Unfair Comment

Hola everybody! It's been a long time since I wrote the last time. My apologies. Lots of things have been happening in my life lately (all good) and I have been very very busy.
I just received a comment on the blog that puzzled me. Someone, anonymously (!), called me selfish Spaniard and blamed me of discriminating latinos in this blog. Can someone help me understand? Have I written anything on those lines? Weird...

Anyway, back to sharing experiences of a European in Miami.

One of the greatest things of living here is how easy, convenient and amazing is to have a baby in Miami! Well, yes, I am a proud father now, and my baby daughter is enjoying the benefits of being born in Miami:

1. She is a full-right American citizen! And she will have duel nationality (Spanish - American) with all the great stuff this means. She will be able to study and work anywhere in the US or Europe without having to go through any painful paperwork other than booking a flight.
And since she is part of a minority in the US, she will benefit from minority quotas. For example, her chances to get a scholarship for college are greater (being a woman and being part of a minority)
Now, talking about the US Passport... You just need to go to a post office with a couple of photos and the birth certificate and boom! they send it to your home! In Spain you have to stand in line for hours to get the passport.

2. This weather allows us to raise her outdoors, enjoying the sun, the breeze, the ocean... 365 days a year!!! I am sure she will grow up healthy and strong. And she wont be bored indoors in the winter.

So, all in all, I am very proud of having an American - Spanish daughter.

Boating

Everybody has a boat in Miami. Well, in Florida. I read somewhere that Fort Lauderdale had the highest density of boats per capita in the World. No wonder.

Actually, having a boat is one of the best things you can do in Miami. Since it is "la ciudad marmol. O vas al mar o vas al "mol". Going to "el mar" is better if you go on a boat. They are cheap and easy to acquire, like everything in the US and they are so much fun.

You can have a fishing boat and wake up early in the morning to go fishing with your buddies. Some cans of beer, a good rod and you have a blast.

You can have a boat to pull girls. It works, but you need to have a bad ass boat. Big, flashy, packed with alcohol and good music. There are sand bars all over and you see tons of boats gather around, boost up their music, open some beers and the party is on! Top less babes, with microscopic thongs dance to the beat of the music on their boat, or on the boat next to them. A sight for sore eyes! In Miami, party goes as far as miles into the ocean. Why not!

Another cool thing you can do on a boat (my favourite) is go out for dinner. Lots of restaurants are by the water and you can dock right at the entrance, have dinner and then sail back home while enjoying the spectacular view from the Intracoastal. Watch out though, police is as tough on the sea as they are on the road when it comes to drinking and driving...

Watersports are the obvious other thing you can do. Water ski, kneeboard, wakeboard or just speeding.

I might start considering getting one. Any good offers?

Party!!!!... If you can...

Miami, oh, Miami. Land of the party, the wine and dine. The land of excess and fun. There is a party or something going on EVERY day. And I mean every day.

A club opening, a magazine party, a TV show after party, a private party... There is always a place to go and mingle. Have fun and meet people. And I haven't seen this in any other part of the World. Miami is always on holidays, always on party mood. There are no seasons here, no feeling of working months. Every single month, every single day is a holiday.

But you have to be able to enjoy it. I mean, you have to be in the mood, you have to have money, you have to have a babysitter (if needed...) Everything is out there for you, you just need to sort yourself out to enjoy it. Now, can everybody do that?

Well, maybe its just me, but I havent partied that much since I have been here (almost 9 months now...).

Xmas

Another amazing thing of living in Miami. It is Christmas season and it is still warm.
How ackward is it to see Christmas trees and decorations while you are still wearing your swimming trunks!?

It is fantastic to be able to celebrate Christmas in the swimming pool, sun bathing and being warm while most of the Planet is freezing. OK, I do miss some snow and that cozy Christmas feeling, but I am not going to complain. I am loving this.

Christmas shopping is great too here in Florida. The malls, the outlets, the sales... You dont find these back where I come from. And that brings me to the downside of it. People back home wont hesitate to ask you to bring them stuff over... And you have to stuff your luggage with your own clothes, plus your gifts, plus all those things people asked you to buy for them... Bless...

All in all, I love warm and sunny Christmas. I am not that fond of Christmas anyway...
Have a fantastic Xmas and may 2008 bring you, whether you live in Miami or not, everything you wish for.

The Everglades

For a European it is quite shocking to see something like the Everglades. The first fact that shocked me is that it is the largest moving RIVER in the World. It looks more like a swamp or something like it!

It starts up in Orlando and its only source is the rain water.

The best way to enjoy the Everglades is to go on an Airboat ride, you know, one of those boats that glide over the water and that have a massive propeller above the water level. They are fast and fun, and you better hold on to your belongings if you dont want them to fly away straight into the propeller behind you.

The main attraction of the Everglades is the game, mainly crocs and alligators. Unfortunately, I didnt see any as it is the wet season and they dont need to "flock" to the Everglades for water. But I saw tons of wild birds. And some crocs and alligators in captivity too... (not the same)

The differences between crocs and alligators are:

- Crocs are bigger than alligatros.
- Crocs have pointy mouths while alligators have more rounded ones.
- When the mouth is closed, you can only see the alligator's upper teeth, but you can see both upper and lower teeth of the croc.
- Crocs live both in salt and fresh water, while alligators are fresh water animals.
- The Everglades are the only place on Earth where crocs and alligators co-live.

Definitely a place to visit, and being a Miami resident its literally around the corner.

Now, this is what I am talking about!!!

I know, I know, I am such a lousy blogger... I haven't written in ages. But guess what? The reason is a very good one...

I am starting to enjoy Miami, and therefore, I have less time to write!!! Isn't that great?!

Here's the thing. After what I would call the "landing" months, things look brighter and brighter in some aspects.

First of all, I have many more friends over here. Yes, we are far apart (30 minutes by car in every direction) but at least I have plans to look forward to. And the icing on the cake, I met my door-to-door neighbors and they are awsome! So no more traveling to meet friends. I have them literally across the corridor.
Besides that, I know many more places to go and things to do.

But still, socializing is tough over here.

And when it comes to the weather, well, NOW is when it is worth living in Miami. The temperatures are milder, but still warm. It is great to be able to take a dip in the pool in November! And being able to ride my motorcycle without sweating my a** off, and driving the convertible withour burning my forefront.
For the first time I am able to have dinner outside, in the terrace, watching the sunset over the ocean with a pleasant temperature. Isn't that nice.

This is going to be like that for 6 more months, so stay tuned for more adventures of this European in Miami. Its getting more and more interesting...

ONe last word to thank all of you that still read my posts and send me encouraging comments.

Gracias

It is quite impressive and moving to see that people actually read my posts and react to them. I love to receive your comments, and for that, GRACIAS.

Now, this takes me to another positive thing about Miami. Not for a European, but for a Spaniard. It is extremely easy to communicate with people around here. Although the Spanish they speak here is a tad different to the one we speak in Spain, being able to use it on a daily basis is great.

A couple of shocking and amusing examples: Watching man is translated into "Guachiman". The roof into "roofito", water heater into "guarajira"...

As I have mentioned before, I was living in Zurich for 5 years before I moved here. They speak German (well, Swiss German) there and the language barrier does make a difference. Receiving an official letter and not knowing what it said is quite an annoying feeling. I needed to ask a friend to help me whenever I needed to make an appointment with a plumber or a doctor...

But here in Miami, there are no language barriers. With English and Spanish, or even only with the latter, you can do everything and you dont feel any obstacles to do things.

Only in Miami.... or not(?). We are travelling now to some other places in the US and Spanish is all around. Power to us!