subject: Miami South Beach 2012 [print this page] I am flying to Miami againI am flying to Miami again. Before boarding I read that the top destinations for South Americans are Miami, Orlando and New York. For me they are also the top. My neighbor on the airplane is from Detroit. He will be changing airplanes in Miami to go fishing at Florida Keys. We strike a little conversation. Few years ago he visited Miami South Beach but he felt as he were out of place there. I can see why. He belongs to the Destin or Tampa beach rather than Miami. Destin or Tampa is where "family oriented" Americans go for vacation. Miami is the least American city in the USA. It is Babylon where every language is spoken. It is even more international than New York. It is the opposite of what Hemingway defined as America. He said that America is where lawns are wide and minds are narrow. In South Beach the lawns are nonexistent and minds are very open wide. It has one of the larger gay communities in the USA. But there is a place for everyone. This is a place when one can have a choice and not being oppressed by others telling him what that choice must be.
I love South Beach. I like to move around in the way God intended - on my feet rather than in the car. I like the beach, shopping and dining. I like the fact that one can wear any type of the swimsuit from bikini to the long shorts and feel comfortable. When I first came to the USA and went to the swimming pool in a small town and I was shocked as much as Americans who were at the pool. I could not believe that in the 20 century men would wear long shorts for swimming and women would be dressed in one-piece swim suit and were a t-shirt over it for modesty reasons. Long shorts are inconvenient and always are on the way of a swimmer. I never owned one. I was wearing an athletic swim piece. American Kids were laughing openly at me and adults were looking at me as Amazon Indians would look at the airplane. And it is still the case in most of the America. In South beach one can wear anything without fear of being looked at as an exotic animal.
South Beach is on my list is second only to Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. It is full of beautiful men and women. There are also plenty of people with less than perfect bodies and those are usually foreigners. Somehow many Americans feel shame that their bodies are not perfect. It is not the case with the foreigners. There are plenty old and young but the population of the South beach is not a fair representation of the population of the United States. American puritans feel awkward here for many reasons and they go elsewhere. This is a playground for open minded and social people. Puritans go to the golf line of Florida. Miami has a strong Latin and catholic influence. But unlike other places in the USA churches do not stick out here like a sore thumb. They blend evenly. Prices of real estate recovered after the financial crisis of 2007. They are still 30-40% below pick level but they are not cheap. It is a good idea to have your reservation placed far ahead if you intend to visit.
In the USA it is hard not to eat. One is bombarded by advertisement of food consumption from every possible angle. Staying slim takes discipline and knowledge. South Beach is different in terms of food consumption not only because it is expensive but also it is everything here is about organic produce. Looking at people at South Beach one would never thing that obesity is a growing problem for most Americans. Organic products are 2-3 times more expensive than produce in regular stores across the country. Organic produce tests good. One of my first experiences in the United States was a discovery that vegetables and fruits taste like plastic or have no taste at all. At the time when in the Soviet Union was broke and stores were empty it was shocking discovery. Yes, the food was short in Russia but it actually had taste! Majority of Americans never tasted real organic food and have no idea what they are missing.
Two favorite dining spots in Miami are Lincoln road and Espanola. Both streets are car free and full of restaurants and shops to visit. Both are in a walking distance from anywhere in South beach. But if you hurt your foot before you came here it is easy to rent bikes for 5$ per half hour. The car is liability and you should not rent one unless you have places to go. You can even rent Ferrari or Rolls if you want to ride in style. South Beach is full of rich people and exotic cars are everywhere. Celebrity encounters are also a common place.
And of cause where rich people are you can find art. Miami hosts art Basel Miami art fair in December. And there are even more fairs that accompany it. If you are an art lover or an artist you'd be attending the art eye candy. It is bigger than anything you have seen. The entry fee can be expensive and the room prices go up during this time also. If you are in Miami any other time and you like beautiful things then visit a Design district. You will see some of the most beautiful and innovative designs. Miami is one a few spots in the USA where people buy modern looking furniture and accessories rather antiques, fakes antiques or and country craft. This is a place where people are looking towards the future rather than holding on to its glorious past.
