One of my favorite vacations was a 2013 birthday trip to Key West, Florida. It’s such a strange and unusual place with a haunting history and quirky people. The Ernest Hemingway House was one of the highlights of the trip.
The house is open to the public for tours and I HAD TO get a ticket.
Past the brick wall, palm trees and tropical plants surround the house in lush greens. Elegant decor and glittery chandeliers lace the rooms, along with movie posters and cat paintings.
I could imagine the writer standing on the balcony overlooking the lighthouse or sipping a mojito by the pool and writing one of his great works. From his library down to the garden paths, it felt as if he was still there, watching over his home.
There is no doubt Hemingway had a cat obsession. The property is home to around 40 six to seven toed cats that are said to be direct descendants from the writer’s. They roam around freely and are cared for by the groundskeepers. They live a luxurious life napping on the furniture or hanging out in their tiny replica of the Hemingway home. There is even a graveyard for all the sweet little ones that have lived there.
The house and grounds still felt alive with his presence and left me feeling haunted. I can’t wait to go back.
For more informations about the Ernest Hemingway House in Key West, Florida click here.
