2019 Trip 3: South Florida: April 13-18

Taking the beach walk to the beach

Miami Beach, FL. April 18

Our old haunts awaited us as we returned to Miami Beach. We have been coming here almost every year since 2001-18 years. Some things change, Hurricane Irma closed down one hotel which had a restaurant we used to frequent. A new transit option appeared, free rides in an electric driven small open air van paid for by advertising. Some things are the same, Front Porch restaurant is still open after 25 years and just half a block north of our place as is La Sandwicherie, a famous hole in the wall sandwich shop we frequent.

At the beach: pelicans, cruise ship in background and parasailing, typical beach scene, and moon rising over the ocean.

The people watching continues of course. A better writer than I could keep you spellbound with anecdotes of the various antics one sees on the beach and on the sidewalks. The family whose dad is complaining how the teenage daughters are whining about the experience and how much the parents are paying. We only heard the father’s many whines, few from the daughters. The people trying to open their less expensive store-bought umbrellas that turn inside-out in the strong wind. The woman and child walking down the middle of the street. You will have to use your imagination or your own experiences to expand the number of anecdotes.

Monday was supposed to rain and it was the day for our room to be cleaned so we went walking down to South Pointe, next to the ship channel that is the means for boats, cargo ships, and cruise ships to reach the ocean. We passed two hotels where, when we were working, we used to spend a night or two to extend our vacation. When we stayed at those hotels, we never went to the beach, just stayed at the hotel pool.

Wolfsonian examples of Art Deco inspired furniture: oven, dressing table, hutch,and desk.

The Wolfsonian Museum is a favorite of ours. Usually we go to the Friday night free admission and docent tour. Once we heard James Dyson talk about his revolutionary new vacuum cleaners. That gives you an idea of how long we have been coming here also. Monday we went and actually had to pay the senior admission rate of $8 each. While various exhibits come and go, the heart of the exhibits are items from the Art Deco period.

Wolfsonian: Art Deco in everyday life: mail box, radio, movie ticket taker booth, toaster

Art Deco was highlighted at a 1925 exposition in Paris and took off in the U.S. in the 1930s. Art Deco architecture was the driving style in Miami Beach’s expansion. But Art Deco took over in design for many everyday experiences. There are connections between styles and ornamentation visible on hotels from that period and furnishings and appliances created in the 1930s.

New World Symphony wallcast

The New World Symphony, started by Michael Tilson Thomas, is a post-graduate school training academy for musicians. For Wednesday night’s activity, its outdoor wall is used to simulcast some of their concerts and to host weekly outdoor movies during the winter season. We ambled over last night and watched “Won’t You Be My Neighbor”, the story of Fred Rogers. Besides enjoying the movie tremendously, we saw a new (to us at least) form of outdoor seating. The Porch Couch is a piece of plastic like material, open at one end, and you simply wave it around to fill it with regular air. It provides a couch like seating that held up well for the two groups we saw using it. When the event is over, let out the air and pack it up. Neat.

An unexpected experience wraps up our trip. When walking along the Beach Walk, I came across large tents being erected. Nothing unusual there, Miami Beach is host to many conferences and events. Upon closer perusal, I realized that the tents were for the Longines Global Championship, an international horse jumping competition. It runs Thursday (today) through Saturday on the beach. And attendance was free.

Preparing for the event, Longines Global Championship

Chris and I went to the opening day afternoon competition. Horse and rider teams from the U.S., Great Britain, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Czechoslovakia, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland were represented. Several different levels of competition were scheduled, we have no clue as to the rules which determine who can enter each round. After two and half hours, our event winner was from the U.S. Listening to the announcers, it was evident that the competitors were top-level. This Global Championship has 20 events in cities like Mexico City, Shanghai, Montreal, Prague, London, Monaco, Stockholm, etc.

During the event.

I was surprised the horses were jumping outside in the heat, 86 degree Fahrenheit at show time. But the views of the ocean and the horses made for great viewing for the spectators. Given the high cost of the horses and of travel, I am sure the horses would not be jumping if it would harm them.

This will be the last post for this trip unless something unexpected happens in the next 24 hours. Friday we fly home.

Ed and Chris April 18 Miami Beach

2018 Trip 3: March 29-31: KY and TN

Miami Beach FL. March 31

Cruise ship leaving Miami as seen from our lodging in Miami Beach

As promised, the blog posts are stretching out as we do more relaxing than traveling. The breakfast at Battleview B and B lived up to Chris’ comments about B and B breakfasts; nutritious and wide-ranging in items offered. Our plan was to not rush out the door since Atlanta is but 100 miles away and we hoped to avoid its rush hour traffic. Well, the plan was adhered to but the hope of avoiding traffic was fruitless. We even added on an extra, spontaneous stop hoping it might get us past traffic jams.

Breakfast at Battleview B and B

As we were driving down the road, a sign for Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park appeared. Google Maps was still showing red for heavy Atlanta traffic and we had not visited Kennesaw back in the fall of 2016 when we were last in this area. Who can pass up the chance to obtain one more National Park Service stamp in their NPS “Passport to Your National Parks”? Not us; we are around 220 of 417 and still adding more.

Kennesaw was busy, we had to park in the overflow parking lot a block away. This site is part of the battle for Atlanta as Union General William T. Sherman was pressing Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston for control of the area. Sherman was on his march to the sea plundering and burning supplies, buildings, manufacturing and transportation to destroy the Confederates ability to wage war. Atlanta was a key site. Kennesaw Mountain was the last major mountainous area between Chattanooga and Atlanta and Johnston had fortified the area well.

One view of Kennesaw Mountain

It was May of 1864 and the North was getting tired of war; Lincoln was facing opposition from General McClellan for re-election as President and it seemed only a major victory could provide for his re-election. A series of minor skirmishes and flanking maneuvers were not providing a victory although Sherman was getting closer to Atlanta each time. In late June 1864, a series of full force battles at Kennesaw Mountain forced the Confederates to give up the fortified positions and retreat. By early September, Atlanta was in Union hands and Lincoln had the victory that guaranteed his re-election two months later.

One poignant circumstance was detailed in the video and displays. At the “Dead Angle”, the fighting was fierce and numerous bodies, primarily Union, were left in the middle of the Battlefield with troops on either side of the bodies. After two days of a lull in the battle here, the two sides agreed to a brief cease-fire to bury the rotting bodies of the dead and tend to the wounded. Union and Confederate troops worked together to accomplish this, even going so far as to share food and water and spend some time in games of chance. When the cease-fire ended, they went back to killing and maiming each other.

We resumed our travel and arrived in the Atlanta area around 12:30 PM. The traffic was horrendous, six to eight lanes in either direction, fully clogged and moving slowly. We later discovered two facts: A. Atlanta is ranked number 8 in the world for traffic problems; and B. A couple from Atlanta we met later in the day indicated they had been driving there at the same time and thought the traffic was actually better than usual for that time of day.

Miami Beach Friday evening

Lake City Florida was our overnight stopping point before the final drive to Miami Beach. Miami is another traffic hotspot but we lucked out on Friday and had no major issues arriving at our lodging by 3 PM. Our room was ready and after unloading, we headed up the street to have a late lunch at the Front Porch, one of our usual hangouts. After a restful nap, we walked the boardwalk and enjoyed the almost full moon. This week, there are no major conventions or events going on; just spring breakers and regular tourists so the streets and walkways were quieter than usual. A pleasant way to wrap up the day.

On Saturday, we used the whirlpool and roof top area to relax and enjoy the weather. Saturday evening we headed over to the New World Symphony. New World is a training ground for musicians who aspire to join major orchestras as professional musicians. The students have already received bachelor and master degrees from major colleges around the country. 87 students receive up to three years of paid training; the goal for many is to land a gig prior to the three years being completed. Chris and I have been coming to their performances for years; they used to be housed in an old movie theater on Lincoln Drive. Now they have a Frank Gehry designed campus including a performance venue, practice rooms and living accommodations.

Home of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach FL

Before the concert, two of the musicians gave an informal discussion of the evening’s music, then answering questions about the music and their own background. Tonight’s music was described as relatively new compositions in a minimalist style. We were told the composers were more interested in process and in presenting rhythm and tonality. I hope that you understand that better than I did. Once I heard the music, though, the comments made more sense. Even I could recognize set tones being repeated with varying background changes.

My two favorites were the first piece: A Short Ride on a Fast Machine by John Adams; and the last piece: many loves by Samuel Adams (son of John Adams who was also the conductor for the performance). Fast Ride is well-known and one can hear recordings of it on the Internet-it is only four minutes long.

Ed and Chris April 1. Happy Easter

Epilogue: Snippets on life in America from Chris
Day 16: Sorry family in MN and MA. After two weeks on the road, we have finally arrived to sun and warmth-Miami Beach. We all know that we cannot control Mother Nature. Fortunately, we are driving this trip so we have multiple types of jackets, shoes, and warm headgear.

2014 Trip Two, March 28, Deep South

Friday, March 28, Miami Beach

Another windy day but we invested in an umbrella which was used to block the wind, not the sun. Nothing too unusual on the beach today, just a formation of five planes pulling large banners advertising Las Vegas locations and events.

planes pulling banners over South Beach

The scene in South Beach is eclectic. Of course there is the usual mix of residents, flavored by its international mystique. The Sony Tennis Open is being played so you have tennis fans. Business people are here on expense accounts. Northerners and retirees like us. Spring breakers, although they do not predominate or overwhelm. For the first time in memory, we have seen a number of Buddhist monks-or at least guys who dress that way. In this town, who knows if they are or not. Plus the people attending the Miami Music festival.

Sidewalks and streets are crowded. Taxi drivers do their usual pull over and stop anywhere. So do all other drivers. So do delivery trucks. Scooters weave in and out of traffic. There is a new dimension this year as bike rental programs have proliferated adding more undisciplined drivers to the mix. Pedestrians cross against traffic and do not understand the concept of not taking up the entire sidewalk whether walking fast or slow. Sidewalk cafes are everywhere which also reduces the space for walking. People are dressed in suits and fancy dresses with stiletto heels, or swim wear, or mundane shirts and shorts with some place or cause plastered on them.

So back to the Music Festival. We saw 5 or 6 fancy sports cars driving around with the words “Afrojack” on them. Thank goodness for Wikipedia. I now know that EDM is Electronic Dance Music. Afrojack is a Dutch DJ performing a headlining act. Avicii is a Swedish DJ set to perform here except he had a gall bladder attack. Laidback Luke is here too, along with Dada Life. Over 150,000 people are expected for the festival over in Miami’s Bayfront park. South Beach hosts a number of parties that start at 11 pm or midnight and run until 5 AM or so. The cost is $60 to $80 so we decided to pass on going to them.

New World Symphony

Instead we walked over to the New World Symphony. We usually manage to fit in one of their performances. This was titled “Ohlsson Plays Rachmanioff” (Concerto #2 in C minor). It was fantastic. We sat behind the musicians, a location we have preferred since the first time their new Frank Gehry designed building opened three years ago. We get to see the conductor face on. The musicians are very close, although we see more of their hair styles than their faces.

Two males had Mohawk cuts, one with the Mohawk portion colored red. One of the percussionists had a very minor role in the second piece, hitting the drum 4 or 5 times. Each time he got up from his chair to do his bit, he took a blanket-like cloth and placed it over his knee and then placed his knee against the drum. After he banged the drum, he carefully removed the “blanket”, folded it and replaced it on top of the drum.

New World Symphony

The musicians are entirely in black except for one female violinist who had a white cloth over her shoulder where she placed the violin. Not sure how she got away with that spot of white. The other two pieces were Mikhail Glinka’s “Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla” and Ottorino Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome”.

We have made some changes to our schedule. We had planned to visit some of Chris’ relatives on Sunday. Due to changes in their situation, they won’t be able to see us. So we are spending one more night in Miami Beach. Our HGVC timeshare is booked up Sunday night and we are moving half a block down to the Winterhaven. Monday we will continue our plans and drive 400 miles to the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs, FL.

Ed and Chris March 28 11:35 pm