Bienvenido a Miami..

It took about 2 hours from DC to Miami, Florida on American Airlines ($2 for ear phones - I think it's an American thing!). Miami is what I classify as having the 3Ss' - Sun, Sea and Sand! Apart from famous South /Miami Beach were I stayed (everyone speaks spanish), it has other districts like downtown, Little Havana (the heart of the cuban population), and the leafy suburbs of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove.

South Beach (SoBe) is the trendy district also known as the 'Art Deco' District because it is home to the world's largest concentration of well-preserved Art Deco buildings. These are mainly on Collins and Washington Avenues, Ocean Drive, Espanola Way (The Clay Hotel/Hostel where I stayed), and Lincoln Road. The beach extends for about 10miles up the coast, where one can see and endless parade of fashion models, body builders and drag queens.

I was also able to visit the Holocaust Memorial - an amazing structure called 'The sculpture of Love and Anguish' (Miami beach ahs one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors), the Metro-Dade Cultural Centre (Miami Art Museum), Downtown, Coral Gables/Coconut grove, The Bayside Marketplace, Bayfront park and I went on a Biscayne Bay Boat trip where we toured the Islands around Miami such as the 'Star Island', Fisher Island etc. We were also shown celebritiy homes on the water such as Gloria Estefan, Puff Daddy, Al Capone's old house, Shaq O'Neill, Gulios Iglesias, etc. (no privacy for the rich and famous i'm afriad!)

The highlights of my stay was my salsa lesson with a Salsa expert and the Miami Heats winning the NBA finals - there was an all night party on the streets of South Beach!

The low points were: the horrible transport system in Miami (South Beach is fine but downtown is a nightmare!) you need a car to go anywhere in America, makes me wonder why they need oil...hmmm., the tempertaure (too hot!) and the number of poor people on the streets of Miami :(

Miami is a fun place especially South Beach, too many artifically enhanced beautiful people - I have never seen sooo many beauty salons, body shops, waxing shops in the same place!)

For those who want to contact me, you can reach me on +1-201-680-8745

Ciao

p.s thanks Yetunde & Titi