The moment I set foot in Miami, I understood why so many Americans go there. It’s sunny and is very generous in giving you a rich tan. But that’s completely off the point. Miami is a beauty in itself, once you get past the stuffy atmosphere and the lurking uneasiness that you feel as a result of the stuffiness.
My journey to Miami, as I saw it, began the moment I lay eyes on the structured layout of the adjacent city from the airplane. Flying cross-country on a trip that was without a doubt the best ever, it was with groggy eyes that I sighted the city of Fort Lauderdale from the window. The sprinkled greenery along with the neat rows of buildings or houses, I cannot say, make for a very appealing sight. The mere memory of it still piques my interest.
Landing in the Magic City in the afternoon and making it to my hotel (Hotel Whitelaw) in the evening, I was too tired from the journey to get out and mingle. Due to lack of time and other options, I had had to book the hotel for a whopping USD 350 for 3 nights. I have learned since then the importance of rentals on Airbnb and such and would stress on the prudence of doing away with hotels and booking beautiful apartments for a lesser price than what you would shell out for these hotel rooms. I simply checked in, where they made a mistake in identification of the allocated room but was sorted out in a few minutes and went up to my room, intending to freshen up and take some well-deserved rest. I wouldn’t call the room spacious, because of the two Queen size beds squashed up in the small space. Despite all of this, it was a cozy, comfortable little adda that had enough stuff stacked up for someone who was intending to spend time locked up in there.
The next day, though, I got out at around 10 in the morning, armed with Google Apps and lots of sunscreen. Weaving through the scarcely populated streets and emerged onto the wide road that connected this part of the city to the enchanting white sands on the other side. I didn’t think much of the heat, though I had received fair warning from a friend what American Sun can do to Indian skin. So, extremely excited to be finally setting foot on one of my bucket list destinations, I came upon the stretch of grass and trees that separated the road from the sands.
It’s a long stretch of narrow, tiled pathway that snakes from one end of Miami Beach to the other. Here, one can walk down, take segways and roll down the path or rent cycles from the numerous cycle stands that dot the area. Over on the other side of this pathway, the sands start. At first, there was no novelty and I could feel disappointment setting it. I had hoped for so much from this place, I thought, and all that are present are these stupid volleyball courts. But the distant sparkling of something pulled me towards the expanse of greenery that probably shielded what I had been expecting.
There’s a boarded walk at the place that I decided to enter, after a while of doubt and speculation, that is just like the movies. And boy, oh, boy! The moment of truth was too much for me to bear. I could only stare at the beauty of the white sands that were gleefully scorching my feet and the not-so-distant waters that were too blue to be true. It was not long before I had traversed the wide belt of sand and was standing at the mouth of the water, enjoying its cool, lapping licks at my poor, roasted feet.
There is something about Miami that enthralls me despite my aversion to the headache and the tan that it offers because of the sun. I don’t think it can be explained in words. Walking down to the water with me being absolutely conscious about the looks that I would be attracting because I knew I was overdressed for American beaches, I glanced at the tens of people lounging around in the sands, being so comfortable that it didn’t seem like their skin was theirs. But maybe this is the thing about Miami. That nobody cares about what you are wearing as long as you seem to be having fun. The beach itself has white sands that glint in the sun, almost like diamonds. On one side are the buildings that indicate modernization and on the other, Nature lays claim.
I have since, forgiven Miami the tan that it bestowed on me, especially my nose, just because of the amazing experience that it has given me. Of course, it’s a wholly different matter that I looked like a roasted raisin even four months after my visit, but hey! I look at it as a souvenir of my little adventure there…
So if you are planning to go to Miami, take lots of sunscreen, umbrellas if you tend to tan easily and a camera to capture the beauties of this Beach City! 🙂
Until next time, keep reading, keep traveling, and add melodrama to your life. 🙂
All images belong to me, The Melodramatic Bookworm / Sonali Dabade. Shot on Moto G.
The Melodramatic Bookworm 
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