Touch up photography not required in Florida

It was difficult to know whether to start or finish on a churlish moment. I have to get this off my chest; there are many wonderful things about the US but the consistent characteristic that tees me off is the capacity for convincing bull..t which turns out at best to be total self delusion and at worst overwhelming mediocrity. Enter David, a sculptor of all things aquatic, who offered to take a photograph of the lovely, albeit unsymmetrical couple mooching round the pool while their hire cycles are delivered. Following a third take and I quote, “you know what people get wrong most (no pause for audience suggestions) is the fact that the object is too far away and you can’t see the faces properly………



I have to say it looked worse on the camera..our faces were just black. I am no David Bailey but I don't attempt to give advice as if I were him. Anyway it is off my chest and that is it....

As I wrote this on my return it occurred to me that what America does best, except for the moments of humour that its citizens give of generously, emanates from no human intervention whatsoever just bl..dy lucky geographical location and geological formation. I hope the following photos illustrate:

Naples Beach at sunset





Naples beach



Everglades National Park



The journey through the Keys en route to Key West. I didn't realise the contrast of greens until afterwards (observation kindly offered by Lord Snowdon, and you have to know I nearly wrote Longford.....junior folks should Wikipedia that)



Bahia Honda National Park – half way to the Keys ....the sea is that blue they weren't lying in CSI Miami, though I am still working out how Callie can emerge from an everglade swamp with her Persil White pants (trousers to you) in tact even when it was Eric removing assorted limbs, tennis shoes, cuddly toy, a fondue set and a set of champagne glasses from a hugely accommodating alligator. Am I getting confused here?






Sunset over Key West...please indulge me and P took these because I had to peer through elbows. We came back the following night so I could have a go too but the sky was not as dramatic and I don't want to steal his thunder.










At this point with about 500 people including street performers in Mallory Square whooping and cheering I cried so much. Key West would have been my dad's kind of place and it was coincidentally the week he died 27 years ago. I have just done it again so this blog is completely soaked and I can't do a thing with it so I will have to start another one and go to buy P another T-shirt...the original reacted badly to the salt wash.

xx