Miami Florida/Everglades/Key West trip - February 2005

DAYS 2-7

MIAMI BEACH, EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, CORAL GABLES, LITTLE HAVANA, LITTLE HAITI
KEY LARGO: SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS, SNORKELING AT JOHN PENNEKAMP STATE PARK...

Just a quickie update. (I think I need more downtime.)

 

We've driven around Miami Beach; I took lots of pictures of cool buildings & interesting people. Miami Beach, like any city, is very crowded and noisy. Although it was interesting, I couldn't wait to get out of there. I started having a meltdown by the end of the third day. Everywhere you go--even first thing in the morning, they're blaring music. So, if you're sitting outside at a quaint sidewalk cafe, trying to wake up with some coffee and food, you've got music coming at you not only from your restaurant, but from the one across the way, every store within earshot--plus traffic, jackhammers, horns, etc. One morning they decided to test all the fire alarms while we were drinking our coffee. ACK!!

One stop in Miami, between Miami Beach and downtown Miami: Star Island. Lifestyles of the rich & fortunate. Took pictures of all the million-dollar homes. Gorgeous, of course.

Went to the Everglades. Walked for about a mile while waiting for the tram. Saw lots of gators and birds! Came within 1-2 feet of a couple of good sized gators that were just lying on the side of the road. Took lots of pics.

Next day, drove south of Miami Beach, to the fancy-schmancy neighborhood of Coral Gables. Beautiful. Took lots of pics. Drove back to Miami through Little Havana and Little Haiti. Very colorful.

Checked out of Greenview Hotel. On way to Key Largo, stopped at Miami Metro Zoo, a "natural environment" zoo. Took lots of pics of beautiful, bored animals. Special aviary full of Asian birds. More pics.

Drove to Key Largo. Found our beautiful lodgings: Bay Harbor Lodge, right on the Gulf side, with its own mini-beach, lots of foliage, a cute room with a comfortable bathroom; a friendly manager (I think that's what she is) and lots of tame squirrels. Next day went swimming with dolphins. Were disappointed with the actual facility: a small murky saltwater corral with barely enough room for the poor dolphins to exercise themselves. We chose the "natural swim" where you're not allowed to interact with the dolphins unless they choose to come to you. I loved it; Eric didn't: he called it the "avoiding the dolphins" encounter. Maybe his size intimidated them? Poor sweetie.

Next day snorkeling at John Pennekamp State Park, the only underwater park in the country. Took a sailboat to the coral reef, 4 miles out. Cloudy, rain sprinkled off & on. Not very warm. Got to reef. Put on gear, went into water, swam over to reef, looked at & took pics of lots of fishies and a few rays. One of our party saw a turtle. Snorkle for about an hour; head back.

Tired, tired, tired.

That brings us to now, Sunday, Feb. 27. Will write more & add more pictures later. Right now we're starving and are going to eat at the Key Largo CyberCafe where we can upload all this stuff.

Hasta la vista, amigas y amigos!

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