Picture of the day - May 24, 2007

A Stunning Key West Sunset

Photo courtesy of Ricky Benevento. The Florida Keys offer us Americans an opportunity to enjoy a true tropical paradise without having to board a plane or ship. Close proximity to the equator and virtually constant ocean breezes work together to ensure that this amazing string of gorgeous islands are blessed with nearly perfect weather all year long. Key West is the southernmost point in the United States except for Hawaii. With apologies to John Denver and the state of West Virginia, the term "almost heaven" is more appropriate when describing Key West than perhaps any other spot on the globe. Located a mere 90 miles from the island of Cuba, it is a magical place where land titles can be traced all the way back to the Spanish explorers who discovered the islands, and the sunsets are the brightest and most colorful you will ever see. Key West so enchanted the famous author Ernest Hemingway when he came to visit that he decided to stay for a while - ten years to be exact! Today, Hemingway's home and the island's famous six-toed "Hemingway cats" are among Key West's most popular attractions. But above all, there are those magnificent Key West sunsets - including the one featured above, captured in all its glory by photographer Ricky Benevento.   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"