Miami, Tropical Queen

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Well, it's been eight months since we returned from our big trip, so I keenly anticipated a two week jaunt to the east coast; one week in Florida, home of my brother Carl and his family and friends, then another week in New York city for a reunion of my college fraternity (Penn State, Phi Sigma Delta).

Miami is sooo beautiful, tropical, colorful, exotic and sensual. The temperature, in early January, has been in the low 80's (about 28 C). It looks and feels like summer here - outdoor restaurants, beaches full of people, joggers, bike riders, dog walkers... Tourists from all over the world - many Europeans, Brits, Germans, escaping their cold winters. Languages I've never heard before. Of course, the primary language of south Florida seems to be Spanish. There are more Spanish radio stations than English-speaking. It's amazing - the United States is so large that in the northern states people shivering their buns off, but merely two-hours south by airplane one can arrive in luxurious winter warmth! I'll take the warmth.

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