Thoughts on Miami
Ok, so thanks to the stupid $1 for 15mins online, I didn't go into huge detail on Miami.
Which is okay I guess cos there's not a whole heap to talk about. Another tourist town with too many cars and roads and people. Nice to visit, but my three or so days were plenty thanks.
On the Saturday I went on the Duck Tour and took random photos, including some of me (playing with my camera as usual) in a park by the beach. Actually some of those came out really good, the sexy beast that I am. :P
On Sunday I checked out of The Clay Hotel, stored my bags in their free storage room for the day and found my way back into Downtown Miami via public transport. From there, I found my way to the Greyhound Station and doublechecked I could board there (so as to avoid the stupid mess I had getting there re: having TWO stops called 'Miami', the more common of which is NOT the end of the line in Downtown).
On my walk back to find the public bus stop I saw the big top to Cirque Du Soleil's Verakai and saw people walking towards the door. I looked at my watch and thought what the hey, let's have a squizz.
Upon arriving I wasn't at all surprised to learn the show starting in 20mins was sold out, but stood in the standby line anyway waiting for a cancellation.
Whilst in the line a young man approached me and asked if I wanted one ticket.
How much?
The regular price (he showed me the ticket, it read $71.50 or something)
Sorry I don't have that on me
Oh
Not cash anyway, that's why I'm the counter
Oh ok (begins to walk away)
I only have like $41 cash on me sorry
Okay
A few moments later he returns..
I asked my mum and she said that's fine
("Your mum?" I think) Ok
We make the exchange and I meet him again (and his mum) in line, apparently her niece came down with the flu and couldnt make it. They were from Peru (yay!) and both turned out to be really sweet. I couldn't stop thanking them and she told me she was just happy the ticket could be used, especially since I told her this was my first time seeing Cirque.
Long story short, it was awesome. When I head back to Orlando before I fly out I am definately going to make an effort to see the La Nouba show.
Afterward I shook their hands (with the mum i got a hug too and a kiss on each cheek with made me giggle slightly) and thanked the again before finding my way back to South Beach, doing a spot of shopping at the spanish stalls (presents!) and collecting my luggage and back to Downtown.
All together the travelling to and fro cost me $4.50 on buses, rather than $35+ each way on taxi fare (as I spent on arrival, tho it being 9pm at the time I saw no safer alternative).
So I guess that kinda balances out my Verakai ticket - tho it was heavily discounted and so so worth it.
All said and done I won't really miss Miami. Parts of it were definately as I was forewarned: a dump. Sure there were nice parts, the ones you see on the postcards, but there were also the backstage areas to that facade. The alleys full of garbage and occasionally people. And more than once as I walked down the streets of Downtown to get to the station I stepped over various sleeping (i hope sleeping) bodies under scraps of blankets and newspaper.
The station itself smelt of... well I wont describe... and the smoke alarms were still beeping with flat batteries from a week ago and the guy who worked there... hmm let's stop there.
I took only a few pictures of the beaten up areas. I wanted to get some really political shots of these scenes, but deemed it a slightly risky practise to be standing on rundown corners taking photos with many crazy/desperate people around watching me - or both in many cases.
Despite my "I can take 'em" attitude, I felt that wouldn't be enough to fight off a dozen or more bums scrabbling for my camera, bags and person. Nice to know I have at least some level of common sense.
Meh, perhaps common sense had nothing to do with the fact that I came out of Miami unscathed.
Perhaps I'm just one lucky girl.
I was asked if that was were the old people all go to die.
I think that's just Florida in general, the warmer climate and all, most elderly folks go there when they retire.
In Miami in particular though, I don't think the whole dying part is neccessarily planned... but it happens anyway.
Not a nice town to stranded in without a cent, that's for sure.
Which is okay I guess cos there's not a whole heap to talk about. Another tourist town with too many cars and roads and people. Nice to visit, but my three or so days were plenty thanks.
On the Saturday I went on the Duck Tour and took random photos, including some of me (playing with my camera as usual) in a park by the beach. Actually some of those came out really good, the sexy beast that I am. :P
On Sunday I checked out of The Clay Hotel, stored my bags in their free storage room for the day and found my way back into Downtown Miami via public transport. From there, I found my way to the Greyhound Station and doublechecked I could board there (so as to avoid the stupid mess I had getting there re: having TWO stops called 'Miami', the more common of which is NOT the end of the line in Downtown).
On my walk back to find the public bus stop I saw the big top to Cirque Du Soleil's Verakai and saw people walking towards the door. I looked at my watch and thought what the hey, let's have a squizz.
Upon arriving I wasn't at all surprised to learn the show starting in 20mins was sold out, but stood in the standby line anyway waiting for a cancellation.
Whilst in the line a young man approached me and asked if I wanted one ticket.
How much?
The regular price (he showed me the ticket, it read $71.50 or something)
Sorry I don't have that on me
Oh
Not cash anyway, that's why I'm the counter
Oh ok (begins to walk away)
I only have like $41 cash on me sorry
Okay
A few moments later he returns..
I asked my mum and she said that's fine
("Your mum?" I think) Ok
We make the exchange and I meet him again (and his mum) in line, apparently her niece came down with the flu and couldnt make it. They were from Peru (yay!) and both turned out to be really sweet. I couldn't stop thanking them and she told me she was just happy the ticket could be used, especially since I told her this was my first time seeing Cirque.
Long story short, it was awesome. When I head back to Orlando before I fly out I am definately going to make an effort to see the La Nouba show.
Afterward I shook their hands (with the mum i got a hug too and a kiss on each cheek with made me giggle slightly) and thanked the again before finding my way back to South Beach, doing a spot of shopping at the spanish stalls (presents!) and collecting my luggage and back to Downtown.
All together the travelling to and fro cost me $4.50 on buses, rather than $35+ each way on taxi fare (as I spent on arrival, tho it being 9pm at the time I saw no safer alternative).
So I guess that kinda balances out my Verakai ticket - tho it was heavily discounted and so so worth it.
All said and done I won't really miss Miami. Parts of it were definately as I was forewarned: a dump. Sure there were nice parts, the ones you see on the postcards, but there were also the backstage areas to that facade. The alleys full of garbage and occasionally people. And more than once as I walked down the streets of Downtown to get to the station I stepped over various sleeping (i hope sleeping) bodies under scraps of blankets and newspaper.
The station itself smelt of... well I wont describe... and the smoke alarms were still beeping with flat batteries from a week ago and the guy who worked there... hmm let's stop there.
I took only a few pictures of the beaten up areas. I wanted to get some really political shots of these scenes, but deemed it a slightly risky practise to be standing on rundown corners taking photos with many crazy/desperate people around watching me - or both in many cases.
Despite my "I can take 'em" attitude, I felt that wouldn't be enough to fight off a dozen or more bums scrabbling for my camera, bags and person. Nice to know I have at least some level of common sense.
Meh, perhaps common sense had nothing to do with the fact that I came out of Miami unscathed.
Perhaps I'm just one lucky girl.
I was asked if that was were the old people all go to die.
I think that's just Florida in general, the warmer climate and all, most elderly folks go there when they retire.
In Miami in particular though, I don't think the whole dying part is neccessarily planned... but it happens anyway.
Not a nice town to stranded in without a cent, that's for sure.
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