Hemingway's cats

Hemingway's house seen from Key West Lighthouse

I went to Cuba with a group and it was a fantastic trip. During the months leading up to the trip, though, I was a little bummed that I couldn't go to Havana (on the other side of the country from our planned itinerary). I wanted to see Ernest Hemingway's house. So, the day before we met up in Miami, I made a quick side trip to Key West to see his other house.

I'd been to Key West years ago, in the 1990s, including a visit to the house. But a misunderstanding with security during tense international events left me with no pictures. Also, I'd always flown in, and I wanted to drive and see the other islands.






The scenery was beautiful, the weather gorgeous. But it's a really long drive from Miami to Key West, especially when you woke up early to catch the plane to Miami!

I stopped by the Caribbean Club, inspiration for the movie Key Largo. They don't serve lunch, and it was too early for a drink (if I wanted to make it to my destination), so I didn't stay.





I made it to Hemingway's house about a half hour before closing (that's how long the drive is!).

The tour guide was excellent. Ernest Hemingway lived here 1931-1939, writing some of his best known work.






Our guide gave the impression that Hemingway needed a new house with each new wife — his Key West wife stayed here when they divorced, and he moved to Havana, Cuba with his next wife.

The Key West home was actually built in 1851 by Asa Tift. He did something unheard of on islands: he dug a basement. He used the hard coral rock in the construction. As a result, the house has weathered many storms.




During a recent hurricane, museum staff spent the weekend in the house with the more than 50 descendants of Hemingway's six-toed cats.

Some of them like to be petted, but most just want to sleep during the day. Less friendly tom cats have special collars to warn people of their preference for solo strolls.

Hemingway had a catwalk (yes, a second-story walkway) to a smaller building, so he could walk from the beautiful wraparound porch outside his bedroom right over to his upstairs study.

This is where the man wrote, every morning.














Cats everywhere, even in the gift shop!



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