re-read Hemingway a couple of years back and, frankly, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Once again, my lack of sophistication becomes obvious, eh?

Before we can disembark from Pearl at Key West, we must clear a mandatory inspection conducted by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection folks. I wonder if Oklahoma Eric from my last cruise will be supervising. No, of course not, but I think of him and Martha fondly anyway.

Because we are returning to the United States from visiting Mexico, we must present our passports and undergo regular formalities that all persons crossing into the United States undergo. I am assuming that will mean no such formalities will be required in Miami which is great news—if true.

For the inspection, I am to report to the Spinnaker Lounge on Deck 13 Forward from the Starboard entrance only at precisely 12:30 to be properly cleared. My passport, since issuance twice returned to the U.S. State Department so extra pages could be added to accommodate visas and stamps from my travels, is fat and tattered and usually prompts a second look from Border Patrol officials.

I’ve no special plan in Key South other than bringing my laptop and catching up on the world via some free Wi-Fi. That turns out to be more difficult than you might imagine. Bar after Bar has no Wi-Fi. Ready to give up, I see VinoS Wine Shop and Bar at 810 Duval, a lovely little wine bar. Inside, I see a bottle of B-Side, a cabernet that I love. Ordering a glass, I take one last chance and ask the Lisa, the bartender, if they have Wi-Fi. "Sure," she says. So, here I am, taken in by the cork art on the ceiling, the bar made from highly varnished wooden wine cases and the eclectic clientele. Marty, the man next to me, lost his cat (it died) yesterday; it fell off the balcony, nine lives having already been lived. I bought him a sangria to help with the pain. I don’t know if it helped as he was already not feeling any. The owner shuffled in and was greeted by all. The cat man mentioned to her that he had a new video to show her and she replied, “I only have the one video and its porn.” Adele and Corinne Baily Rae play on the music system and all is well in Key West. Next up is Etta James, singing Megan’s song: “Someone To Watch Over Me”. I don’t cry when Etta sings it; when it is Megan I melt.

Back in the U.S.A. and with the mobile phone now working again, I get a chance to catch up with Megan. She regales me with tales of snow and no school and Miles and her wonderful husband and more. Ryan reports that all is well at ej4. He says that the blog makes him think that I am enjoying the trip and I verify that. Truly, life is good. Only one thing would make it better but for that I need patience. Please, Lord, give me patience. Quickly.

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