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Miami Beach, United States
25° 47' N 80° 7' W
Apr 25, 2006 20:18
Distance 5673km

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Miami Heat

Text written in: English

Miami.  A glittering combination of sun, tanned bodies and an ostentatious display of wealth that really sets it apart from any other city in the US.

Arriving here had been an adventure.  It had meant being in transit for 40 hours across 4 airports from Rio and through both Peru and Venezuela which included a 6 hour sleep on a hard, marble floor in Lima's airport.  By the end, I felt I had something in common with Tom Hanks' character in 'The Terminal' and I was desperate for a cleansing shower and a comfortable bed.  Arriving in the pulsing heartbeat of Miami soon woke me out of my stupor and I re-acquainted myself with one of my favourite US destinations.

Being so close to latin America and Cuba, Miami has a distinct latino flavour that adds an extra dimension to the often sterile cities of North America.  Cuban influence is seen particularly around Little Havana where cafes with strong coffee and good cigars regularly draw the visitor.  Central to the beat of Miami, South Beach is where the young crowd of party-goers, spring-breakers and stylish city-slickers head for sun, fun and posing.  Its where you can find the roar of a harley, the purr of a Ferrari and the throaty hum of a vintage convertible all occupying the same stretch of road within a few minutes. At its centre lies the famous art-deco strip of the early 1930s and 40s and along this stretch is typically where you can find A-list celebrities and wannabe's enjoying the South Beach vibe. 

We wandered through the glitz and show of Miami for the next two weeks as if we were pro's ourself, varying our time between the exclusive shops around the art-deco strip with soaking in the crystal, blue waters of the Caribbean.  We drank in the ocean-fronted bars and hotels that line South Beach in the night while the sun sank into its golden vistas and ate from the bounty that was offered in truly huge American-sized portions.

As we left the Americas, and boarded the plane out of Miami, I couldnt help but reflect that Miami is one of the few places in the world that I could seriously consider living.  Taken with its vibe, all that would remain would be to raise the rest of the $millions$ needed to live here permanently, and in style.  So, for a long while yet, and until then, I wait patiently until the next time I can languish in its sizzling embrace.

JJ