Up at 6am again today, I'm now used to getting up at that time. I'm like a little kid at christmas looking forward to the gorgeous sunrises! I pack up and head to the beach. I find really warm water and shades of color in the sky I've never seen before! Nobody is there I walk the beach in peace, do some yoga stretch out. It's going to be an amazing day!
I find a slow leak in my tire but I'm hoping to just keep pumping it until I get to key west. I also found a broken spoke but it's not too bad I just loosened up my brake cable so the wheel doesn't rub. I'll get the tube replaced when I get the spoke replaced, sometime next month in Philly! I just double checked my distance and it's only 35 miles from here, what a breeze! I can't believe it's going to come to an end today. I'm kind of excited for it!!
So I ride through my final leg of the journey. It's a remarkable ride with aqua blue/green water on both sides. Looking out occasionally and spotting sea turtles coming up for air. Halfway I find a donut and coffee stop. I need to take in some calories. I find the wind pretty still with a slight breeze against my back. As the miles count down to 20, 17, 10, 6, 5,...I find myself in key west. I arrive to the hostel and unpack.
I find a big man sleeping inside the room, hairy as a bear with his shirt off. He mumbles at me to sleep in the back room because he snores. Ok thanks I say...haha. This hostel is one of the crummiest I've ever been at and it's 40$ a night. I hit shower and change, then hit the bricks in search of what key west has to offer. I find overpriced food, crowded trashy tourists, rude European staff everywhere, and really am kinda let down. I do find slamming key lime pie on a stick though. I walk the whole town and head back to the hostel.
I talk to bear and ask him about the local hangouts. That's what I'm after forget the crappy touristy shit. I didn't ride this far to see tourists, I want the local flavor. He recommends me some stuff and said he'd be glad to show me around. I lay down for a nap, I get about 1.5 hours in and then.... Some rude ass stupid French dudes come in and start talking and yapping loudly. I mumble "for real shut up" bear backs me up and tells them to get out of here and let me sleep, I just rode down the east coast...haha. Ya bear!!
I wake from nap and hit Mallory square for the sunset party. Good times!! Lots of happy people, nice view, artists vendors. Then I catch a meeting at anchors a weigh, it's kind of boring and I almost fall asleep but I meet some good guys afterwards. They point me towards the sports bar where I catch the phillies win! I talk to some girls from atlanta and we trade sunset pics. I ask them about snorkeling amd it sounds like its not worth it, its expensive and theybsee the same stuff ive seen in the glass bottom boat. Then onto wendys for a late night snack. I've been eating all day today and am still hungry! Something is weird!?
Now onto the port to watch the Disney magic ship sail off at 1am. It's quiet down here and lit up nicely. This ship is massive! Not just a cruise ship but a mega cruise ship! Wow! This is going to be something. Then I'll catch a pedi cab home for a good night of sleep. Tomorrow I wake up and get to see my parents! Amazing! I'm so looking forward to seeing them pull up and the look on my moms face! I guarantee she will start crying for no reason as this happens alot! Hahah. God I love her, thank you for my parents. I would probably not be here if it wasn't for their persistent tolerance and love for me, putting up with my crap. But I've got to tell ya some of the best things in my life has come against the advice of my parents. So maybe sometimes momma doesn't know best, as I remember her pleading with me to not take this trip!...haha. Love them so much though!!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Bahia Honda
What an amazing day! I get up at 6am pack up and out by 6:30, thanks key largo for letting me borrow a campsite. 1 mile up the road I get to the state park. It's closed and not open till 8:00!? I think about jumping the fence but it's high and if I do I would have to manage to not be seen for 1.5 hours, nah too risky no thanks! I wait outfront. Grab a pumpkin latte and a protein bar from a gas station and watch the morning sun light up the place.
It's kind of breezy and a bit chilly if your a Floridian like me now. The original plan was snorkeling but I remember Miguel from Miami telling me about the glass bottom boat! The boat is 10$ cheaper and I decide to try it. I've been snorkeling before but have never even heard of a glass bottom boat! Again it was definitely the right decision. I kill an hour in the park before the boat leaves by looking for the enormous iguana ibsaw the day before but no luck. The boat adventure was so amazing and sure enough there were two glass bottom wells and the water was crystal clear!! We could see everything! Amazing colored coral, fish, sea floor it was quite impressive. We rode about 40mins out to molasses reef, the 3rd biggest reef in the world! This was in the top 12 coolest things I've done in my entire life!
I ask the captain where is a good lunch spot and he stears me in the right direction. Mrs macs it is, this place is a local spot and it's amazing I get a hog fish wrap and damn it's good! Too bad I couldn't fit any key lime pie
Back on the horse 70 miles to go to Bahia Honda. The ride is sweet with bike paths and shoulders the whole way. I see aqua blue and green water on both sides of me. I just start to get a little ansy though and want to be there already. The air was still which was not what I was expecting but the ride still took me 6 hours for some reason, I'm getting slow and worn out I think!
Anyway I snap tons if pics and finally arrive in time for sunset. I gotta tell ya it's the most dramatic picturesque sunset ever! Wait till you see the pic of the bridge with the sun setting behind it. There is an old train tressel they left up for people to walk up and view the sunset. We saw sharks swimming in the water below!!! First time for that too. This place is amazing and almost nicer than Sebastian inlet! There is a wedding going on at the waters edge and I can't believe the beauty I'm seeing what a backdrop.
I make my way over to camp take a hot shower and set up. I meet my neighbors from venezuala and they offer me food and cake for their daughters birthday! Sold I'll take seconds I say!..haha. What an amazing experience here at Bahia Honda never disappointed this while trip it just keeps getting better.
Tomorrow I'll check out the beach then hit the road 40 miles to key west and it's all over!!!
It's kind of breezy and a bit chilly if your a Floridian like me now. The original plan was snorkeling but I remember Miguel from Miami telling me about the glass bottom boat! The boat is 10$ cheaper and I decide to try it. I've been snorkeling before but have never even heard of a glass bottom boat! Again it was definitely the right decision. I kill an hour in the park before the boat leaves by looking for the enormous iguana ibsaw the day before but no luck. The boat adventure was so amazing and sure enough there were two glass bottom wells and the water was crystal clear!! We could see everything! Amazing colored coral, fish, sea floor it was quite impressive. We rode about 40mins out to molasses reef, the 3rd biggest reef in the world! This was in the top 12 coolest things I've done in my entire life!
I ask the captain where is a good lunch spot and he stears me in the right direction. Mrs macs it is, this place is a local spot and it's amazing I get a hog fish wrap and damn it's good! Too bad I couldn't fit any key lime pie
Back on the horse 70 miles to go to Bahia Honda. The ride is sweet with bike paths and shoulders the whole way. I see aqua blue and green water on both sides of me. I just start to get a little ansy though and want to be there already. The air was still which was not what I was expecting but the ride still took me 6 hours for some reason, I'm getting slow and worn out I think!
Anyway I snap tons if pics and finally arrive in time for sunset. I gotta tell ya it's the most dramatic picturesque sunset ever! Wait till you see the pic of the bridge with the sun setting behind it. There is an old train tressel they left up for people to walk up and view the sunset. We saw sharks swimming in the water below!!! First time for that too. This place is amazing and almost nicer than Sebastian inlet! There is a wedding going on at the waters edge and I can't believe the beauty I'm seeing what a backdrop.
I make my way over to camp take a hot shower and set up. I meet my neighbors from venezuala and they offer me food and cake for their daughters birthday! Sold I'll take seconds I say!..haha. What an amazing experience here at Bahia Honda never disappointed this while trip it just keeps getting better.
Tomorrow I'll check out the beach then hit the road 40 miles to key west and it's all over!!!
Friday, October 15, 2010
To key largo
So out of Miami I go today. Wake up to beautiful weather and it looks like my day to move on out! I'm ready. I loved Miami but this trip is about keeping it moving, so moving today I am. I get up and run to the corner store for my last Cuban coffee fix, damn those are so good! I pick up to pastillita's too, they are a Cuban pastry. And I buy a souvenir shirt that is really kinda stylish.
Then I get a message on facebook that my old high school friend I haven't seen in years is sitting at a cafe in south beach. I thought he was messing with me but I go over and sure enough there he is Steve "erb" Newhart...haha. Man we go way back! He surprised his wife with a weekend in south beach from Philly. I get to sit and chat with him while they are finishing breakfast, that was cool! I tell him the local haps and take off to key largo.
It's 11:00 and I'm in the rode, I discover some beautiful shots of the city on my way out so I'm constantly pulling over and snapping pics. I make it out of south beach and right through the middle of downtown! Woah what a ride! Cutting through a maze of skyscrapers and weaving in and out of the downtown rush.
I ride through homestead and find a pollo tropical, it's a fast food joint I've been meaning to try. It's real good and I sit outside and have lunch.
I decide to take a back way into key largo and it turns out to be long, windy and boring but oh well I'm in. And I crossed a really cool bridge on the way. I head to the state park and there is like nobody around. I meet a guy and his fiancé from Miami. They are just there for the day grilling and chilling at the moment. Cool guy, he says he is a photographer and he wants to contribute to my trip by snapping some photos of me and my bike with the key largo palms, beach and water ad the backdrop. Amazing photos!! He will email me in the morning. So John pennekamp park doesn't have campsites because of construction, but they do have the glass bottom boat and snorkeling that I will be doing in thebmorning!
So I chill for a hour and take off in search for my home for the evening! Hampton inn wants 130$ a night. I find a campsite and slide in. I ride to the edge of the water with nobody around. I sit still for an hour and watch the sun set. There is crazy amounts of wildlife going on. Birds flying, schools of fish jumping, dolphins, all kinds of stuff as the sun tucks away and turns the sky purple and orange I once again am reminded about gods beauty and how lucky I am to be seeing so much of it!
I set up in the dark and take a nice hot shower, removing all the pieces of bug stuck all over me from today's ride. Nice place to call home, but it's just a couple hours, I break camp tomorrow at sunlight so I can get on the snorkeling trip.
Only 100 miles to ride and my parents are in their place in Florida ready to pick me up at ft myers when the key west express pulls into port at 9:30pm. I wonder how I'm going to feel at that very moment when i get to see them and retire the bike, blog and trip. Well we will find out. I already figures out my last blog is going to be a gigantic gratitude list, listing everybody and everything included in this trip. By the way everyone reading the blog has helped me tremendously. Because everyday I know I have to keep going forward, remember something interesting about the day and then I get to reflect in it as I write it. So thanks in advance to everybody I know that has been involved in this process.
Then I get a message on facebook that my old high school friend I haven't seen in years is sitting at a cafe in south beach. I thought he was messing with me but I go over and sure enough there he is Steve "erb" Newhart...haha. Man we go way back! He surprised his wife with a weekend in south beach from Philly. I get to sit and chat with him while they are finishing breakfast, that was cool! I tell him the local haps and take off to key largo.
It's 11:00 and I'm in the rode, I discover some beautiful shots of the city on my way out so I'm constantly pulling over and snapping pics. I make it out of south beach and right through the middle of downtown! Woah what a ride! Cutting through a maze of skyscrapers and weaving in and out of the downtown rush.
I ride through homestead and find a pollo tropical, it's a fast food joint I've been meaning to try. It's real good and I sit outside and have lunch.
I decide to take a back way into key largo and it turns out to be long, windy and boring but oh well I'm in. And I crossed a really cool bridge on the way. I head to the state park and there is like nobody around. I meet a guy and his fiancé from Miami. They are just there for the day grilling and chilling at the moment. Cool guy, he says he is a photographer and he wants to contribute to my trip by snapping some photos of me and my bike with the key largo palms, beach and water ad the backdrop. Amazing photos!! He will email me in the morning. So John pennekamp park doesn't have campsites because of construction, but they do have the glass bottom boat and snorkeling that I will be doing in thebmorning!
So I chill for a hour and take off in search for my home for the evening! Hampton inn wants 130$ a night. I find a campsite and slide in. I ride to the edge of the water with nobody around. I sit still for an hour and watch the sun set. There is crazy amounts of wildlife going on. Birds flying, schools of fish jumping, dolphins, all kinds of stuff as the sun tucks away and turns the sky purple and orange I once again am reminded about gods beauty and how lucky I am to be seeing so much of it!
I set up in the dark and take a nice hot shower, removing all the pieces of bug stuck all over me from today's ride. Nice place to call home, but it's just a couple hours, I break camp tomorrow at sunlight so I can get on the snorkeling trip.
Only 100 miles to ride and my parents are in their place in Florida ready to pick me up at ft myers when the key west express pulls into port at 9:30pm. I wonder how I'm going to feel at that very moment when i get to see them and retire the bike, blog and trip. Well we will find out. I already figures out my last blog is going to be a gigantic gratitude list, listing everybody and everything included in this trip. By the way everyone reading the blog has helped me tremendously. Because everyday I know I have to keep going forward, remember something interesting about the day and then I get to reflect in it as I write it. So thanks in advance to everybody I know that has been involved in this process.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Leaving miami
Last night in Miami... :'( But what a week it's been. I've found my favorite local Cuban store where a cortadito costs 1$. Starbucks venti slapaccino for 5$ got nothing on Cuban coffee!!! I've found my local grocery store, laundromat, corner store. I really know the layout of the city. I've taken public transportation, found great jogging paths, seen fishers island all the way to north bay village where Dwayne wade lives. I've got tours by locals. Saw high end apts, ferraris, speeding bentlys, skateboarders, beach cruisers, thongs, topless women, brazilians, cubans, puerto ricans, thugs, argees, Brits, Australians, blondes, blacks everything in one city, one beach, one street what an experience. I've seen how the rich party and how the poor party. I've seen how I party and how everybody parties. The music and women are on a much higher quality level then anywhere I've been to in the US. What's so cool and hard to believe about this place is it is in the US!
Yesterday my roomate asks if u want to take a ride with him, I say sure why not. He starts to explain to me that he is not a "financial planner" as he told me that was his occupation. By now I'm kinda suspicious of his work anyway. He tells me about his operation he's got going on. Turns out he is a major pill dealer of the east coast!!! He makes tons of cash buying and getting scripts from people in Miami who go to "pill mills" and turn out 300 pills a script, he then ships them by a mailing method to new jersey where they are distributed throughout NYC he makes serious money. So that is why he always pays for dinner, and buys everything we see. The only bad part to his business is he is hooked on the things, popping them everyday, so that explains why for 2 weeks he has been sleeping on an air mattress with a hole in it, never has good in his fridge, always keeps his blinds closed and door locked, doesn't have furniture and is in the phone 23 hours a day. Well good thing I'm leaving here tomorrow, again it's not the most comfortable living situation, but it's only temporary and it could be worse. He is a really really good guy and I hope he gets straight and I'm glad I'm not a pill addict! But what a mess. I actually making a little money off the guy by running errands for him, picking up cigarettes, ice tea, and food all hours of the night..hah hey but he's letting me stay for free it's the least I could do.
So today Annie (the nice girl sitting next to me at the Miami heat game) have lunch, Cuban sandwiches at an authentic cafe. She speaks Spanish well, thank god because I don't think they speak English there. Wow they were good. Then I walk around looking at souvenir type stuff. Head back for a nap. Talk to some Philly peeps. Nice conversation with Mo. Meet up with jay. We catch a cab to sobe for a meeting talk with some people then walk to a nice Italian restaurant. He orders for us as I sit in the plush couch in which we eat from. I feel like the godfather! We are in display in the window to people passing by, I almost felt like the waitress should come over cut up our food and serve us. Jay is in a bad mood because if ex girlfriend problems, he is a big beefy Italian you don't ever want to see pissed off! He bosses everyone around the restaurant and I just keep smiling with my please and thank yous :) it's quite a fine dining experience. But all that being said I would do almost anything legal for this kid. He is a guy who everyone would want in their side and I would return the favor. Dinner is great and we walk back home because he says he has to meet somebody. I run out for ice cream and bring us two Hagen daz pints. Good stuff! We talk about dumb guy stuff and laugh out loud as you could possibly laugh eating ice cream with a partition wall between us while laying in the floor in his furniture less apartment. I'm gonna miss this guy and this marvelous city! What a memorable time here in my mini established south beach life. What incredible people I've met here, what a marvelous plan god put together for me here in Miami.
Tomorrow it's gonna be nice and after my morning cortadito I ride outta here in style. Down 15th street into downtown Miami, through south Miami and towards key largo. I keep thi king of that old beach boys song with "I wanna take you to key largo, jamaica...." I believe I was force fed that crap by my parents or sister or somebody. Anyway it's hard to believe that I'm going to be there tomorrow. I've got about only 65miles to take me there and weather says winds are coming from the north. I'm out of shape though sitting and eating for 7 days, but I'll get it right back in the first hour. So tomorrow I sneak into John pennecamp state park sleepover and then the next day take the glass bottom boat 20 miles off shore to snorkel the reefs and the shipwrecks, that's gonna be nice!!
My parents have left PA and will be in their Florida house tomorrow morning! I'm getting excited to reach them in ft myers! Less then a week and the ride will be complete. I'm still thinking about getting a tattoo but not till I get back into Philly, this way it won't be rushed and I'll have more time to design it. I really don't want this trip to end and wish I could find a way to do this full-time and get paid for riding! What a journey I really can't explain it but hopefully reading along with the blog you got to understand it!
Yesterday my roomate asks if u want to take a ride with him, I say sure why not. He starts to explain to me that he is not a "financial planner" as he told me that was his occupation. By now I'm kinda suspicious of his work anyway. He tells me about his operation he's got going on. Turns out he is a major pill dealer of the east coast!!! He makes tons of cash buying and getting scripts from people in Miami who go to "pill mills" and turn out 300 pills a script, he then ships them by a mailing method to new jersey where they are distributed throughout NYC he makes serious money. So that is why he always pays for dinner, and buys everything we see. The only bad part to his business is he is hooked on the things, popping them everyday, so that explains why for 2 weeks he has been sleeping on an air mattress with a hole in it, never has good in his fridge, always keeps his blinds closed and door locked, doesn't have furniture and is in the phone 23 hours a day. Well good thing I'm leaving here tomorrow, again it's not the most comfortable living situation, but it's only temporary and it could be worse. He is a really really good guy and I hope he gets straight and I'm glad I'm not a pill addict! But what a mess. I actually making a little money off the guy by running errands for him, picking up cigarettes, ice tea, and food all hours of the night..hah hey but he's letting me stay for free it's the least I could do.
So today Annie (the nice girl sitting next to me at the Miami heat game) have lunch, Cuban sandwiches at an authentic cafe. She speaks Spanish well, thank god because I don't think they speak English there. Wow they were good. Then I walk around looking at souvenir type stuff. Head back for a nap. Talk to some Philly peeps. Nice conversation with Mo. Meet up with jay. We catch a cab to sobe for a meeting talk with some people then walk to a nice Italian restaurant. He orders for us as I sit in the plush couch in which we eat from. I feel like the godfather! We are in display in the window to people passing by, I almost felt like the waitress should come over cut up our food and serve us. Jay is in a bad mood because if ex girlfriend problems, he is a big beefy Italian you don't ever want to see pissed off! He bosses everyone around the restaurant and I just keep smiling with my please and thank yous :) it's quite a fine dining experience. But all that being said I would do almost anything legal for this kid. He is a guy who everyone would want in their side and I would return the favor. Dinner is great and we walk back home because he says he has to meet somebody. I run out for ice cream and bring us two Hagen daz pints. Good stuff! We talk about dumb guy stuff and laugh out loud as you could possibly laugh eating ice cream with a partition wall between us while laying in the floor in his furniture less apartment. I'm gonna miss this guy and this marvelous city! What a memorable time here in my mini established south beach life. What incredible people I've met here, what a marvelous plan god put together for me here in Miami.
Tomorrow it's gonna be nice and after my morning cortadito I ride outta here in style. Down 15th street into downtown Miami, through south Miami and towards key largo. I keep thi king of that old beach boys song with "I wanna take you to key largo, jamaica...." I believe I was force fed that crap by my parents or sister or somebody. Anyway it's hard to believe that I'm going to be there tomorrow. I've got about only 65miles to take me there and weather says winds are coming from the north. I'm out of shape though sitting and eating for 7 days, but I'll get it right back in the first hour. So tomorrow I sneak into John pennecamp state park sleepover and then the next day take the glass bottom boat 20 miles off shore to snorkel the reefs and the shipwrecks, that's gonna be nice!!
My parents have left PA and will be in their Florida house tomorrow morning! I'm getting excited to reach them in ft myers! Less then a week and the ride will be complete. I'm still thinking about getting a tattoo but not till I get back into Philly, this way it won't be rushed and I'll have more time to design it. I really don't want this trip to end and wish I could find a way to do this full-time and get paid for riding! What a journey I really can't explain it but hopefully reading along with the blog you got to understand it!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
More Miami
Sitting on jaysons stoop is quite a lovely place to be. It's in a main street into a park where people constantly walk by with their dogs and guys are playing soccer. It's right in the middle of the neighborhoods of south beach, so this is how people really live here on south beach. It's close to Lincoln ave and Washington. It's a great place to be.
I go for a run on the beach then head to a famous place called davids cafe. It's authentic Cuban cuisine, I order a callata (Cuban coffee) and a guava pastillita (a croissant pastry) total is 2.50$ good deal. This place was showed to me by a local. This afternoon I think I'll hit public and maybe cook some food like a normal person for once.
Ya know I've been having some thoughts of how nice it would to be back at home with my bedroom and bathroom, tons of clothes, kitchen. I mean I'm having a great time but living out if a bag and wearing the same recycled clothes can get old. But I thi k it's just because I know the trip is wrapping up and I can sort of see the end. I've reached the halfway point and that's why maybe. But don't get me wrong the sacrifice of living out of a bag is so worth it and I'm pretty freaking good at living out of a bag! I've got a system of how to pack it and unpack it and compartmentalized. But gosh it's gonna be great to get home, hug my friends tell them of the great travel stories I've made! But in time god will provide that opportunity for now I'm living in south beach and who the f wouldn't want to be here right now!!?
So today I'll find a laundromat, play on my iPhone, eat a burrito and mess around in this awesome city. The same stuff I do back home, I just get to do in south beach. I can't stop thinking about seeing my parents and my friends again and what will be different about me when I return. Because right now I'm not sure I think once I get back to my situation before I left it's only then will I be able to compare myself and check inside to see what is different. I'm excited to see what I will find!
I hope the forecast in key largo improves soon, but I got a great deal here staying for free with jay if it doesn't.
Later in the day I go to the laundry mat and wash clothes. This neighborhood feels like another counrltry not one person speaks English or looks American. I do my wash and observe the locals hustling around on shitty mountain bikes doing who knows what outside.
Then I go for a burrito at my favorite place I've already found one! It's yummy and I check the local paper to see what's going on tonight. Miami heat is playing Moscow at home in an exhibition game!? I call right away and score tickets!!! Sweet. I hop the local bus and head towards the stadium to catch the pregame shoot around. Jayson will meet me there. Wow I'm here in this amazing place that will certainly make history in the years ahead with the all star cast they have now. This is hard to believe an hour ago I was eating a burrito on south beach with no plan for tonight! The universe is on my side!! And I'm on it, being good to it, loving it, giving gratitude to it everyday!
Miami heat wins and the labron intro was ridiculous. We might some nice girls sitting next to us and they tell us the best empanada place to go on south beach. So we know what we are having for lunch tomorrow!
We take a cab home then I walk up to the 24 hr cvs for cereal. South beach really comes alive at night I see police cars speed up and shake down a guy at a bus stop. A really good looking crossdresser and just madness all over cvs. People riding their bikes in the store, security chasing people. How do the employees put up with that crap everyday.
Well to bed! It's nice to have a place to stay where I'm not paranoid my stuff is gonna get stolen. My last place I would put all my money in my pockets and wear my shorts all night. And move all my valuables up to the top bunk where I slept.
I go for a run on the beach then head to a famous place called davids cafe. It's authentic Cuban cuisine, I order a callata (Cuban coffee) and a guava pastillita (a croissant pastry) total is 2.50$ good deal. This place was showed to me by a local. This afternoon I think I'll hit public and maybe cook some food like a normal person for once.
Ya know I've been having some thoughts of how nice it would to be back at home with my bedroom and bathroom, tons of clothes, kitchen. I mean I'm having a great time but living out if a bag and wearing the same recycled clothes can get old. But I thi k it's just because I know the trip is wrapping up and I can sort of see the end. I've reached the halfway point and that's why maybe. But don't get me wrong the sacrifice of living out of a bag is so worth it and I'm pretty freaking good at living out of a bag! I've got a system of how to pack it and unpack it and compartmentalized. But gosh it's gonna be great to get home, hug my friends tell them of the great travel stories I've made! But in time god will provide that opportunity for now I'm living in south beach and who the f wouldn't want to be here right now!!?
So today I'll find a laundromat, play on my iPhone, eat a burrito and mess around in this awesome city. The same stuff I do back home, I just get to do in south beach. I can't stop thinking about seeing my parents and my friends again and what will be different about me when I return. Because right now I'm not sure I think once I get back to my situation before I left it's only then will I be able to compare myself and check inside to see what is different. I'm excited to see what I will find!
I hope the forecast in key largo improves soon, but I got a great deal here staying for free with jay if it doesn't.
Later in the day I go to the laundry mat and wash clothes. This neighborhood feels like another counrltry not one person speaks English or looks American. I do my wash and observe the locals hustling around on shitty mountain bikes doing who knows what outside.
Then I go for a burrito at my favorite place I've already found one! It's yummy and I check the local paper to see what's going on tonight. Miami heat is playing Moscow at home in an exhibition game!? I call right away and score tickets!!! Sweet. I hop the local bus and head towards the stadium to catch the pregame shoot around. Jayson will meet me there. Wow I'm here in this amazing place that will certainly make history in the years ahead with the all star cast they have now. This is hard to believe an hour ago I was eating a burrito on south beach with no plan for tonight! The universe is on my side!! And I'm on it, being good to it, loving it, giving gratitude to it everyday!
Miami heat wins and the labron intro was ridiculous. We might some nice girls sitting next to us and they tell us the best empanada place to go on south beach. So we know what we are having for lunch tomorrow!
We take a cab home then I walk up to the 24 hr cvs for cereal. South beach really comes alive at night I see police cars speed up and shake down a guy at a bus stop. A really good looking crossdresser and just madness all over cvs. People riding their bikes in the store, security chasing people. How do the employees put up with that crap everyday.
Well to bed! It's nice to have a place to stay where I'm not paranoid my stuff is gonna get stolen. My last place I would put all my money in my pockets and wear my shorts all night. And move all my valuables up to the top bunk where I slept.
Stuck in Miami
So I wake up at my shady new hostel on 20th and Collins and I regret leaving jazz hostel on fifth now. I walk outside and there is the old homeless man in the blue and orange dirty ass velour Miami hurricanes sweat suit. He lives outside the hostel on the sidewalk mostly sleeping. And he is exactly in the same spot now everytime I see him for 2 days.
I get my free breakfast, toast with cream cheese and jelly, it's actually really good! Coffee sucks but oh well. Then I dis my slovakian friends with whom I was supposed to play basketball with and decide to go to the grocery store and a meeting. I meet miguel who tells me about the keys and before I get there to go to key biscayne and there is a beautiful lighthouse. It's only 20 miles from Miami but I would have to backtrack if I go there and that I'm not into. It sounds cool but I don't think I'll get there I told him.
A half hour later I hear from Ashley and jenni in ft lauderdale. We had made plans today but I actually forgot what our plan was because when they called me 3 days prior to ask me if I wanted to hang out I was fixing julias flat tire. So I ask them again where are we going today? Guess what the answer was?...key biscayne and Virginia key! How amazing!! So we take the nice easy ride over in ashleys pimp ass car! We chill and swim on the really nice not crowded beach and walk around and discover a bit. We head back into Miami about 5:00. We get to a restaurant the rusty pelican which is right on the bay of Miami in the face of the downtown skyline. We chill eat and watch the sunset on Miami and the bay. The swirl of colors the sky reflects back on the water is magical one of the most beautiful sunsets ever!
I get back into my ghetto hostel shower and lay down because I got a headache. Then I meet jay at Starbucks at 9:30 and we hang out ang to to a meeting at sobe. It's packed with a young hip good looking crowd. Friendly people and a fun vibe. We all hangout afterwards until late in the morning. And I see my friend Eli there, the girl I met in the bar two days ago.
So today I was gonna ride onto key largo but forecast doesn't look good. And jay offers me to stay at his place until the weather clears up. Nice I'll take that because Miami is a good place to be stuck at, and there is no need to ride in the rain if I don't have to!
I get my free breakfast, toast with cream cheese and jelly, it's actually really good! Coffee sucks but oh well. Then I dis my slovakian friends with whom I was supposed to play basketball with and decide to go to the grocery store and a meeting. I meet miguel who tells me about the keys and before I get there to go to key biscayne and there is a beautiful lighthouse. It's only 20 miles from Miami but I would have to backtrack if I go there and that I'm not into. It sounds cool but I don't think I'll get there I told him.
A half hour later I hear from Ashley and jenni in ft lauderdale. We had made plans today but I actually forgot what our plan was because when they called me 3 days prior to ask me if I wanted to hang out I was fixing julias flat tire. So I ask them again where are we going today? Guess what the answer was?...key biscayne and Virginia key! How amazing!! So we take the nice easy ride over in ashleys pimp ass car! We chill and swim on the really nice not crowded beach and walk around and discover a bit. We head back into Miami about 5:00. We get to a restaurant the rusty pelican which is right on the bay of Miami in the face of the downtown skyline. We chill eat and watch the sunset on Miami and the bay. The swirl of colors the sky reflects back on the water is magical one of the most beautiful sunsets ever!
I get back into my ghetto hostel shower and lay down because I got a headache. Then I meet jay at Starbucks at 9:30 and we hang out ang to to a meeting at sobe. It's packed with a young hip good looking crowd. Friendly people and a fun vibe. We all hangout afterwards until late in the morning. And I see my friend Eli there, the girl I met in the bar two days ago.
So today I was gonna ride onto key largo but forecast doesn't look good. And jay offers me to stay at his place until the weather clears up. Nice I'll take that because Miami is a good place to be stuck at, and there is no need to ride in the rain if I don't have to!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Miami man
Back to the blog. I am almost sorry I haven't wrote in a while but I've been consumed with Miami! Overwhelmed by south beach beauty. Awwed by this pretty city. Fully occupied with the concept of this place. Sucked in by the energy here. Vibing with the brilliant vibe of this place. Busy meeting it's smiling, lucky to be here occupants. Experiencing what took me a month and 1300 miles to reach. Loving where my feet are at. Dreaming about living here. Picturing what my life would be like here. Reflecting on how I got here. Living this life!
So I get here and at first it's not what I expected. The welcome to south beach sign wasn't as brilliant as I pictured it would be. The buildings aren't all made of skyscraper glass, it's not totally all modern. But a couple hours later when my eyes see this place showered with trendy chic colorful lighting my opinion changes vert quick.
I check in the hostel and sneak my bike in under my bed. The hostel is way large and seriously clean! I'm impressed for 16$ a night it's great!. I drop my bags and head to the well known south beach. I see some Brazilian big booty bikini models doing a low budget photo shoot with some creeper looking guys. It's actualy kind if gross!
The water here is gorgeous and the mix of people on the beach is really something else. I hear argees speaking castellano, every nationality sits on this beach at one time. They are all as happy as can be to be here and nothing here really posses people off.
I hop in the ocean and a large school of fish approach me. They swim right up to me, this is amazing I'm swimming with the fishes.haha music blasts from all over the place. Then some Latinos stroll down the beach with a portable speaker system seriously blasting.
Ferraris race on the streets, lamborghinis race by, bentlys, rolls Royce. Donzi and Baja cigarette boats do the same in the water. Girls wear the shortest skirt things I've ever seen, thongs are mandatory here and tops are optional. On the streets guys are dressed slick 2010 Miami style, girls sport the lack of clothing style which is appreciated by the male species.
I meet Julia at the hostel at about 10. We walk south beach at night, get the best burrito I've ever had, the best Turkish dessert cruise by Miami ink. Admire the city and head to bed by 2. We are both tired
The next day finds us chillaxing on the beach all day. Hostel coffee is decent! And they make a lunch and dinner for 3$ can't beat that! We make a cool meeting in south Miami. Dinner on espanola way at a brazillian joint, then her friend drives us through Miami hood, calle ocho, downtown Miami, good guy he gives us a grande tour from a local. We stroll in at 5 am, sleep for a couple and beach it again.
Today I move hostels up about 20 blocks just for a change of scenery. New place is a dump oh well.
Last night Julia has a flat tire, we notice it at 6:00, tire shops are closed but I find the screw in the tire. We put air in the tire drive to an auto part store, I buy a plug kit. Then we head back to the gas station air pump. I plug the tire and it's all good, god helped on that one. Then there is a guy putting air next to us. Turns out he had the same problem, I offer to plug his tire. Success again, he is super thankful because he was going to a wedding. We chat for a minute, he gives me an invite to his house tomorrow night for a party. I'm in I tell him. Sweet timing!
Miami is unbelievable way cooler then I could have imagined!! And the trip goes on, Tuesday I ride to key largo.
So I get here and at first it's not what I expected. The welcome to south beach sign wasn't as brilliant as I pictured it would be. The buildings aren't all made of skyscraper glass, it's not totally all modern. But a couple hours later when my eyes see this place showered with trendy chic colorful lighting my opinion changes vert quick.
I check in the hostel and sneak my bike in under my bed. The hostel is way large and seriously clean! I'm impressed for 16$ a night it's great!. I drop my bags and head to the well known south beach. I see some Brazilian big booty bikini models doing a low budget photo shoot with some creeper looking guys. It's actualy kind if gross!
The water here is gorgeous and the mix of people on the beach is really something else. I hear argees speaking castellano, every nationality sits on this beach at one time. They are all as happy as can be to be here and nothing here really posses people off.
I hop in the ocean and a large school of fish approach me. They swim right up to me, this is amazing I'm swimming with the fishes.haha music blasts from all over the place. Then some Latinos stroll down the beach with a portable speaker system seriously blasting.
Ferraris race on the streets, lamborghinis race by, bentlys, rolls Royce. Donzi and Baja cigarette boats do the same in the water. Girls wear the shortest skirt things I've ever seen, thongs are mandatory here and tops are optional. On the streets guys are dressed slick 2010 Miami style, girls sport the lack of clothing style which is appreciated by the male species.
I meet Julia at the hostel at about 10. We walk south beach at night, get the best burrito I've ever had, the best Turkish dessert cruise by Miami ink. Admire the city and head to bed by 2. We are both tired
The next day finds us chillaxing on the beach all day. Hostel coffee is decent! And they make a lunch and dinner for 3$ can't beat that! We make a cool meeting in south Miami. Dinner on espanola way at a brazillian joint, then her friend drives us through Miami hood, calle ocho, downtown Miami, good guy he gives us a grande tour from a local. We stroll in at 5 am, sleep for a couple and beach it again.
Today I move hostels up about 20 blocks just for a change of scenery. New place is a dump oh well.
Last night Julia has a flat tire, we notice it at 6:00, tire shops are closed but I find the screw in the tire. We put air in the tire drive to an auto part store, I buy a plug kit. Then we head back to the gas station air pump. I plug the tire and it's all good, god helped on that one. Then there is a guy putting air next to us. Turns out he had the same problem, I offer to plug his tire. Success again, he is super thankful because he was going to a wedding. We chat for a minute, he gives me an invite to his house tomorrow night for a party. I'm in I tell him. Sweet timing!
Miami is unbelievable way cooler then I could have imagined!! And the trip goes on, Tuesday I ride to key largo.
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