Mallory Square

Can you help me find my ship?

There is this place in Key West where the sunset is celebrated.  Not sure how it started but every day about an hour or so before sunset, people and vendors start to gather at a very nice park-like place on the western shore of the Bight.  There are shops and restaurants around but the square is mainly a brick three acre patch.  We were there about 1730 yesterday and witnessed a parade of bicycle pulled carts setting up shop for the sunset.  There were the usual trinket stands that would carve your name in seashells; offer blown glass jewelry made form bottles; hot dogs, etc.  There were all types of circus type acts including a French fellow with performing cats.  One fellow played a banjo and when offered a tip, his Golden Retriever would walk over and take the money.  The dog wore pants.  Get the idea?   To add to the spectacle, almost every schooner sailed passed the area under full sail with paying sun downer cruise patrons.  It is a daily occurrence.  There were few at the one last evening but I am told that if a cruise ship happens to stay the night it can get so crowded that it is like Marti Gras in New Orleans.

Schooner at Mallory Square

Stage at Schooner Wharf

Earlier yesterday, Bear and I walked to the Schooner Bar and Grille.  It was a very pleasant, breezy day to celebrate her recovery from the back thing.  Sitting under the palms near an outdoor stage we listened to Michael McCloud.  He has some airtime on Margaritaville on one of the satellite stations.  He has performed "one night stands" at this bar every day for over 17 years.  As he put it, he came to the Keys for a weekend and has been here for over 35 years.  He still has the return trip ticket to prove it.  Among his music is the background song used in the promotion of the WWII memorial spots that Tom Hanks promoted.  As noble as that is, most of his music is on the raunchier side such as She Gotta Butt. 

Just before we left the bar (mid afternoon), some fellow blew a conch shell horn.  Just after that, folks started coming down from the roof of the bar and followed him down the street.  They were part of a "Pub Krawl" tour.  In other words, they were planning to do pub stops all afternoon, and possibly into the evening.  So goes KW.