庇 護 大 門
Key West 回歸美國之後, 成為美國最南端的國土, 距離 Cuba 古巴以北衹有 (90 MILES TO CUBA) 一百四十多公里; 在歴史上與 Cuba 古巴的連繫是始於1868至1878年, 在脫離西班牙統治而引發古巴獨立戰爭的十年期間, 古巴人民受到政治迫害, Key West 成為他們逃往美國, 尋求政治庇護的大門。
交 通 基 建
1912 - 美國 Standard Oil 標準石油的創辦人和工業家 Henry Flager 策劃至完成的鐵路工程, 將 Key West 與 Florida 佛羅里達州大陸, 總長度二百公里的火車路軌連接起來, 開展了島群的旅遊業。
1913 - 航空歷史是始於當時飛往 Cuba 古巴不同公司的包機, 至1927年, Pan Am 泛美航空公司為來往 Cuba 古巴 Havana 夏灣拿, 提供定期的航空服務。
1935 - 由於鐵路經歴三次颶風, 被摧毀的維修工程,
每次均耗資巨大和困難重重, 因而迫於停止營運。
1938 - 首次將島嶼之間以跨海大橋的汽車公路, 取代了鐵路之後, 令各小島的居民更方便往來。
1953 - 國際機場正式啟用。如今, 這個小型機場擁有兩個航空控制塔樓和一條跑道, 佔地約十三萬平方米。
1982 - 島群的全新大橋落成和啟用, 耗資四千五百萬美元 (今天約一億美元) 橋身離水面二十米, 寛十二米。
1984 - 新建遊輪港口設在 Mallory Square 馬洛里廣場, 帶來島上一鼓郵輪度假熱潮。
1984 - 新建遊輪港口設在 Mallory Square 馬洛里廣場, 帶來島上一鼓郵輪度假熱潮。
政治 與 文化
Ernest Hemingway 海明威 (1899-1961)
文學作家和第二任妻子 Pauline Pfeiffer (1895-1961) 自1928年的第一次到訪 Key West 之後, 整個三十年代, 夫婦两人的大部分時間是住在 Whitehead Street 的一座房屋, 時至今天, 仍開放給遊客參觀。
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
從1941年開始已成為 Key West 島上常客, 在那裡開始撰寫其電影劇本 "A Streetcar Named Desire" 的初稿時, 每早均在 Duval Street 以北的海邊暢泳一番; 1951年, 劇本拍製成電影, 港譯《慾海奇女子》; 1995年, 電視劇集譯名《慾望號街車》。
President Harry S. Trumen (1884-1972)
二戰期間, 超過一萬四千艘貨船或軍艦, 通過該島的港口作補給站, 大量士兵、水手和勞工湧至, 相比戰爭前的人流倍增。戰後, 美國第三十三任總統 President Harry S. Trumen 杜魯門上仼後, 翌年, 開始定期到訪 Key West 這小島, 他祇住在前海軍基地指揮官的宿舍內而已。這建築物被稱 Harry Trumen 杜魯門的 "Little White House 小白宮", 現今已成為歷史博物館; 並有道路命名為 "Trumen Avenue"。
President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
1962年的古巴導彈危機, 時任總統 John F. Kennedy 約翰·甘迺迪, 在公開發表演說中, 曾多番警告 Cuba 古巴總理 Fidel Castro 卡斯特羅 (1926-2016), 最後, 更提醒他不可忽視距離他的"家門"九十英里外的小島 Key West, 是戰略上的重地。直至戰爭危機解決後一個月, Kennedy 甘迺迪總統, 親自訪問了 Key West 這小島。
生 活 文 化
時至今天, Key West 的印第安部族原住民, 和定居下來的古巴人後代, 已融入和適應美國的生活文化, 不過, 島上仍承傳着許多歷史悠久的行業,
包括雪茄工匠、凉鞋工匠和商店、古巴美食餐館和咖啡室, 與及印第安Teqeusta 部族的手工藝, 舊城區仍保存着其古典復興, 或新古典主義建築的小屋和豪宅, 這些生活文化和歴史得以保存。島群一帶的水域非常適合水上活動如釣魚、浮潛、帆船、滑翔傘和生態旅遊, 參觀海關博物館, 欣賞該島歷代的原始文獻與藝術品, 或可乘坐旅遊車觀光, 島民的悠閒生活盡入眼簾, 令人無限嚮往。
Jimmy Buffett & "Fantasy Fest 奇幻節"
Key West 在七十至八十年代成為夢想家的小島。1971年, 創作歌手 Jimmy Buffett 到訪和遊歴之後, 至1977年, 一首他的作品, 以飲酒作樂, 無拘無束, 享受人生的歌曲面世, 引起一些曾經到過 Key West 旅遊或生活的人士有一番回憶。今天, 遊客可以在 Duval Street 的 "Margaritaville" 餐廳享受美食; 1979年, 在島上首次舉辦了 "Fantasy Fest 奇幻節"。每年十月底之前, 舉行十天的 "Bacchanal 酒神節", 全島的人皆暢飲盡興, 已成為每年的傳統活動。(Bacchanal 印度酒神)
"MARGARITAVILLE" - Jimmy Buffett with J.J.Watt 2016
Nibbling on sponge cake, watching the sun bake
All of those tourists covered with oil
Strumming my six string, on my front porch swing
Smell those shrimp, they're beginning to boil
All of those tourists covered with oil
Strumming my six string, on my front porch swing
Smell those shrimp, they're beginning to boil
Wasting away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's nobody's fault
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's nobody's fault
Don't know the reason that I stayed here all season
With nothing to show but this brand new tattoo
But it's a real beauty, a Mexican cutie
How it got here I haven't a clue
With nothing to show but this brand new tattoo
But it's a real beauty, a Mexican cutie
How it got here I haven't a clue
Wasting away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
Now I think, hell it could be my fault
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
Now I think, hell it could be my fault
Blew out my flip flop, stepped on a poptop
Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home
But there's booze in the blender
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on
Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home
But there's booze in the blender
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on
Wasting away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know, it's my own damn fault
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know, it's my own damn fault
Yes, some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's my own damn fault
But I know it's my own damn fault
"FLORIDA KEY 佛羅里達礁島"
Bob Dylan 1967年已完成而幾乎忘掉的作品, Bob 祇好從記憶中把歌詞以手寫出來, 手稿交由幾位來自英美的樂手 Jim James, Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, Taylor Goldsmith 和女樂手 Rhiannon Giddens 五人新組成的樂隊 "The New Basement Tapes", 歌詞由樂隊合作撰譜和演繹, 收錄在1975年面世的專輯 "THE BAND"。 歌曲內容是 Bob Dylan 在 Florida 佛羅里達州的遊歴, 由 Miami 邁阿密至南下的礁島, 在陽光下揚帆出海尋找愛情, 難忘島上美女的身影, 與及嚮往悠閒生活和回憶。
FLORIDA KEY - The New Basement Tapes 1975
Lyrics: Bob Dylan 1967
Miami woman so fine and fair
I try and try but I can't get anywhere
I sail out under the sun
Looking for my darling, my only one
I sail all day, and when the day is done
She's still the one I want to see
I must find that Florida Key
Collins Avenue, Fifth Street and Main
I walk up and down but it's all in vain
My only darling is gone
Took everything and put it out on the lawn
And Jim came and got it and he gave it to John
It's getting harder and harder to be me
I must find that Florida Key
Just standing on the curb watching for boats
While them boys and girls pass by on their big silver goats
I'm getting out while the getting is good
In my ship of steel or in my ship of wood
One more time I'm gonna do just like I should
See, this could only happen to me
I must find that Florida Key
Need a little sunshine in my beer
Thinking 'bout eloping
Nothing's locked, never will be
Everything is open
There's only one thing that lurks in my mind
It's nothing here, nothing I've left behind
There's something up front, something I hope to find
I'm gonna set sail again tonight
Round the horn and in the clear moonlight
Or at least I'm sure it's going to be
Soon as I find my Florida Key
Bob Dylan 1967年已完成而幾乎忘掉的作品, Bob 祇好從記憶中把歌詞以手寫出來, 手稿交由幾位來自英美的樂手 Jim James, Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, Taylor Goldsmith 和女樂手 Rhiannon Giddens 五人新組成的樂隊 "The New Basement Tapes", 歌詞由樂隊合作撰譜和演繹, 收錄在1975年面世的專輯 "THE BAND"。 歌曲內容是 Bob Dylan 在 Florida 佛羅里達州的遊歴, 由 Miami 邁阿密至南下的礁島, 在陽光下揚帆出海尋找愛情, 難忘島上美女的身影, 與及嚮往悠閒生活和回憶。
Lyrics: Bob Dylan 1967
Miami woman so fine and fair
I try and try but I can't get anywhere
I sail out under the sun
Looking for my darling, my only one
I sail all day, and when the day is done
She's still the one I want to see
I must find that Florida Key
Collins Avenue, Fifth Street and Main
I walk up and down but it's all in vain
My only darling is gone
Took everything and put it out on the lawn
And Jim came and got it and he gave it to John
It's getting harder and harder to be me
I must find that Florida Key
Just standing on the curb watching for boats
While them boys and girls pass by on their big silver goats
I'm getting out while the getting is good
In my ship of steel or in my ship of wood
One more time I'm gonna do just like I should
See, this could only happen to me
I must find that Florida Key
Need a little sunshine in my beer
Thinking 'bout eloping
Nothing's locked, never will be
Everything is open
There's only one thing that lurks in my mind
It's nothing here, nothing I've left behind
There's something up front, something I hope to find
I'm gonna set sail again tonight
Round the horn and in the clear moonlight
Or at least I'm sure it's going to be
Soon as I find my Florida Key
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