Celebrating Hemingway

We have begun our sojourn in Key West.  It has been 2 years since we have been here. But thanks to good health, we are back. I am walking and biking and feeling great, as is my hubby.   I brought lots of sewing projects that I will share as I go.  But today, I want to pay homage to arguably its most famous resident, Ernest Hemingway.

My bicycle tour this morning (with Bailey in my basket), started with a visit to Papa Hemingway's house.  He arrived in Key West in 1929. 

 His house has been made into a museum and is open for tours. 

An interesting part of the tour is the cats.  It started with one.  The most impressive docents know all the names of the upwards of 40 cats.  What is unusual about these cats is that they have 6 toes. 

The cat population grew as these cats would leave the house and impregnate other cats on the island.  So the city of Key West told the museum that they had to contain the them.  This resulted in this wire grid above the brick walls to keep the cats inside.

Nearby Hemingway's house is a nice cafe type restaurant called the 6 toed cat.  Two years ago they had a breakfast special that included $5 mimosas.  I did not see that advertised this morning.

The most famous locale linked to Hemingway is Sloppy Joes.  It is a restaurant/bar with walls covered with photos of Hemingway, his friends and the results of his fishing expeditions.  We headed there for dinner tonight. 

He spent a lot of time hanging out here. 

The walls inside of Sloppy Joes are covered with photos and possessions of Ernest.

Including the photos from the annual Ernest Hemingway look alike contest.

I read that "his novel "To Have and Have Not", while not considered one of his better works (as a novel) represents an incredible "collection of short stories" that capture Key West during that time period".  I'm going to put it on my book list.  It would be fun to read it while here.