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Miami, here we are!!
The setting for important series such as CSI and Miami Vice, this was our new home for two weeks and boy, did we enjoy it … For the first time in several months we had the chance to go to the beach and just relax. Of course we were expecting more from the Miami Beach area in terms of family areas, and specifically South Beach, but even so we can’t complain.
Miami is a large city with a great coastal area, so it is ideal for business people who want to be close to the ocean with warm weather. The weather was in our favor nearly the whole time, even considering that hurricane season was starting. Our good friends Borba and Eliza were kind enough to pick up us at the airport and take us to their place where we were invited to stay for two weeks. Their apartment is in the financial area of Brickell which is full of modern buildings and where many more are under construction. The location is great and the neighborhood even has a modern metro system that is free of charge.
We spent about 2 weeks in Miami, but it felt like only 2 days. Time went by really fast, and unfortunately there were lots of things to do and visit that we had to leave for another time. I’m not complaining, especially considering that our friends hosted us so well. We have to return the favor in the future!
American Airlines Arena: home of the Miami Heat basketball team. They are one of the top teams playing in the NBA, so they need a proper venue to accommodate their fans. Unfortunately at the time we could have gone the arena was closed, and I believe it is not open for visitors out of season.
Marlins baseball stadium: this one we did not miss 🙂 It seems the team has not been in great shape for a couple of years, which meant we found cheap MLB tickets easily, but the stadium is truly amazing: modern with a roof that closes and air conditioning … The match that we watched, together with our friend Borba and my cousin Marcelo and his wife Andrea, was won by the Marlins in the last ball. Noah enjoyed the match a lot too, not because of the match itself but because of the half-time show and the popcorn and hot dog – American style! A totally worthwhile experience.
Lincoln Road is a famous street in Miami that is full of stores, restaurants and nice buildings with beautiful architecture nearby. Try to go there during the day when it is not too hot. We had a very pleasant afternoon at South Pointe Park with our friends Rafa and Anais.
South Beach is a nice beach of course. The water is clean but there are many noisy people, and we didn’t get to see many families around. It is just a personal opinion, but when we compared it to Key Biscayne, that we simply loved, Miami Beach was not on the same level. Still, we got to see some Buddhist Monks enjoying the water. It’s not every day that we see that in such a famous place 🙂 If you like a very vibrant place, this is the spot. There are lots of restaurants and bars nearby, and it is easy to access by car.
Biltmore hotel: I think if we skipped this during our visit to Miami Ruth would probably have killed me. That was the very last place in Miami that we visited, as it was on the way to Boca Raton where we stayed at our friends Alan and Carol’s house. The woman was right as usual … hope she’s not reading this article 🙂 . The Biltmore Hotel is amazing in every way: luxury, surroundings, services and facilities. The pictures speak for themselves …
As I mentioned before we stayed in Brickell, a financial area of Miami, characterized by its tall buildings, banks, restaurants, bars and very vibrant streets. Our friends’ apartment is right above a Publix supermarket, which made our lives easier whenever we needed to buy groceries and things. The commute from one place to another was also easy with the so-called Trolleys (it is another way to move around the center free of charge) and the Metro Mover, which took us downtown.
We spent an amazing few days in Miami, in great company, and from there we travelled to Boca Raton to spend a few nights with more good friends – Alan, Carol and their kids – before getting ready for a week of entertainment for Noah (and us …) in Orlando.
Next stop, Everglades National Park and Orlando!