"Why Key West?", you ask. Why not? Look at the aerial photo of our little slice of Paradise. Our island is four miles long and one mile wide. Another question pops right into my mind when I look at pics like this: "How could I ever live on such a small space in the middle of the ocean?"
I guess when you are young and looking to make big bucks or make a name for yourself, the accumulation of things and the attainment of notoriety are important. But as you grow older, you realize that your days are numbered and that fortune and fame may not provide the fulfillment you seek.
As a perennial tourist I dreamed of eventually moving to Key West. I envisioned what it would be like to live here and imagined all the things I would do and the people I would meet. For me life turned out a little differently. I live three blocks from the ocean but rarely go there. I find riding my bike more enjoyable and less troublesome than driving my car principally because of the erratic driving habits of tourists and the conch train operators--especailly during Season. I know lots of people by site but not a lot by name. Sometimes I'll go a year or longer between seeing people I know. But when the occasion occurs and I spot a familiar face I recognize the person as a kindred spirit.
You learn to spot locals with ease. And I can now pretty much tell if someone is a Conch just by looking at the face or how the person walks. If I were blind I could tell a Conch by the pattern of speech. Really.
Key West is a small island, but it is not provincial. Rather, it is the most worldly place you can imagine. Well over half the people I know are not from Key West. And about half of those people are not Americans. There is a huge European, Latin American, and South African population here. There are many small ethnic restaurants and hangouts. Many come to Key West for the opportunity to make money, but it is the live-and-let-live atmosphere and the great weather that keeps them here.
My only regret about moving to Key West is that it took me so long to make the move. The price of a home or condo is more affordable today than it has been in about the past five years. So if you have been putting off the move waiting for the opportune time why not CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls website to find your new home. Then send me an email for more information. GaryEThomas@aol.com
