MIAMI, Florida

We shacked up with Ellen's former roommate from college Lisa and her fiance Jeff. A quick funny story: Jeff suggested we hit the beach immediately upon arriving. When the topic of sun-screen came up, he said, "Oh, I think we have 3, maybe some 15 around here somewhere." Ellen and I proceeded to lube up with the 45 our parents gave us before the trip started :) The sand was thought to be white until WE took off our shirts!!

So off to the beaches we trotted, welcomed by 80 degree water and a 2-day air show featuring the Blue Angels and a plethora of other military flying inventions. Some 3 million people had gathered 4 or 5 miles up the beach in Ft. Lauderdale to watch the show. We, instead, caught a glimpse of the Blue Angels while wading in the water from a distance.

The water was incredibly shallow even 200 yards off shore, but we didn't dare venture that far after hearing that Florida had experienced over 50 shark attacks in a 1-year time span. There are numerous theories to explain the increase in attacks, but many lead to environmental changes.

Florida's unique insects caught us by surprise. And while we didn't encounter sharks, Jeff fell pray to the ever-present Sea Fleas which congregate in sea weed. They only attack parts of the body covered by clothing, or where pressure is applied (such as under a bathing suit). Poor Jeff was left itching and scratching in the land down under for 2 days.

Another such annoyance came at dusk or dawn. Little pinhead sized gnats bit at our ankles and forearms when the sun was sleeping. The only escape was inside.

Lisa and Jeff were awesome hosts helping introduce us to Miami in a way we never could have done on our own. We enjoyed a scrumptious stone-crab dinner, which you can read about by clicking here: The Rustic Inn. We took a strole down Lincoln Avenue by South Beach. The ave is blocked off from traffic and is a food-lover's paradise with restaurant upon restaurant lining both sides. Just before touring Lincoln, we checked out South Beach, known as the super model tanning salon. Be sure not to venture too far north, or as we did, you'll encounter some birthday-suit bathers.

Day two was filled with relaxation as we paddled through the West Lake Waterway Trail on kayaks. Windy river trails led us through thick mango trees littered with millions of tiny crabs, dwelling within the tree's protruding roots (also a picture to the right). There was the snap, crackle and pop of nearby shrimp closing their claws. And if you're lucky, which we weren't, you may have even caught a glimpse of a school of manatees known to enter the river waters from time to time. A lonely crocodile lived on the other side of the river trails, but Frank's big muscles kept him at bay. Crocks are typically a problem throughout the southern parts of Florida since the Everglades offer the perfect habitation.

Miami also hosted our first Major League ballgame of the trip where we saw the Florida Marlins destroy the San Diego Padres 12-3. Lots of hits, lots of runs, but not a lot of fans to cheer them on, as you can see in this picture.

All-in-all, while we both agreed Miami isn't where we'd like to live, we thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in the surrounding areas. The sites and sounds, the hot sun, the great food and the Dairy Queens on every corner.

A personal thanks to Lisa and Jeff for their warm hospitality! :)

Picture Gallery

Just chillin' in a kayak on the West Lake Waterway Trails.