Key West – Butterflies, Friendly Cats, and “Papa’s” House

Helen and I visited Key West for one day about four years ago when the weather in Marathon Key was too cold and windy for beach activities. The weather in Key West on that same day was only slightly better, but we were able to get enough of a feel for the city to know that a return visit was warranted. We made it back this year with an RV in tow and the intent to explore.

In last week’s post we gave you a taste of the town as well as the Conch Train Tour which helped us identify the spots we wanted to explore in-depth later. This week, we’ll take readers through a few of those spots. Ease Along with us as we determine whether Key West has more to offer than nightlife and rum bars.

One of the first things you notice in Key West is the architecture.  As a former home builder, I found the homes fascinating and very appealing.  Moreover, in a city with a history of serious hurricanes, I found it interesting that so many of the old homes had survived. I learned later that Key West has over 3,000 homes built from 1886 to 1912 and they are considered a national treasure. Distinct characteristics of the old homes are deep, covered porches, louvered window shutters, and pastel colors reflecting a Caribbean influence. In later years, ship captains and cigar makers built some of the large mansions and included unique details such as gingerbread accents. I wanted to go inside all of them.

We did tour one home on the island, the home of Ernest Hemingway, the famous author and sportsman, who lived on Key West from 1931 to 1939. “Papa” Hemingway completed seventy percent of his works while living in Key West including Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

The huge home is open every day for tours.  Our tour guide did an excellent job of sharing Hemingway’s life and lifestyle during his years in Key West including stories about his wives, lady friends, and drinking buddies. We visited his writing studio where the author wrote every morning from 6 am until noon, producing 500 to 700 words a day.  He would then walk to one of the nearby bars like Sloppy Joes, and carry on with some of his pals until late in the evening.

Of particular interest in the home was the fifty-three cats, most with six toes and descendants of Hemingway’s first cat, Snowball.  The cats had free reign over the house and property and are federally protected. Most of the cats seemed completely unafraid of people and loved the attention.  My favorite was the cat I found sleeping above the gutter on Hemingway’s studio. I once had a six-toed cat, Wilbur, who lived with us for seventeen years and was as laid-back as any of these.  I’m certain he has a spot on the family tree.

Helen and I also visited the Butterfly and Nature Conservancy near the southernmost point of the island. We obtained our discounted tickets from the Recreation office on the Key West NAS (Military Living.com readers take note). The exhibit consists of a large greenhouse filled with tropical plants, birds, and hundreds of colorful butterflies. Once inside, a patron became surrounded by butterflies as they flew from plant to plant and even from person to person. One large butterfly landed on Helen’s face and seemed quite content to remain.

The birds attracted a lot of attention due to their bright colors.  I got very close to a Yellow-Legged Honey Creeper and captured the image shown here as well as a plumed fellow that I cannot identify. Readers, please help me with this one. Two Flamingos named Scarlet and Rhett patrolled the small flowing stream inside the exhibit. Note: A reader identified the bird as an African Turaco. Thanks!

In addition to sight-seeing, Helen and our friend Sally, rented three-wheel bicycles for some exercise and a few errands. She loved the trike and we may have to invest in one for future RV trips. We also located a nice beach near the Key West Naval Station and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. After our first trip to the area, we were a bit dismayed that there seemed to be no real beaches for sun or swim.  We learned differently on this trip and will include more beach time when we return.

By the time we packed up to leave Key West, I was not ready to go. We had enjoyed perfect weather and had discovered so many sites and attractions that appeal to Helen and me and can honestly say that, without question, Key West is more than nightlife and rum bars. I am eagerly looking forward to Easin’ Along back here at the first opportunity.

Thanks for stopping by.