Here, movie moguls use all kinds of transportation, from a car (how typical), a plane, a helicopter, a scooter, a speedboat, an airboat, a sailboat, a glider...whatever their heart desires. And here it is eternal summer, here the girls are less dressed, and the men always have their shirts unbuttoned. This is Miami.
Welcome to Miami
The drive from the airport tells us that Miami is no ordinary city, stretching across elongated islands connected by palm-strewn bridges. All the roads are crossed by small bridges, which raise up when the sailboat approaches and stop all traffic. Everyone waits gathered in their cars, mostly convertibles. These are the tropics. Nobody gets excited. The proximity of the Caribbean marked the city. Here, the influences of various cultures are mixed, especially southern - American and Cuban.
Welcome to Miami
You can feel the influence of Cuba in Miami. Due to its location and proximity to the island of Cuba, many immigrants live in Miami. Within the city of Miami, a small city - Little Havana (Mala Havana) has grown. Little Havana, located on 8th Street or Calle Ocho, is the cultural and administrative center of Cuban refugees. A walk down Calle Ocho reveals the Cuban way of life. Cubans who came to America full of hope for a better future brought with them cigars, excellent coffee and the sound of Cuban melos. In the middle of the street, in the immediate vicinity of McDonalds, stretches a small park where the elderly residents of Little Havana play dominoes every afternoon. Cheerful gentlemen with furrowed faces but smiling eyes are talking in hushed tones about how to play dominoes, no one raising their voices. The rules are strict, no alcohol, no fighting, no loud talking, just dominoes, cigars and good smelling Cuban coffee.
Carnival is from Miami
The mighty I 95 freeway divides Miami in two. When we drive over I 95, we slowly slide into the center of Miami, where the mighty harbor is boasting. Namely, Miami is the home port for some eight large maritime companies for holiday cruises, of which Carnival is the largest. All Caribbean cruises depart from either the Port of Miami or the Port of Fort Lauderdale. Even for those who do not take part in Caribbean cruises, the port of Miami offers a tempting offer of shorter cruises on ships through the Miami canals. The boats take us past the big ships that are being prepared for cruises, to the smaller islands where the wealthier members of the community live. Small boats take us around the bays all the way to South Beach and Star Island. Yes, Miami is such an attractive, colorful city that even the rich and famous can't resist it. Star Island is truly an island where quite a few celebrities have bought homes, including Elizabeth Tailor, Puff Daddy and of course Miami's most famous couple, the Queen of Latin Pop Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio Estefan. Of course, we cannot go to the island without an invitation.
South Beach is part of Miami
Just a few blocks away, however, the atmosphere is completely different. As if on cue, we slip into the mecca of entertainment, fashion, music, food and drink - South Beach. Art Deco, an area of South Beach, stretches on an island. As we approach Ocean Drive, the traffic thickens, at times even comes to a complete standstill. Ocean Drive is the area where the beach meets the city. First, let's visit outside den Wet Willies, which is best known for frozen cocktails that you can take with you and legitimately walk down the road with. The place is packed, everyone is ordering Get a cab, and we can learn from verified sources that the drink really serves its purpose. If you order Get a cab, call a taxi. But the truth is that nobody in South Bea-chu is thinking about going home. The party lasts there every day of the week, from morning to night. At the very end of Ocean Drive is the Nikki Beach Club, one of the most popular clubs on South Beach. A club where the beach and swimming are combined with the rhythms of house music and cocktails. Nikki Beach has become synonymous with clubbing in the afternoon (especially on Sundays). A good knowledge of trends can also be shown with the clothes sold in the club by saucy young women. Where Ocean Drive meets Collins Street, the gates of Delano open in the evenings. Delano is a hotel that also becomes a beach club in the evening. There are a lot of clubs in South Beach. Also interesting are The Shore Club, Spice, Twister, Mango's and we could list more. In addition to Ocean Drive, entertainment is also provided on Lincoln Street, where there are also many different restaurants, small bars, and above all, lots of relaxed and fun-hungry vacationers and locals.
Miami area
We soon learn that I 95 is the most important road and that it is definitely worth following. A little south of South Beach is the island of Key Biscayne with tennis courts, where the biggest tennis aces compete every year. The Miami Aquarium is also in the same location, where all dolphin lovers can get to know the aquatic mammals and even swim with them in the pool. Less than an hour away from Miami lies Everglades Park. It should be emphasized that half of Florida is covered with swamp. The Everglades is a national park, strictly protected and guarded. The airboat ride gives us an insight into the flora and fauna of the swamp, which is of utmost importance to Florida, as most of the water used by the residents comes from there. It is true that sometimes a crocodile swims into the canals next to the houses, but all residents know that swimming in the canals can be deadly.
Information:
SOUTH BEACH, www.visitsouthbeachonline.com
KEY BISCAYNE ISLAND, www.key-biscayne.com
MIAMI AQUARIUM, www.miamiseaquarium.com
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, www.nps.gov/ever/ and www.everglades.national-park.com
For the party-goers:
NIKKI BEACH, Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.nikkibeach.com
MANGO'S, Ocean Drive and South Beach, FL
WET WILLIE, 760 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
OPIUM, 136 Collins Ave, Miami Beach FL 33139
For consumables:
BAL HARBOR SHOPS, www.balharbourshops.com
DOLPHIN MALL, www.shopdolphinmall.com
LINCOLN MALL, www.lincolnroadmall.com
