Day 2 - Miami Beach and Key West

After about 8 hours of rest my alarm goes off pointing out I should get up and start enjoying my holiday. After having a quick breakfast at the hotel I head out for a walk. My hotel is perfectly located at the top end of the main strip on South Beach.

I walk down to the Visitor Centre and met up for a walking tour of the area which is known for its collection of Art Deco building. It's interesting to get a locals insight into the area, its history and the attempts by some to tear down the old buildings and build skyscrapers. Our guide also pointed out the former home of Gianni Versace and the steps where he was shot which I would have totally missed.

 After returning to pickup the car I drive down to Key Biscayne to look around and have lunch at Sir Pizza as recommended by Vanessa & Tim's friend Enrique who is from Miami. When a restaurant attracts both the local repair men and the young bloke who rolls up in his Maserati I'm thinking I'm onto a winner. It didn't disappoint.

After feeling rather guilty for polishing off the entire small pizza (yes, six slices is the small serve over here) I get back on the road for a 2 hour drive to Key West which is towards the bottom of Florida and for that matter America. I'll wave to Cuba.

Waiting for our Snorkeling tour I meet up with some fellow travellers from Las Vegas who introduce me to the fact that Australia is fairly 'exotic' to people over here and that I come from the land of dangerous animals and spiders. (Thanks Steve Irwin) After setting them straight we head out into the open water. Our tour guide was really nice. That may have been because she introduced me as the 'little hottie from Australia' but hey, who's counting.

After snorkeling the reefs and picking the brains of the locals on the boat to what I've missed on my list to see and do, I head back towards Miami.

I find the local Mexican restaurant strip and get a table at one that takes my fancy. It's here I need to create a reminder for myself, when this close to Mexico, unless otherwise told, assume the salsa is going to be HOT!

After being told the local specialty desert is Key Lime Pie, I pickup a slice and head back to the hotel.

On my trip, I walk past the local Real Estate agent so I thought I'd have a look. One apartment took my fancy, it might be slightly out of my price range, if you can't read the price tag in the photo, it is $27,000,000. That's US Dollars and in the middle of whats suppose to be a recession and a major correction in US real estate. I'd have liked to see the price tag in mid-late 2007. Unfortunately it's only got 2.5 bathrooms and I was looking for 3 so I'll have to pass.