Key West este cel mai sudic punct al Statelor Unite, situat la doar 150 km de Cuba. Se poate ajunge intr-o ora cu avionul din Miami, cu masina, traversand superba autostrada suspendata peste ape, sau cu un vas de croaziera.
Oraselul este plin de indicatoare Southermost Point, 90 Miles to Cuba, Southermost Beach bar, Southernmost market, Southermost bakery...Southernmost everything 🙂 e chiar amuzant la un moment dat, acest spirit de marketing.
Eu am ajuns in Key West intr-o dimineata de octombrie, cu un urias vas de croaziera. Am stiut exact unde vreau sa merg: in Key West se poate vizita casa in care a locuit Ernest Hemingway, aproape 10 ani, intre 1931 si 1940, alaturi de sotia sa Pauline. Este locul unde celebrul scriitor American, a descoperit alaturi de prieteni pasiunea pentru pescuit, dar si celebrul bar unde se ascundea de Pauline. Locuitorii din Key West i-au lasat o puternica impresie scriitorului, romanul "To Have and Not To Have" fiind chiar despre Key West.
Casa construita in stil colonial spaniol poarta amprenta marelui Hemingway, mobila, cartile, masina de scris si mai ales pisicile. Casa e plina de "descendentele" pisicilor lui Hemingway, o rasa rara cu 6 degete. Nu este o gluma:)
M-am indragostit pe loc de povestile spuse de ghid, un batranel ce imi amintea teribil de Hemingway. Accentul lui insa mi-a placut si mai mult. Daca in primele minute, mi-a fost imposibil sa il urmaresc, curand, am fost pur si simplu cucerita. Am ascultat cu nesat, povesti despre cele 4 sotii ale lui Hemingway ( Elizabeth, Pauline, Martha si Mary), despre cartile scrise, despre pasiunea pentru pisici, pentru alcool si nu in ultimul rand despre depresia lui Hemingway. Casa adaposteste si o piscina, de fapt prima piscina din Key West, construita vreodata si ingrozitor de scumpa 20,000 $.
Locul este fascinant pentru orice iubitor de literatura, insa marea descoperire pentru mine a fost chiar ghidul. Imi placea la nebunie accentul lui, pasiunea cu care istorisea fel si fel de picanterii din viata scriitorului. Cert e ca in aproximativ 1 h, m-am intors si am facut turul din nou, doar de dragul de a-l asculta.
La final, s-a uitat la mine mirat: "Nu-i asa ca te-am mai vazut azi aici"?
"Da, am raspuns. Mi-a placut atat de mult, incat am mai venit o data"
"Mi-a zambit ganditor: " E cel mai frumos compliment pe care l-am primit vreodata"
ENGLISH VERSION
Key West is the southernmost point of the United States, located just 150 km from Cuba. It can be reached by plane within an hour from Miami, or by car, crossing the famous highway suspended over water, or by cruise ship.
The town is full of signs Southermost Point, 90 Miles to Cuba, Southermost Beach Bar, Southernmost market, Southermost Southernmost bakery ... 🙂 It's really funny this spirit of marketing.
I arrived in Key West one October morning with a giant cruise ship. I knew exactly where I wanted to go : in Key West you can visit the house where Ernest Hemingway lived almost 10 years , between 1931 and 1940 , with his wife Pauline . It's where the famous American writer , discovered his passion for fishing with friends , and the famous bar where he used to hide from Pauline . Key West residents have left a strong impression on the writer , the novel "To Have and To Have Not " is just about Key West . The house built in Spanish colonial style has almost everything intact in time, furniture , books , typewriter and mostly the cats . The house is full of " descendants " Hemingway's cats , a rare breed with six fingers. There is no joke 🙂
I fell in love with the stories told by the guide, an old man who reminded me terrible of Hemingway . His accent I liked even more. If during the first minutes , I was unable to understand a word he was saying, soon, he's accent became clear to me and couldn't stop listening to him. I listened avidly about Hemingway's 4 wives (Elizabeth , Pauline , Martha and Mary ) , about the books , about his passion for cats, alcohol and not least about Hemingway's depression . The house has a pool, actually the first pool in Key West, and very expensive for the time it was built $ 20,000 . The place is fascinating for any lover of literature , but the great discovery for me, was just the guide. I loved his accent , the passion with which narrated trivial stories from the writer's life .
The fact is that in about one hour, I went back and did the tour again just to listen . Finally, he looked at me wondering : " Haven't I seen you around here today " ?
