Travel Hub

"Professional travelers deserve Professional Food," I told myself; being shortly after 7am and following a couple of complicated days, I was sleepy and this silly statement made sense to me. Moreover, at such an hour I failed to spot any other options for a breakfast and I was eager to begin my exploration of Miami.

The Setup

The menu was written in English and Spanish on a big board by the entrance; most items belonged to the classical period of the Fast Food Cuisine, though a few touches of Cuban cuisine could be discerned among the spelling errors on it.

There was no door; the restaurant was open to the street and featured only two tables and an undulant bar of red plastic and shiny aluminum, which created a sharp contrast to the green walls. A massive, respectful, espresso machine held a worthy promise and convinced me to give the place a try. I entered and sat at a table after having placed my order.

Strangely, despite my sitting by a proper table, paper dishes and plastic cutlery were placed in front of me. "Later you’ll stop at a nicer place," I comforted myself.

Love at First Sight

"Amor" (love) the waitress kept calling me.

Was that love at first sight? I doubted it and made a point of speaking extremely formal Spanish after her first declaration. My undefined accent in that language combined with the official attitude usually cause locals to treat me with some respect; the trick worked also here.

Later, while sipping my Cuban cortado, four women and a man entered, sat by the bar and ordered coffees. There wasn’t anything too explicit about them; they were decently dressed and kept to themselves, but there was a very clear undertone in the whole scene. Suddenly, the word "amor" took a sharp turn.

The Language

In Bolivia, I have seen many misspelled signs; many of those were typical of Spanish speakers: confusions between "b" and "v," erroneous uses of archaic words and so on. However, here, the menu featured strange errors:

"Sanduiche Cubano" was an unusual way to write "Sandwich Cubano."

"Vaca Frita," literally "fried cow" was an abnormal way to describe a steak; maybe it was the regular Cuban way, but I had no way of checking that. Do they define wine as "Fermented Grapes?"

"Acompanhados" (the reference word for the side dishes) was definitely not Spanish, but Portuguese. Later I found this Spaniguese all over town.

The Food

Professional Food offers set meals as well as single dishes, which can be combined with coffees and drinks. The basic breakfast I ordered included eggs and bacon - that accounted for the American side of the business – and a very tasty Cuban toast, which was prepared out of a whole bread loaf and served steaming hot.

The Coffee

I tried two types of coffee; the one accompanied my Cuban-style breakfast, the second was a cortado. The Cuban one resembled a French cafe au lait and was hard to evaluate since its taste was masked by a massive amount of sugar. The second was a cortado. Cortado (namely "cut") is the Spanish and Portuguese name for a macchiato coffee. The last is the inverse version of a latte and is prepared by adding a drop of milk to an espresso. The massive machine I have spotted from the entrance did not disappoint; the coffee was excellent.

Choosing Starbucks as a spot in a journal describing Miami may seem strange, the dark-green logo is an integral part of American cities, strongly embedded in the local ground even and not thus a spot worth of special attention. Probably there are a myriad of other choices that would throw light on the local culture. However, the Starbucks branches in Thailand and Bangkok are an integral part of a visit to those places; the menu adaptations were thrilling. In Miami I didn’t feel as if I was in the US, seeing a Starbucks here was as strange as seeing one in La Paz or Buenos Aires. It was one of the few English-speaking shops in town; most others spoke Spanish. As such, the Starbucks branch on Mary Brickell Village, near the bridge, became a worthy item.

Mary Brickell Village and Starbucks

Located on 901, South Miami Avenue, near Miami’s financial district, the Mary Brickell Village was built over a trading post on the banks of the South Miami River, where goods were traded with the Seminole Indians since 1870. Nowadays it offers restaurants shopping and entertainment, including twelve eateries; Starbucks is placed across the street and thus is not part of the complex.

This branch is of medium size and features sitting places inside and outside it, this is an air-conditioned shop. The metal chairs were not especially comfortable; it felt as if I was being rushed to leave the place.

Setup

For non-Americans, Starbucks provides an intriguing look into that society’s values. At first look, it looks as an upmarket coffee-shop; the prices hint at that, the décor is careful and shows a significant amount of thought and care had been invested in the place.

Yet, they serve their fine coffee in paper cups and the pastries in paper-bags as if it was a fast food joint somewhere in wild Wyoming. If they do not care about the customers, they could at least consider sparing a forest or two. Brutus Americanus at his best.

The Coffee

Despite the drawbacks, Starbucks is a reliable source of good coffee. The colossal cappuccino cups served here may not resemble too much the original item, but they are tasty and worthy of a stop during a walk through a foreign city.

European Butter Croissant

A sign proudly announced: European Butter Croissant. Was it referring to the real item? Would I be eating the airy, delightful pastry I learned to love in Paris and Vienna? Was my early digression yet another terrorist act committed by a savage foreigner?

Most probably, croissants were prepared for the first time in Vienna in 1683 to celebrate the defeat of the Turkish siege of the city; they literally ate the half-moon symbol of their imperialist foe. Croissants are patiently made of a leavened puff pastry by layering yeast dough with butter and rolling and folding; if properly prepared, the result is very light and of airy qualities and highly appropriate for a celebration of freedom.

Excited about the prospect of enjoying such a work of art, I ordered one with my coffee. I was handed a brown paper bag; expecting the best I picked it up trying to evaluate its weight before opening it. There were no doubts, the bag was heavy. The croissant could not be light and airy. At least the air-conditioner functioned properly.

Few cities feature such a systematic approach to transport as Miami does; three concentric railway systems cover the whole area, the inner one just within downtown, while the outer one connects the city to the international airports. A bus system completes the coverage.

Tri-Rail

The Tri-Rail is the outer railway system traveling along Florida’s coast; it is remarkable while writing about downtown Miami since it connects the city with the Fort Lauderdale and Miami International airports. The system operates free bus shuttles between its Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at Dania Beach and Miami Airport stations and the airports. Shuttles are frequent and cover the distance in a few minutes, allowing carrying the luggage into them.

In between these two stations is the Metrorail Transfer Station (near the Hialeah Market end of the Metrorail), which allows entering the downtown area. If planning to use both systems within a single trip, purchase a transfer ticket for an additional 50¢. Tickets can be purchased from automated machines or at the counters. The Metrorail travels on an elevated railway, while the massive Tri-Rail travels on the ground, escalators connect the stations.

Metrorail

The Metrorail railway covers much of Miami Dade County in a north to south axis, from Palmetto station in Medley, passing through Miami’s downtown and finally reaching Dadeland South station. At the Government Center Station in downtown, it is connected with the Metromover system.

Reaching the Airports

If using the Metrorail and the Tri-Rail for reaching the airports, allow enough time for unexpected delays. Beyond the obvious need to account for the forced break while moving between the systems, the trains themselves may experience delays. In my last trip, the Tri-Rail was delayed roughly for thirty minutes. Miami International airport is quite close to downtown Miami; Metrobus J connects them more efficiently than the trains.

Metromover

Within downtown Miami, the most efficient way to move around is with the elevated Metromover. The wheeled cars travel atop an elevated way, drawing a closed loop with two question marks, one on its northern side and the other on the southern.

The single cars are completely automated, one of the few such systems in the US; resembling very much the transport used between faraway airport terminals around the world. It is remarkable also for being free; it is financed through a half-cent sales tax.

Metrobus

Completing the urban transport is the Metrobus, which covers the area between Miami Beach and West Miami-Dade with more than a hundred lines. Some routes operate 24 hours a day.

The Miami Bayside Marketplace is an open shopping mall by Miami’s downtown waterfront. South and North Pavilions delimit it on the sides, while Pier 5 Market and Market Square are at is center. An awesome Banyan tree, sits at its center, resembling a misplaced meditating Buddha.

Reaching Miami Bayside

Bayside is located at the junction of Biscayane Boulevard and NE 4th St in downtown Miami. The bus lines S and C reach it from Miami Beach; bus 7 reaches it from the airport. Reaching by rail is easy, take the Metrorail to Government Center and connect to the Metromover, get off at the College/Bayside stop. If arriving by car, take I-95 to downtown Miami Exit (2 and continue on Biscayane until the entrance to the bayside at NE 3rd Street.

Hotels

Across the boulevard from Bayside, on 340 Biscayne, is the Holiday Inn - Port of Miami Downtown. The hotel is superbly located for a visit in downtown.

Hours

Bayside is open Monday through Thursday between 10am to 10pm; Friday and Saturday until 11pm; Sunday 11am to 9pm. However, specific shops may operate on more limited hours, restaurants and bars may stay open later.

Miamarina

The Miamarina Marina is part of the complex. Several activities can be booked there including: sightseeing, party, gondola, gambling, fishing charters, speedboats, and even a modern version of a pirate ship. Several stalls sell tours to the nearby Everglades.

Dining

Around twenty restaurants are placed within the pavilions and most of them enjoy views of the Miamarina. The main establishments featured are: Bubba Gump Shrimp, Chili's, Hard Rock Café, Hooters, Latin American Cafeteria, Lombardi's Ristorante, Los Ranchos, Mambo Café, The Knife and Tradewinds Bar & Grill. On the second floor of the South pavilion is a small food court and several stalls sell snacks between the shops. A Starbucks branch is superbly located for a break during the visit just south of the southern pavilion.

Shopping

A plethora of shops fill up the pavilions, selling everything from clothes to souvenirs. However, the different types of clothing stores are by far in majority, including popular shops as Gap and Guess? and others. Jewels, electronics and souvenir shops complete the list.

Entertainment

The restaurants are tempting, their variety and closeness to the marina makes a visit almost inevitable. However, resisting the tide or having an early dinner is recommended. At the Rock-N-Roll Pavilion – the marina’s stage – there are open performances of rock bands; the stage is practically on the waterfront, while the audience seats on a small amphitheatre facing the water. Nearby is the Let's Make A Daiquiri bar; picking up a local-styled piña colada and sipping it while enjoying the salty breeze and listening to good live-music is an almost unbeatable way of enjoying the first evening in Miami.

Few things compare to the excitement of landing in a truly (for the traveler) unknown place without making any preparations. Would I find an hotel before sunset? Is the place dangerous? Is the local food acceptable? Will the locals speak a known language? Are there any dangerous or wild animals preying on intrepid travelers? Are the showers safe (in Singapore the ion-exchange water desalination process leaves the water slightly acidic; it prickles on the skin)? Many questions and new sights: the stuff life is made of for the eternal pilgrim.

Travel Hub’s Exploration Patterns

This was my second visit to Miami, the first was just a couple of hours long in my way between the Fort Lauderdale and Miami international airports. As such, it followed a recurring pattern of travel hubs: increasingly longer stays and inevitable returns. Over the years I have learned not to invest time studying travel hubs before visiting them. More often than not they are Marco Polo's friendly and time fixes any knowledge gaps.

Reaching Downtown

Reaching downtown is my first priority after landing; only there all the required services are handy. Moreover, usually the main attractions in town are nearby the center.

Transport is different from place to place. In addition, it demands quick transactions and fast decisions in a changing environment. Miami proved friendly enough, except for a few glitches in the transfer tickets; sometimes they were easy to get while others even the staff was uncooperative. See the specific entry in this journal for further details.

Finding an Hotel

Usually, this is the trickiest part. Hotels at the very heart of downtown seldom advertise themselves, thus researching the topic before arrival is almost useless. Moreover, the luggage is always a ballast in the way there and asking locals for directions is useless: few people know hotels in their hometown. Yet once in the city center a convenient option would invariably appear.

Language

After the few first contacts, the fact became clear. English-speakers were in Miami an ethnic minority; most people used Spanish as their first language.

However, spelling errors in the Spanish signs and menus were conspicuous. "Amor" (love) a waitress kept calling me in an unacceptable (and annoying) fashion; such an event wouldn’t have happened in any of the Spanish speaking countries I had visited. I was witnessing an ongoing cultural fusion process, two main cultures speaking different languages but sharing the same cappuccinos.

The errors issue was elucidated after a few cortados (a macchiato coffee in Spanish and Portuguese) the reason for the errors became clear, the local Cuban styled Spanish was sprinkled with Brazilian Portuguese.

First Steps

After a day that began at 3am and included a flight over the Amazon River and a fast transition from a freezing winter to a pleasant summer, I decided to sleep late before seriously exploring downtown. I closed tightly any potential morning-light source, turned on the air conditioner and went to sleep.

Next morning I made a point of ignoring my watch, stayed in bed until it felt really late, took my time in the shower and only on the street took a quick glance at the watch. It was just after 7am, meaning I had almost eight hours for exploring Miami; it would be a busy day.