It's a miracle – we booked (for the third time), we flew, we enjoyed it, we returned – and it all went swimmingly to plan. Thank God!
SO good to finally be back in Miami and man, did the malls produce the goods. Amazing how my taste in labels and prices has declined vastly over the 2 decades that we've been doing this. I can't even admit to a couple of the places that I bought stuff from, but its all now on the ironing pile and about to make its way into the wardrobe. And a few of my tops with the most holes in and most faded patterns might even finally make an exit…
Had 3 nights in Miami with J to begin with – mostly spent in Sawgrass Mills and Aventura Malls, as well as some decent restaurants. Which almost made up for the 2 hour wait in immigration – the sods – at 10pm at night, as BA was of course 2 hours delayed. And it was a later plane than the one we had booked! Driving across to South Beach in the dark was definitely a first… Note the golden cocktail above was entitled 'The Mermaid Formerly Known As Janine' on the menu – so it had to be had!!
Then pottered off southwards, down to the Keys. Starting at the furthest point, Key West. Where we had last both been about 20 years ago (bloodyhell), when we co-facilitated the infamous Captain Morgan 4 day workshop, during FantasyFest week. Yep, there were definitely fewer clothing-optional bars, men in willy warmers (only) and women with dolphins spray painted across their chests than last time! But I digress..
Consumed far too much beige food – everything seems to be deep fried or a shade of cream to orange, mostly in pale brown shades – but also swam in the hotel pool, stroked the 2 fattest cats ever seen, pottered the streets, went out to the Southernmost Point and – sadly – discovered the massive problem they have with an entity called Sargassum. Basically a nasty brown weed thing that covers most of the coast and smells like rotten eggs! Had one very brief dip and gave that up rapidly..
But also drank cocktails overlooking the sunset, people watching the fascinating mix of humanity that Florida always offers in spades, and making the most of our air con in the major humidity and 90 degrees temps.
2 nights there and then back to halfway up the Key to Islamorada, where we had a fab little boutique hotel, 100 yards away from a restaurant that fed us three nights in a row. Enjoying the bands playing, though somewhat less so the heavy rock magician (WTF??). And with the best pina coladas with a dark rum float that brought the taste of Florida and holiday home, for a mere $8 a pop. Which, given the shocking exchange rate – pretty much the same as the Euro rate, eek – was a true bargain!
Headed out on a boat trip for me to get some snorkelling in and I am still revelling in finding a turtle at each of the two snorkel stops (Americans mostly splashing wildly right by the boat, clutching those coloured noodle floatation thingies) – to the point that the boat Capt called me 'the turtle whisperer'. My life is now replete….
And that was even topped off by us AT LAST, after 3 days of gazing at the flattest of seas from our island sunbeds, not just spotting a distant manatee, but having one right in our mini harbour, for half an hour of private viewing! Interesting that a local chap snuck a hose into the seawater as he said that manatees are often struggling to get enough non-salt water from sea grass, so can die if they don't get enough. And that while it's not legal to 'interact with wildlife' he likes to turn the hose on.
Amazing to watch the manatee use its front little flippers to guide the hose into its mouth, and then stay there sucking away for ages. I could pretty much see if puffing out with the water! It also liked guzzling the water as it flowed from the tap, over the edge of the boardwalk..
Such a pleasure, only the second time I've ever seen one and this was just perfect. All in the last 1/2 hour before we left the hotel, to drive back up to Miami.
A fab week, decent tan, ton of shopping, first snorkelling in ages and a v good catch up with J – amazing to have made it back there. x