2 Days in South Beach

I must say South Beach is very interesting.  We walked across the island and down Ocean Blvd on Thursday, which resulted in a monsoon type downpour and lunch in one of the overpriced restaurants along the way to get out of the rain.  It seems that not only are we here on "Spring Break" but also for the World Music Conference.  There are lots of young toned bodies roaming around that is for sure, but they all seem to be having a great time.  Many of them are staying in hotels and some in hostels.  We have seen three hostels so far. Don't know much about the music conference but have noticed a lot of young men with their belts nearing their knees!

We have also seen more homeless people here than anywhere in the keys.  Many sitting and staring vacantly, which is sad, and others muttering and singing....whether to themselves or the public in general I haven't a clue.  One woman looked like she was 100 if she was a day, kind of like a shrunken little walnut shell.  She definitely had spent too many days in the sun.  I could only wonder what kind of life she's had.  Another was washing clothes (at the public station where you wash the sand off of your feet at the beach) in a plastic grocery bag.  She had clothes strewn all over.  Must have been wash day, I guess whatever works!  Just makes me thankful for all I have.

Yesterday we started out around 10am and started hoofing it up the bay side of the island.  Saw a completely different side of South Beach life.  All the condos where the d.i.n.k.'s  live and the quieter side streets.  We tried all day to catch the local bus for .25 but it just wasn't happening for us.  The first bus stop we came to we sat  for 20 minutes only to have the bus fly right by us.  We then figured out that since it was a local and a Miami bound stop, you had to jump up for the bus you wanted or they don't stop.  So we walked on hoping to get one at another stop.... we found a stop that was local about 5 blocks away.  We waited, and waited, and well you know.  All the buses that came were Miami bound.  By then I was getting a little testy, after all the only reason we wanted a bus was so we could ride around the entire loop and see where things were.  So we schlepped back a couple of miles to a great Latin American Cafe away from the beach and had lunch.

  

We then decided we would try the bus again.  Walked another mile or 2 on back blocks then decided to make it up to one of the main streets to find a stop.  Found one, waited about 10 minutes and yahoo a local bus!  I jumped up immediately and started for it, when the driver started waving wildly, NO, NO.  The damn bus was full!!!!

That did it....we decided to walk back, by now we were probably about 3 miles from the dock so we got to see most of South Beach yesterday.  Today we are having a moratorium on walking, and bus stops!

BUT...we did have a fabulous lunch, got to see lots of architecture, people and got a great nights sleep.

Cory & Jessica are headed over this afternoon.  They decided they deserve a little break from working 7 days a week during tax season. Cory's never been to South Beach, so we will put our walking shoes back on tomorrow.  It will be good to see them.