You Only Live Once (YOLO) or Our Impressions about Miami South Beach and Miami City, Florida, USA of August 2013

You only live once-YOLO(1)Every day Larisa’s intentions were : “let’s go to the Ocean to-day!” And it was understandable because in spite of all forecast predictions the weather was excellent, nice and warm.Val&JaninFlorida,2013

So, the Miami South Beach seemed alive. People like to swim there although the shore looks to be shallow: one needs to walk along the white sand bottom for 5-7 minutes to reach the spot where you actually can dip in.

Above our heads the helicopter was flying with the advertisement of a new concert star. No surfers were visible around the beach. We saw from the distance the Carnival Cruise Liners heading to their voyages.

Vendors were making their instant business, as it is popular in America, : picking up the coconuts off the palms and serving them to people for a drink fresh coconut milk for a small price. We tried milk and liked it.

But all the rest of food and drinks on the shore restaurants were of triple price. For instance, a cup of coffee here was 15 dollars, go a little farther up on Collins Avenue, normal prices.

We had a wonderful meal at Jenny’s Famous Deli, at 1450 Collins Avenue.

Strolling along the Miami streets we observed buildings of Art Deco design, including Winter Haven, Tiffany and others of various colors, shapes and configurations.

We ran into Versachi Estate where he was killed right on the front steps. It happened, it happened. One cannot change the history.

Close to the evening we found ourselves on the Lincoln Avenue which Janko considered a very interesting place: plenty of international design shops, boutiques, restaurants. It is long boulevard, lit up brightly, with statues and decorative things of modern style. Here we bought YOLO  T-shirt which I am demonstrating above. They say, there runs a YOLO bus in Miami. The motto: YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE seems to us very reasonable.

Big crowds of people of different nationalities gathered here and there, wandering in every possible direction. No main traffic lights, it is a big boulevard pedestrian American mall. Some are buying, some are browsing, some came for pleasant walks in the crowd.

Back to our Marriot temporary home we took a Monorail train. It was also an adventure. Starting downtown where the train station was, we dropped the bus off and had a short walk to the station. We passed by strange, unsavory types whom one does not want to meet them alone, especially single women or teenagers.

Monorail itself differed a lot from C-train which runs in Calgary or Edmonton. In America more staff is involved to serve a secure and safe trip. The way went through mainly industrial part of the city, so we had a chance to view all that. From the terminal one takes a taxi as usual. Here we are at our cosy apartment with nearby swimming pool to invite refresh yourself.

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