After three months in self-imposed COVID-19 lockdown, cabin fever overwhelmed me. I sought a place within driving distance that offered a dramatically different environment than my house and yard. Key West, the southernmost tip of the United States, seemed ideal. So, my spouse and I loaded the car and drove south to the land of turquoise seas, rum drinks, and Hemingway legend.
Key West, like the rest of the nation, was struggling to balance the economics of reopening with the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the most part, this small town excelled at that balancing act. Signs everywhere proclaimed, “MASK UP, KEY WEST! No Shirt, No Shoes, No Mask, No Entry.” The majority of visitors respected the terms, and donned masks before they entered stores and restaurants. Unfortunately, some tourists did not.
On our first day in town, we witnessed the type of confrontation that has become far too common in this country in recent months:
“That’s bull,” a young man shouted angrily. A half dozen youths, without masks or with one dangling useless from an ear, wanted seats at Fogerty’s bar, which was sealed off with yellow caution tape.
“City ordinance,” the host told them. “We can only seat you in the restaurant if you order food, not just drinks.”
The group stormed off in a huff. Throughout the encounter, these tanned, buff young people seemed oblivious of the two older (masked) couples in line near them. Nor did they care if they compromised the young host, who wore her mask to protect patrons. News stories about the virus spreading with renewed zest via throngs of young people hanging out in bars, on beaches, and at parties clearly had made no impact on them.
We thanked the host for her diligence in protecting us and enjoyed an amazing seafood lunch at the popular restaurant, spaced a safe distance from other diners.
NESTING AT THE EDGE OF TOWN
For our home-away lodging, I booked a room at the Hampton Inn on the edge of town. While I booked it as the least expensive option, the choice proved serendipitous. Located directly across the street from a miles-long oceanside walkway, our room had an ocean view and a convenient place to stroll and enjoy the fresh sea air.
Like other places in Key West, the hotel required face masks in all public spaces. At check-in, the desk clerk assured me that the cleaning staff took great care in sanitizing the rooms between guests. However, they no longer cleaned rooms every day to minimize cross-exposure between staff and guests. That suited me fine. After all, I don’t clean my house every day.
Hampton Inn, like many hotel chains, provides a free breakfast of fairly basic fare. One of the signature stations had always been the make-your-own waffles. While never my choice, I noticed that the staff had blocked access to the waffle iron — indeed the whole breakfast buffet. Instead, a pleasant woman handed guests their breakfast choices. I happily carried my little paper bag of goodies to my room and ate breakfast staring out to sea.
An unexpected perk at this Hampton Inn, they offered free cocktails every evening. While children splashed in the hotel’s pool, adults sipped margaritas at well-distanced tables along the edge. Between patrons, the young bartender cleaned the tables.
Best of all, though, was that ocean walkway. I enjoyed my morning workouts with the locals and an evening stroll after dinner. The ample width and length of the walkway made social distancing easy.
THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT
The morning after our arrival, we lined up for our turn to pose next to the Southernmost Point Monument. The odd-looking, brightly painted concrete monument (I think it’s supposed to be a buoy) marks the southernmost point in the continental United States. Like well-trained school groups, all of us visitors stood in line and spaced ourselves six feet apart. We moved forward in orderly fashion as we all had learned during school fire drills.
Then, a social/health dilemma presented itself. After a couple took photos of each other, they wanted a picture of the two of them together at the monument. At any other time, in any vacation spot around the world, they would have asked someone nearby to snap a photo with their phone or camera. This couple looked sadly at each other and reluctantly began to walk away holding hands. A young man behind them in line stepped up and reached out his hand, “I’ll take your photo.” The grateful couple handed him their phone and he took the picture. I admired his act of kindness and hoped he faced no consequences because of it.
HEMINGWAY HOME & MUSEUM
More than any other site in Key West, I looked forward to visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. In fact, I phoned the museum before I booked the trip to make sure they were open to visitors.
When we arrived at the site, staff vigilantly kept visitors in line — literally, an outdoor line with six-feet apart standing marks. The line circled around the courtyard, surrounded by lush vegetation. Young children, exempted from the mask order, darted around the yard and in and out of the line. In the 90-degree heat, my mask chafed and made breathing difficult. I wished I could join the children and run freely about, breathing in the open air. An interesting young man and his physician father in line directly in front of us struck up a conversation. We learned about Key West history from the young man, a self-proclaimed history buff, and about the value of masks in controlling the virus from his father. Our conversation helped while away the time, but I was happy to finally enter the air-conditioned building.
The staff limited guided tours (the only way to see the museum) to ten people and carefully spaced groups ten minutes apart to avoid crowded interior spaces. Our guide, Sarah, led us through the home and shared fascinating tidbits along the way about Hemingway’s life, loves, and career.
In each room, we met one or more of the famous six-toed cats descended from Hemingway’s own pet, Snow White. Sarah introduced each cat by name; in fact, she knows the names of all 60 cats that live on the property. Continuing Hemingway’s tradition, staff name the cats after famous people. While some of the cats we met were shy, others happily sidled up to us for pets and a scratch behind the ear. A bold fellow named Harry Truman demanded that I pet him. Blanche, an irresistible kitten, followed me around purring for attention.
Blanche
CHEERS
I would have loved to wrap up my Hemingway pilgrimage enjoying drinks at Sloppy Joes, Hemingway’s favorite Key West bar. Unfortunately, the owner had shuttered the bar because of COVID-19. As I meandered through town, I discovered other establishments closed as well because of the pandemic.
Fortuitously, since I wanted to sip some good local rum, The Key West First Legal Distillery (that’s really the name) was open and giving distillery tours. The distiller conducted the free behind-the-scenes tour, leading a very small group of us through each step in the distilling process. The name, I learned, came about because this was the site of the first legal distillery opened after the end of Prohibition. Today, this small distillery crafts small batch, artisanal rum using Florida-grown sugar cane.
The pandemic quashed the grand finale typical of distillery and brewery tours — the tasting. I missed having an opportunity to sample a variety of the rums. Sharing drinks in close proximity to others posed insurmountable problems, though. Besides, rum tastings while wearing a mask clearly presented a challenge (though my cousin Jason recommended using a straw).
CRUISING IN A CRISIS
Eager to enjoy the water, I booked us on two harbor cruises — a sunset cruise and a daylong outing. The cruise company, Fury Water Adventures, operated the boats at half capacity to allow greater social distancing among guests. The company adhered to the city’s strict guidelines, requiring masks to board the boats, sanitizing between cruises, and staff serving food and drinks instead of the usual self-serve buffet. Once at sea, however, restrictions became far more lax. The captain of the day cruise, in fact, joked that the city required masks in port, but could not control what happened at sea.
As alcohol flowed and conversations percolated among passengers, masks fell by the wayside. The photo dilemma arose over and over. “Please take a photo of us. We’re on our honeymoon.” Or, “Can you take one picture? We’re visiting our daughter and grandchildren.” I found it impossible to refuse their requests.
Meeting people from other places, from other walks of life, epitomizes one of the great joys of travel. On board, we engaged in wonderful conversations with people, such as the lovely husband and wife Civil Rights attorneys from Tennessee. As our conversation deepened, we edged closer and closer together. Normally after spending a delightful evening with people, we would have hugged goodbye. At the end of the cruise, we simply waved and wished each other a good trip home.
Throughout the rest of trip — in fact, for weeks after I returned home — I felt anxious about our too-close contact with the strangers we met on the cruises. Back in my little castle, I once again locked myself into self-isolation. Two weeks, the length of time recommended for quarantine, came and went with no symptoms for either my spouse or myself. We were lucky.
This country, most of the western world, has not faced a deadly pandemic in over 100 years. We’re amateurs at this. Set adrift to navigate the murky waters of a global pandemic, we all feel dashed to and fro by forces beyond our control. The hardest balancing act to achieve, I believe, has been the one between health and the need for social connection. As this pandemic rages, we mourn the loss of life and the loss of simple human contact that makes life worth living.
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Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum https://www.hemingwayhome.com/
The Key West First Legal Distillery https://www.keywestlegalrum.com/
Fury Water Adventures Key West https://www.furycat.com
Dear Clay:
Thank you so much for the virtual tour of Key West. I have not visited the area yet so it was a treat for me seeing your pictures.
I had the pleasure of seeing Hemingway’s house in Cuba a few years ago. I miss traveling immensely. I had to cancel my trip to Spain, Ireland and Scotland in October. No one wants us anyway! Also, I don’t want to be on a plane for 5 or 6 hours.
I hope that 2021 will be a better year for all of us.
Love,
Cookie
Thanks for bringing Key West back to us. We were there in February right before the world fell apart. It is good to know that most folks are being respectful and following the guidelines for safely navigating this new world set by our medical professionals. Glad you were able to have a safe getaway.