On Big Pine Key, I think, halfway between Key Largo and Key West the hipper tourists stop to feed the Tarpons. Amazing. For 5 bucks you get a dozen mullets in a little bucket, and when you toss one off the dock all hell breaks loose. They are huge, and there are dozens that hang around waiting for the out-of-towners and free lunch. I tossed and snapped blind and this is the picture, they are gone just as quick. I'm not kidding. Huge. The little ones are 3 feet long, the bigger ones are bigger than me. Don't fall in.
Nan Kitchens, the Really Good Guide in question at the Fisheries restaurant on Marathon Key where we had lunch. Fish, of course. Not only is Nan gorgeous, she is a brilliant and productive artist working in a fascinating medium of giant clay work installations in public spaces plus she has a beautiful daughter and she is a gracious host. And she drives a convertible.
Guess where? Nan knew all the tourist type spots, took me to swim at the one little public beach in Key West and then drove us to the sunset celebration. Unfortunately there was a bit of overcast so there wasn't really a sunset to celebrate, but that didn't stop the locals. We did the Duvall Crawl down the main drag with the top down and I felt distinctly superior to each and every tourist I saw. Then at ten o'clock amidst a warm tropical downpour with thunder and lightening complete, Nan and Nikki did a tenderloin BBQ for the three of us. The tropical warmth and humidity and foliage everywhere made me think of Thailand.
No comments:
Post a Comment