Miami

Right here folks, is the gorgeous South Beach of Miami

305 Fame, baby

Jim had a wicked good deal with Spirit Airlines to fly to Orlando! And then to Ft. Lauderdale! And then shuttle to Miami! To run the Miami Marathon!

But you know what? IT WAS ALL SOOOO WORTH IT.

We left on a Friday night and came home on Monday morning...

The guest house we stayed at, Villa Paradiso, was beautiful. We love staying at guest houses. This one had a kitchenette and would have worked well if we stayed for an extended period of time, for sure. But we ate out for each meal, and it was GREAT.

 

As you can see, I was supremely happy with the choice of beer.
We found a fantastic little Cuban place and ate there for dinner both nights. Beef, chicken, rice, fried plantains... it literally FLIED out of the kitchen after the order was placed.

The ocean-front boulevard was filled with restaurants and clubs, promising a good time to whomever walked through... We spent some time at The Clevelander (odd name, yes... perhaps someone had an Ohio obsession?)

 

And Jimmy Boy ran his race!
We agreed on a spot for me to wait and see him run past... here are some pics ;)
He finished in 4 hrs and 20 minutes. Although it was hot, he persevered.... and the rain storm that came through in the third hour must have been a welcome relief, as well!

 
Palm trees. Oddly large lifeguard towers.
Soft sand.
Multi-lingual speakers. Foreign tourists on Miami beaches. Topless sunbathers. Weed. Beer.
It was a fantastic 48 hours of hot sun and warm ocean water.

I'm deciding that this should be a yearly trip ;)