USA

Charles de Gaulle Airport T2E, Paris

Enter USA, Miami, MIA

Look at : Border crossings

The first day in Miami proceeded in accordance with that in most American big cities for a weekend, no animation in streets, only excluded from "American Way of Life" people haunt the pavements and, museums open only at noon. The downtown area is cut by many express ways and Metromover airlines. It is the capital of Cuba and that is seen and gotten along. While waiting for the opening of the museums I strolled in "dwntwn" to admire the Freedom Tower where unloaded many cuban refugees. Opposite it American Airlines Arena dominates the sea front over Biscayne Blvd.

Freedom Tower	American Airlines Arena

After several stages in halls of the hotels to have rest I reached Flagler St, the building of the Museum Art Miami is resolutely of Hispanic style. Alas the two floors do not offer the splendor of the capitals of the states of the north of coast-east.

Maimi Art Museum, MAM	DADE County Courthouse, 1925

Only the first floor is worthy of interest, it exhibits works by a painter of cuban origin, José Bedia, entitled "Transcultural Pilgrim". Of course No photo I found on Internet both paintings which challenged me. I returned in the afternoon to the hotel to have rest of jet lag and heat.

Piano, piano by Bedia	Pájaro que Busca by Bedia

Miami Beach, Art Deco District

On Sunday, May 27 was devoted to explore the south of Miami Beach registered with the National Register Architectural Historic District (Art Deco). The Art Deco style in Miami Beach developed for the period from the Great Depression until the declaration of the WWII. It is characterized by the sobriety of decoration known as “Tropical Deco”. The most typical example is the U.S. Post Office. Some hotels preserved representative murals. Hampton Inn & Suites exhibits works by Steven Penafiel.

Ocean Drive	U.S. Post Office

Hotel Victor

Colony Hotel

The Wolfsonian-Florida International University

The Wolfsonian-FIU is a museum dedicated to the comprehension of the power of art in the evolution of the social behaviors for the period from 1885 to 1945. Painting “The City” by Virginia Berresford stigmatizes the anguish in the 30's by opposing deforestation to the booming of architectural and industrial gigantism.

The Wolfsonian Museum

The City by Virginia Berresford	Melodic Deco by Steven Penafiel

Scène de rue, Streetscape

While strolling I was the witness of strange scenes, such this horse transported by a police car looking at astonished a young lady overlapping a scooter!

Memorial Day in Miami

In the USA the Memorial Day commemorates each last Monday of May deaths for military facts. As all Mondays museums are closed, only Vizcaya was open. It was built as winter estate of James Deering founder of International Harvester. Originally it extended on 73 hectares and included the Residence, gardens and the village. It covers nothing any more than 20 hectares. It was built in two years, 1914-1916, according to the Italian style adapted to the subtropical environment in Miami.

Vizcaya, Museum & Gardens

Memorial Day at Vizcaya

 

To Key West

As of 9 a.m. I had arrived to Davco where my truck was stored, I paid the three months of storage not envisaged. Then I walked around to inspect it, all seemed normal. However I apprehended its starting, it had not drove since January 30th. Of course the batteries were discharged. I asked the manager to call a break-down mechanic who arrived 20 minutes later. Several attempts were necessary to start the engine. I drove on a highway during nearly two hours to charge the batteries. In the afternoon I arrived at Miami Everglades Campground to put my truck in operating condition. I remained two nights there. Heat was intense, around 30°C, and moisture close to 60%. Obviously I had not planned to be in Florida at that time deserted by tourists, I were in delay of three months on my plan.

Davco Storage

From Key Largo the US#1 jumps from island to island while skirting on the right or on the left old sections of the railway line built by Henry Flagler in 1912 then destroyed by a hurricane in 1935. The weather was always also gloomy, heat, moisture and rainy. I arrived at Key West in the early afternoon, the city appeared very tourist to me, with confirms tomorrow. Boyd's Campground is out of price in low season.

Key West

The days are followed and resemble each other, rain at daybreak, calms in the morning and rain all the afternoon. I thus visited the village of Key West in the morning. Extremely judiciously a bus stop is located at the entrance of Boyd's. In the 19th century the Island was a US Navy harbor in charge of the fight against Caribbean pirates. Mallory Square exploits this commercial seam as trap with tourists that I avoided. On the other hand I lingered in Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center which exhibits dioramas and small aquariums equipped with plants, animals and habitats representative of the ecosystem of Keys, the theater shows an enthralling film.

Pointe méridionnale des USA

Mallory Square

Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center

Ernest Hemingway

But the highlight is incontestably the house of Ernest Hemingway where he lived with his second wife. In the Thirties there were about sixty cats and at present day also an about sixty descendants those of Ernest Hemingway of which some have six claws. They are called polydactyl or Hemingway cat. A replica of the statue of cat by Picasso is exposed and its story is told. The visit of the house, the office of Hemingway and the gardens was one great moment accompanied by the writer Nobel award in 1954. I returned to Boyd's right before the storm.

The statue of a cat by Picasso & The Picasso Cat's Tale

Everglades National Park

On Saturday, June 2d I arrived in the early afternoon at Coe Visitor Center of Everglades NP. Equipped with the usual documention of the American Parks I strolled two short walks in Royal Palm, Gumbo Limbo Trail then Anhiga Trail. I have the inexpressible advantage of admiring three alligators being stretched out in the clear wave under the multicoloured foliage. Alas birds were absent, it would be necessary to come in the evening. While working on my website a small orange red bird knock itself against the pane of my truck, it wished to enter. I bivouacked at Long Pine Key.

'gators in pond

Evening visitors

The following day I traversed the road up to Flamingo by stopping to stroll on the suggested short walks to admire landscapes and faunas. The Great Egret are the emblematic birds of the park, they are in abundances. In this Sunday little tourists and especially any camper as well in Long Pine Key as in Flamingo, due to heat and ferocious mosquitos. I returned to Long Pine Key where they are very few.

Landscape at Pa-hay-okee Overlook

Great Egret