Ubumnyama obupholileyo bebhar babonelele ngokuphumla kwilanga elishushu, emva kwemini kwaye kwaba ngumzuzu okanye emibini phambi kokuba amehlo ethu ahlengahlengiswe kwimeko yangaphakathi. Ukuhlala kwizitulo ezimbalwa, saodola iibhiya saza sangenela okusingqongileyo. Iibhili zeedola, uninzi lwemiyalezo ephetheyo ebhalwe uphawu lomlingo, igubungele zonke i-intshi zodonga kunye nophahla, ezintathu kunye nezine iindawo ezinzulu kwezinye iindawo. Izibini ezibini ezitshiswe lilanga ngapha kwebar zayalela enye imijikelezo, ngokucofa iikomityi zabo zeplastikhi xa u-Johnny Cash engaphezulu.
Ndiziva ngathi sikwiTwilight Zone, umyeni wam uthe xa ibartender iseta iibhasikiti zigcwele iifriji zaseFrance kunye neqela eliqhotsiweyo phambi kwethu. Sifike e-No Name Pub, iziko laseFlorida Keys ekudala lisendleleni eya kude kwindlela ebethiweyo. Kwiiyure ezimbalwa ngaphambilana wasibona siyinxalenye yetafile Keys eyahlukileyo - siphunga ikofu yethu ngelixa sijonge iAtlantiki ngaphesheya kwengca enamaphiko entengayo. Ulwandle kunye nesikhombi somthi esixakekileyo yayizizandi kuphela esasiziva.
Ukuqhutywa kwe-Florida's Overseas Highway ukusuka kwi-Key Largo ukuya kwi-Key West kunika umxube ogqibeleleyo we-eccentric bohemia kunye ne-chic uyolo lokuphila . Njengoko amanqaku e-mile ancipha, i-Old Florida charm iyagxila ekugxilwe kuyo. Strip malls hawking beach sundries and snorkeling tours on the upper ends of U.S. 1 give way to dazzling turquoise flashes as the road iba ibhulorho ngakumbi kunohola wendlela. Indlela esemazantsi yenziwe uhombiso ngeeKitsch ezikuyo yonke indawo - isigebenga esikhulu, esine-spiny lobster esongamela ilali yobugcisa bendawo, ii-manatees ezifakwe imilebe zibambe iibhokisi zeposi, kunye neepeyinti ezipeyintwe ngesandla ezihenda abadlulayo ngesithembiso se-cocktails zokutshona kwelanga.
Nangona iNkanyamba u-Irma, eyonakalisa iziqithi ngoSeptemba ka-2017, ayikabi yinkumbulo kwabo babiza amakhaya asekhaya, lo mmandla wenze uhlengahlengiso olukhulu. Uninzi lweehotele kunye neeholide ziye zavulwa kwakhona - uninzi lwazo emva kokugqitywa kokulungiswa okuninzi- kunye neendawo ezimbalwa ezintsha ezijoyine uluhlu. Iindawo zokutyela, iindawo zokutyela ulwandle, iipaki zikarhulumente, kunye nemikhosi yeempahla zamanzi nazo ziye zanda, zishiya iindwendwe zinzima ukufumana ubungqina bentshabalalo yeCandelo-4.
Unokuqhuba umgama we-113-mayela ngaphezulu kweeyure ezintathu, kodwa kutheni ungafuna? Uhambo lwendlela, ngakumbi enye njenge iconic njengale, konke malunga nokumisa apha endleleni. Beka phezulu phezulu kwaye ujonge uJimmy Buffet. Nasi isikhokelo sethu kweyona nto ibalulekileyo iFlorida Keys ekufuneka ibonelelwe ngayo.