Where Am I?

Can you guess where I am? For some of you, this may be too easy.

It’s a place with beautiful and lush small gardens. Its history is rich in the pirates and patricians, houses and hovels, palm trees and pubs. If you like to party, this is a good place for you. The following pictures should give you some hints.

Please leave a comment with your guess. I hope you enjoy the view. (See comments below the pictures for the answers. Added 12/8/10.)

Bougainvillea drapes over the fence of a private residence in Key West.

Key West Lighthouse (1847). Originally much closer to the shore but instead of the waterfront eroding away, landfill was brought in leaving the lighthouse further inland. Maintained by Key West Art and Historical Society.We passed many gardens like this in old town.

Part of the lush gardens at Hemmingway House.

Truman’s Little White House. Part of the US Naval Station Key West. President Truman spent 175 days there during 11 visits.

Hemmingway House. A wedding gift from his second wife Pauline’s uncle where he wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Snows of Kilimanjaro” . The purportedly manic depressive Hemmingway and a few friends built a privacy wall around the house with bricks “borrowed” from the city’s paving of Duvall Street. The brick construction is a little untidy due to the consumption of large amounts of alcohol during construction. (So I’m told.)

Famous six toed cats were very friendly and everywhere at Hemmingway House.

A sign at the entrance to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. Great burgers and the best (house) margarita ever!

Key West harbor. The red building in the center is Key West Museum of Art & History, formerly the Old Post Office and Customshouse

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