Miami, US

From the 6th of April to the 15th, I took a trip to Florida.

As soon as I stepped out of the airport, I couldn’t open my eyes fully because of the brightness from the sun! It had not been in Florida since moving to Amsterdam.

During my stay in Florida, Josh and I went to Miami for three days. It had been a long time since I had a real vacation. This is a picture of Miami Beach. The view was just breathtaking.

Coming back to this land after one year, something like a palm tree was an incredible thing to see. I was just so excited to be surrounded by them! When I used to come to Florida, I used to think of them like the yellow cabs in NYC; something you see in your everyday life. But now, those palm trees make me feel that I’m really in Florida! Tropical!

Nothing goes better with a vacation than these! Josh’s Mojito and my Apple Margarita.

This is the sight from my eyes while I was on the beach. (Yes – they’re my legs!) It was not that hot or humid, but just about right temperature with nice breeze. It was a working day, so it was quiet and calm. I really enjoyed the real vacation time.

	I’m not sure what they were mistaken with but here comes the topless lady laying on the beach. I saw some topless ladies but they are usually lying on their stomach. But this lady was lying on her back. I believe it is common in some countries in Europe or Latin America, but certainly not in Miami! Of course, the picture was taken by Josh, not me!
	The next day, we got Mojito and Strawberry Mojito. Yes, my margarita from the previous day wasn’t that good, but we certainly enjoyed the happy hour drinks!

The morning sea. The water was shiny reflecting the sun!

I think this was the first time to enjoy the real “vacation” for a long time. I had been dreaming of laying on the beach relaxing for months. Of course, the best vacation is to visit my family in Japan, but once in a while, this type of vacation really helps me. I need some time to just clear my thoughts but enjoy that moment of time. It was the goal of this vacation and was accomplished.

PS.
On the way from Amsterdam, a lady broke her arm on the flight. She stood up on her seat to reach her purse in the compartment. Somehow, she slipped and fell on the floor and broke her arm. There was a doctor and a couple nurses, but the pilot decided to make an emergency stop in Scotland to get the real medical attention. It made a two hour delay to land in Memphis, so 2-300 passengers missed their flights to their destinations. I was one of them. We stayed over night in Memphis and flew out the next day. It was really a long trip.
Note: Do not stand on a seat when the flight is in the air.