More South Florida

We have spent a life time in South Florida. I just don't understand how old Jewish women from the Bronx live down here, then again they come from the Bronx.

Saturday night was the Marlins game. The Marlins were the first team that really responded to us and decided to host us. So we got to the stadium early, they allow tailgating there, and hung out in the humidity until it was time to meet our contact. The time came and he didn't show. I called him. Voice mail. We waited. I called again. Voice mail. So we decided to buy tickets. As Geoff is handing the ticket guy our credit card the guy calls back. I walk away to take the call. He wants to meet us at the gate and let us in. I turn around. Geoff already bought the tickets. No refunds. No time to scalp. Classic Miami.

However, we were given great seats, just about 20 rows up from the home team dugout. And, get this, the section we bought tickets for won the promotional giveaway. Two free beers at the Greyhound Racetrack in the suburb of Hollywood. You could imagine what it was like being the only two ya-hoos in the field level cheering for the people in the cheap seats.

Furthermore, the Miami fans rock. I don't know what it is, probably an unbridled willingness to get out of their seat and sweat a little less, but they are great fans. They would be up on their feet when the pitcher had 2 strikes on a batter with a runner on third, stuff like that, real savvy. Also, with the score 2-1 in the Marlins favor a Giants runner from second tried to score on a line drive to center field. Juan Pierre (the Marlins centerfielder) gunned it home and there was a terrific collosion at the plate, catcher held onto the ball, the runner was out, the Marlins went on to win 2-1. Glorious.

We spent the night in Miami Beach. I couldn't bring myself to pop my collar and I don't own a pair of shoes that cost more than $250, so we couldn't stay in South Beach. But we did go to Flannigan's, a bar/grill up the coast. On a Saturday night they had $3 pints of Newcastle. The first great thing to happen to us since we got to Florida.

So we did not realize that the Devil Rays were not in town the day after the Marlins game. Which mean .... BONUS DAY. A free day in South Florida, what a delight.

We knew we could not handle another moment in Miami so we drove out to Key West. Key West is the last of the Florida Keys, it is about 170 miles from Miami and only 90 miles from Cuba. It sits in the middle of the ocean yet it is rather civilized. The drive out there was great because we drove through an island about every 5 minutes. And Key West is great, there is quite a cool downtown and about 50 bars, all for people getting off of cruise boats, we assumed. I am rather comfortable in my sexuality, yet I was slightly apprehensive to order a Frozen Rum Runner at Crabby Dick's underneath a rainbow flag. But I had to, the humidity was about 120% out there. And if you didn't think that was possible, well, IT IS.

It is also worthy to mention that while driving to Key West we passed the bridge from True Lies. Geoff and I must have said, 'Nice shooting Marines' and 'The bridge is out! THE BRIDGE ... IS .. OUUUTTTT, GHAAGHAHGAGA' about 30 times, always in a killer Austrian accent.

After we got back from Key West we showered up at the 24 hour fitness (which closed at 8pm), bought some battery powered fans at Home Depot, and drove across the state. We were going to head to the Bed Bath and Beyond but we didn't have enough time. On the Everglade Expressway we hit another hurricane. No big deal, only about 4 feet of rain. And we spent the night just north of Fort Meyer. Today we see the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and tonight, hopefully, we will make it out of this state. Til then...