The first day of our cruise was a “free” day
in Miami. We haven’t been to Miami since 1976 and that was for an NEA
convention when I was distracted and busy (and in true-believer mode), and it wasn’t all that happy a time for us.
This time we stayed in a Conrad, one of the
more upscale nameplates of the Hilton brand. What was most interesting was that
the “lobby” was on the 25th floor, so we had to go up to check in,
down to our room, then up again to leave the building. There were also offices
and condos in the building. But we looked out over the water near the port and
it was within walking distance to a shopping and dining area. Not our usual choice, but a nice day that began way too early with a 6:15 a.m. flight.
Without any judgment I would say that if
you’re going to live or work in Miami it would be to your advantage to speak
Spanish. Heard lots of Spanglish, too, as people bounced back and forth between
the two languages. I have no problem with that, as second and third generation
immigrants are (at least) bilingual. The city felt more “foreign” than most
American cities, but familiar at the same time. Very urban, and for a guy who
has become used to a suburban life-style, Miami would require some adjustment.
I think I could make it easily enough, so this is just an observation.
We let the cruise line (Regent Seven Seas)
make all the arrangements and things have gone smoothly as we prepare for our
journey to the Costa Maya, Guatemala, Belize, Cozumel and Key West before
returning to Miami. The freedom to do things like this is one big reason why I
decided to retire.
Apparently my doctor agrees. At my annual
physical earlier this week he said, “You guys are doing it right. You never
know.” He said things were good, so I’m assuming there wasn’t any subtext in
that statement. But he’s right. You never know and opportunities are, almost by
definition, limited. We are looking forward to a week to relax and unwind.
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