Good Morning South Florida! We dedicated this beautiful early April Sunday to you, Miami.
After picking up our friend and ex-World Airways colleague, Paul, from his place in North Miami, we drove straight to South Beach.
Sunday afternoon is not the easiest time to find parking in South Beach. After hunting for a while for an outside parking space that never came our way, we eventually parked in a multilevel garage near Lincoln Road, where I used to park long ago. Prices are good and finding a spot is much easier.
Lincoln Road is the best location for starting your walk through this animated place. It is a street with no automobile traffic, full of stores and restaurants and a lot of outdoor eating areas. A beautiful place to walk, watch people, find a nice meal and have a drink.
After taking some pictures with Paul in front of a restaurant with the same name, we found a nearby park and had a nice picnic, sitting on the soft green grass in the shade. The weather was perfect and we relaxed while talking and munching on the fresh bread from the outside market and the salads we had prepared and packed ahead. South Beach is not an inexpensive place and frugal is the best way to be while here – or anywhere for that matter, if you prefer to extend your travels and experience longer vacations.
From Lincoln Road we slowly made our way towards the beach, admiring the art deco buildings and the colorfully dressed happy people.
Once we reached Ocean Drive our pace became even slower on the side with the buildings, as the restaurants lined up tables along the sidewalk and people were walking in both directions through the narrow path that remained.
Music and entertainment was part of the ambiance. We stopped from place to place to see what was going on and to listen to some of the entertainers that attracted big crowds.
We made our way past a guard into an outside area with live music, good looking young dancers, body painting, drinks, dancing and a pool.
It took a while to figure out if the girl in the picture was wearing a corset or if it was a body paint job. The second option seemed to be the case and we admired the artist’s talent.
Slowly we made our way to the Beacon Hotel, the first place I was employed after moving to the United States. I was a Night Auditor at the Beacon Hotel for six months, until the hotel changed hands and my rental lease was finished. I moved to Hollywood, FL soon after.
The hotel is now remodeled and beautiful and the people at the front desk were super friendly. I made a new friend from Peru here and we talked about the wonderful places in his country.
As ahistoric art deco building, the Beacon Hotel cannot be structurally changed. I was very pleased to find not only the same façade intact, but the same old floors and entrance doors, as well as the interior hallway with the semicircular balcony. We took pictures in the clean, modernly decorated hallway, posing as stars.
Our next stop was just for a quick look at the wide beach and the huge cruise ship in the far distance.
Soon after we found another nice park with soft green grass, where in the shade of exotic trees we enjoyed a poppy seed pie. We enjoyed nice conversation (about aliens- goes with the kind of pie we had –LOL) and relaxed in great company, feeling good about being in this marvelous place and having such great friends.
Back to walking on the sidewalk near the beach we admired more of the view of South Beach and its art deco style, with all types of cars in site. On this day there were just a few antique cars to match the age of the buildings but none the less, we had the past, the present and the future in view with a variety of vehicles around.
Another popular site for tourists on Ocean Drive is the Versace Mansion where the famous designer was shot on the stairs. Most of us still remember where we were the day we heard the news and all of the follow-up stories in the search for his killer. I was here, near Miami Beach, just leaving for a short trip to the Keys. I was in the car driving when the news came out. I think that during all those months working in the hotel I never even knew that Versace lived nearby. Now his house became even more famous by this sad news.
Another moment we enjoyed was talking to one of the artists selling jewelry on the street. She has lived in Kenya as well as other countries and met many amazing people in her life. She had a pleasant accent, a sweet smile, beautiful features, lovely hair style and a great attitude.
Yvonne, Paul and I left South Beach at dusk and drove over the bridges, passing by the small islands with their impressive gated mansions. We passed through downtown Miami in a driving tour guided by Paul. Darkness fell over the city by the time we reached the upscale area of Coral Gables.
Reaching the area of Little Havana we stopped for a Cuban coffee and ended up eating entire meals. The food was inexpensive, the restaurant clean, the walls uniquely decorated and the waitress was as friendly and as nice as ever. The place is called El Pub, located at 1548 SW 8th St, Miami (305) 642-9942
Good Night South Florida! Good Night beautiful Miami!
