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Tuesday, 23 February

The other day I couldn’t find Little Havana. But research has shown that it was wrong to look for at at 2. Avenue, when it’s supposed to be at 12. Avenue. So today I take bus no. 8 to 12. Avenue, and there it is. The area is most inhabited by exile-Cubans, waiting for that guy Fidel to step down – or at least that’s what they used to wait for. There are cigar-dealers, patriotic murals and other kinds of Cuban symbolic around. And then there’s Domino Park where the old guys are playing Domino. If it had the TV-attention of Poker these guys could be rich.

Video - Live Domino

Domino in Domino Park

Basket in American Airlines Arena

The afternoon is spent relaxing in the apartment. There is soccer – Champions-League Stuttgart – Barcelona on one of the channels, so you don’t have to watch the Olympic curling today.

In the evening it’s time for more sport – but this time live. Basketball – Miami Heat vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – in American Airlines Arena. Section 124, row 22, seat 10 is a good spot for the game. The atmosphere is hyped by DJ’s, cheerleaders and a lot of different action. Now and then there is Basketball as well. Miami Heat is without its superstar Dwight Wade and is behind most of the game. Finally they get were close to catching up the Timberwolves, but they loose by 91 to 88, and the home crowd is disappointed.

Video - Basketball

Wednesday, 24 February

A quiet day today. First I take the hopeless public transport to Coral Gables. The Metrorail to Vizcaya, and then bus 24 to Coral Gables.

Coral Gables is a cozy and rich area. There are some nice buildings, small shops, plenty of palms and a nice atmosphere. I spend a few hours out here.

Back home there are threats on the TV. “Severe thunderstorms” they say. And since I prefer not to get soaked again, I stay inside. The thunderstorm arrives at 8 pm, and it doesn’t look that severe.

Trendy Coral Gables

Thursday, 25 February

It’s pretty cold today in Miami. It’s so cold you have to wear a jacket going outside.

I take the Metrorail to Coconut Grove. That’s another Miami suburb in the rich end. There are some nice houses and some shopping-activities. Then there’s the Barnacle State Historic Park, which is a nice oase down to the Biscayne Bay. It was made by Ralph Monroe in 1891. He was one of the first “snowbirds” – rich north Americans going down here in the winter.

Financial District -I would like the apartment on the top

Reflections at Brickell Key

A few hours is spent here, before returning to the hotel.

The second trip is in my local neighborhood Brickell – or Financial District. Here there are plenty of office buildings and high apartment-blocks. On the small island of Brickell Key the buildings are almost leaning on one another. You can take a walk on a path around the island, with nice views of the bay, the harbor and downtown.

Friday, 26 February

I have been looking for at good tour to the Everglades, but haven’t succeeded. They are all crap-tours, so I’ve had to take one of them. Miami Nice Tours takes you to a Gator Park in a corner of the Everglades. Then you get 20 minutes on one of the fast boats. That’s pretty fun. It’s speedy and you get to see alligators and big birds. Then there’s an alligator-show in the park. That’s disgusting. A big guy jumps on to an alligator that is half dead, and they call it alligator-wrestling. The police should stop things like that.

I’m back in downtown at 2 pm and spend some time walking around Bayside Market before heading back to the hotel.

Video -
Alligator-tour

A very lazy alligator

A big bird in the Everglades

Dinner is picked up at the local Publix – a good supermarket. For 6 $ you get a decent meal, that I take back to my apartment. Today’s subject in the elevator is the extremely low temperatures. We are down at 20 degrees Celsius. In the local news they talk about the snowstorm up north, and mentions that Miami has also been hit. For instance one of the people from the news had to put on a sweater.

Saturday, 27 February

You will have to get up early in Miami if you want to follow the action. The Premier-League match between Chelsea and Manchester City is live at ESPN2 at 7.30. But it’s a nice thing that they show anything else than basket and curling.

Today's sightseeing is in Miami Downtown. It’s a strange mix between modern glass and steel buildings, some tourist-industry and some parts pretty much run down. Among others I visit the nice Southern Florida Historic Museum. There’s a nice exhibition about “Crime in Miami”. I get to see Don Johnson and Miami Vice, and you have to leave your fingerprints as you leave the exhibition.

The sleazy part of Downtown

and another picture with reflections

When I’m done in downtown I walk back to the hotel along Brickell Avenue. That is a part of Highway 1, which runs all the way from Key West to Brunswick in Canada. It passes Miami River, and when I do the bridge is up to let a small boat pass underneath. So they hold back the whole east coast-traffic for one single boat.

Dinner is picked up at Publix on 9. Street. The evening-entertainment is commercials on ABC, which now and then is interrupted by a Harry Potter movie.

Sunday, 28 February/Monday, 1 march

I’m leaving the formidable Fortune House. It’s been a great place during this trip. The bill is for Henning Nielsen, Utell International, 605 3rd Avenue, 26th floor, New York. I wonder who they thing I am.

Taxi to Miami International Airport. Then a flight to Detroit. The entertainment is the captain’s updates on the hockey-final between Canada and USA.

From Detroit to Amsterdam at 10 pm. The plane is full and cramped. Just as we are about to go to sleep at around midnight they start to serve dinner.

The plane arrives in Amsterdam at 11.30 local time on March 1st. I have been to Schiphol several times, so I know where they’ve hidden the nice and cozy chairs that are good for sleeping.

At 16.30 we leave for Billund. So the trip back home is pretty tough – but it was dead-cheap. Bus from Billund to Aarhus, where I can open the door to my home at about 20.00.

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