South Beach (Miami) and Key West

Well, as the expression goes, all good things must come to an end. Today wraps up my vacation in South Beach and Key West and (as most of my life experiences seem to be), it's been a wild ride. The travel agent pulled a 'bait and switch' on me so the first night I stayed in a ghetto hotel. Thankfully, the next day (after an irate phone call or two from me) upgraded me to a hotel just a block from the beach and in the center of the action of South Beach.

The economy certainly does not seem to be affecting Miami, because I've seen more new Rolls Royces and Bentleys cruising around town than any of my other trips here. In fact, one of the Rolls Royce limos that pulled up in front of a restaurant I was dining at had, of all people, Don King in it. He was stopping in for drinks and graciously agreed to pose for photos and a short conversation.

Key West was incredible and is definitely a destination I'll return to. While there, I ate tons of local seafood, snorkeled in the only live coral reef in the US, para-glided and sea kayaked. Oh, and I drank a lot of Key West beer, too. It's just a three hour drive from Miami but well worth it!