The morning after...Key West's Fantasy Fest

The crowd on Duval Street for this year's Halloween Parade, known as Fantasy Fest, was large and freaky as ever. Unfortunately, many in the crowd have never come so close to public exhibitionism and didn't know how to appreciate the indecency with decency. Too much "agro" behavior...young Miamians, dressed like a basketball team, hopped up on god's knows what concoction, whooping, grabbing, and intimidating too many women in the crowd. The testosterone rattled the nerves of many interested in a more respectful time.
But many, if not most, were there in the best of spirit. A bottle of champagne had done the trick to my lovely partner and I, and we were both proud of our festival-savvy "to-go" containers. Costumes and floats slowly, very slowly, crawled by. A float with the dead wedding party was one of the best with a decidedly Beatlejuice look and feel. And of course there were the professional floats. Groups come to march in the parade from Florida cities, usually Tampa. Invariably dressed as pirates and riding galleon-styled floats, these pros toss beads to the begging millennia. Usually the beads are generously flying into the crowd. This year, I dare say, they were a bit stingy. At least according to my uncorked partner.
If there is one day to extend with daylight savings, I 'm glad it's today. An extra hour to sleep was needed. Indeed!

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