Sadly, Miami doesn't have the same collection of memorable tunes as New York. Sure Miami has Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine but the only number I can remember is the old Wayne Cochran tune Going Back To Miami, which I knew from the second live Blues Brother album Made In America. So I didn't have many songs to sing as I was wandering about Miami. I possibly should have been thanked for this by the owners of small animals and the parents of young children.
The ship docked at 7.00am and was ready for disembarkation by 7.30am. I on the other hand bounded out of bed at 9.00am, had a lovely buffet breakfast and took a leisurely stroll down the gang way at about 10.30am. From there I jumped one of the 100's of cabs lined up and waiting and went to a museum I had meant to visit last time I was here. In 1916 a rich Chicago industrialist by the name of James Deering who was the founder International Harvester moved in to his summer house Villa Vizcaya now known as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
It had been designed to sit on 120 acres and appear like a lost Roman ruin when viewed from the water, complete with concrete ship wreck. It was tastefully furnished with antiques acquired from around the world. The designer had no compunction in cutting down a pair of ornately carved 400 year old church doors to fit his new building. Is your Roman fresco a little too large for your wall? Just trim around the edges to make it fit. Don't quite like the length of your 500 year old hand woven Venetian tapestry? Butcher it down to the right size. No problem at all. I must say the finished product was awesome, if you were prepared to set aside the acts of cultural vandalism that had occurred to make it so. Bloody Designers!
The gardens were the highlight of the visit. With everything from a basic vegetable garden and an orchard to grand tree lined waterways with fountains, ponds, lagoons, and perfectly formed hedging. Apart from the fact that the humidity was almost 100% it was an entirely agreeable way to spend several hours. They also had a couple of signs that were a little disturbing however. Firstly, one of the lagoons had a sign stating "Beware Of The Crocodiles" and a pond featured a similar warning namely "Beware Of The Alligators". For transparency's sake I have to say I saw evidence of neither. That being said I also chose not to take a dip.
From there I grabbed an Uber to the start of the Deco District in South Beach Miami. It is littered with Deco architecture (admittedly preferring the New York deco style to that of the Miami). There is nothing more amazing than seeing the Deco District lit up in full neon on a balmy summer's evening. The other thing South beach is littered with is poseurs. They strut around in their hocked to the eyeball sports cars, wearing ridiculously large and chunky fake gold jewellery, sporting their impossibly sized oversized no name brand name watches, while playing loud Latin music and trying to outcool the next guy. The number of young and not so young people squeezing into what I assume is passing for fashionable clothes these days was somewhat disturbing. Sadly not all of them had the physique to pull it off. I of course was dressed in my tuxedo and therefore have every reason to pass comment.
After making the final mercy dash to secure the greatest breath mint known to man, Altoids, I headed back to the ship. They sounds like a haemorrhoid cream and if you don't agree with me then you can stick them where the sun don't shine, along with your haemorrhoid cream. It was back up the gang plank in readiness for our evening departure.
I have been quite fortunate with the sail outs I've enjoyed on this cruise. The first being New York at night, and now because of a three or so hour delay we left Port Miami around sunset. Watching the Miami skyline come alive at night was magical.
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