July 12, 2004

           Officially, nothing happened this day. It was a Monday back at work for me. Gallivanting around the countryside is fine, but I still worked full time in July, 2004. Trust me, I was probably exhausted. Y'day's post on Marco Island was popular, I'll tell you just a little more about the place.

           This is an aerial view of the south-facing hotel strip where JZ and I stopped for brunch. I don't know which one we picked, but that's fine. All American waterfront hotels are about the same. This stretch is 90 miles from Miami, or 95 miles by boat if you head north from Key West. There is a hydrofoil trip available if you have the money.

           It is fat city. You must have the big bucks to live there, and the locals are doing everything they can to keep it that way. For example, most of the best beach areas are residents only. They accomplish this by making every access to the beach trespassing on private property. And they've long wanted to close the main bridge. Since the state says no, they regularly hold "marathons" across the bridge to completely stall traffic. Here is the best photo I have of the bridge, from some stock source.

           There is little special about Marco Island except that it is the largest of the "Ten Thousand Island" group. Other anti-tourist tactics include excessive bridge tolls and squeezing the traffic lanes by adding a bicycle path. The message is clear--the locals want to turn the island into their private preserve--as long as the government shells out for all amenities to keep them connected. I believe it is called the Goodland Bridge. In 1960, Marco Island was uninhabited. See video.