✈️Travel Journal | A Leisurely Stroll in Miami 🏖️

During my stay in Miami, the temperature hovered around 40°C, hot enough to make my phone overheat 🥵! I checked off most of my bucket list, but honestly, I probably won’t return unless I need to catch a Caribbean cruise from here—sunny beaches are great, but the sweltering heat is too much to handle～ 🌴 City Walks: Cuban Flavors & Wild Nature Vibes in Little Havana I made a point to visit the popular Azucar Ice Cream Company, trying their Cuban-style "guava cheesecake" flavor. The sweet-tart guava mixed with rich cheesecake tasted like tropical fruit frozen into ice cream—refreshing and unique, perfect for beating the heat. For dinner, I opted for Versailles Restaurant, trying classic Cuban oxtail stew and braised beef tongue: the oxtail was fall-off-the-bone tender but so salty it required three bowls of rice; the beef tongue, though, was just right—tender with a slight chew, delicious with black bean rice 🇨🇺. A Wild Encounter in the Everglades At Everglades National Park, I took an airboat ride into the wetlands, the wind carrying the scent of aquatic plants. A few wild alligators 🐊 lay motionless on the mudflats like old tree bark—our guide said they can hold their breath underwater for two hours, a humbling reminder of nature’s power. 🚗 Key West Road Trip: A Cloudy Cross-Sea Drive The 3-hour drive to Key West was the most healing part of the trip—Highway 1, like a silver chain, links dozens of islands across the blue sea, with water shifting from pale green to indigo. Seagulls occasionally chased the car, but the weather was uncooperative: cloudy with occasional rain, making it chilly when we stopped to take photos 🥶. Food Highlight: Stinkin Crawfish Their seafood combo was a pleasant surprise! The special Cajun sauce had a smoky kick, spicy enough to tingle my taste buds (perfect for someone who loves heat 😋). Crawfish, mussels, and shrimp glistened in the red sauce, but the real stars were the corn and potatoes: the corn was sweet with a spicy kick, the potatoes creamy and flavorful—I almost licked the shell. Landmark Stops I braved the rain to visit the Southernmost Point, taking a photo by the colorful buoy that reads "90 Miles to Cuba." The wind and rain messed up my hair, but it felt worth it. I also walked to the end of Highway 1, watching waves crash against the breakwater—the gray-blue sea on a cloudy day had a somber, striking beauty. 🚄 Return Trip: First Try on American "High-Speed Rail" Heading back to Orlando from Miami, I took Brightline, a newly launched high-speed rail, opting for a premium seat to experience "America’s version of high-speed rail": The lounge was small but had hot fried rice and fruit—a lifesaver for a hungry traveler. After all, fresh fried rice in a U.S. station is rare, and paired with a Coke, it was enough to fill me up. The seats were spacious enough to cross my legs, with more outlets than I could use hhh. I pulled out my laptop, phone, and power bank to charge them all—by the end of the 3-hour ride, every device was fully charged. The downside? It’s not actually that fast, taking roughly the same time as driving. But not having to drive myself, just relaxing and watching the scenery, made it perfect for lazy travelers～ All in all, Miami is like a mojito with extra ice—refreshing and vibrant, but best enjoyed in small doses. A short visit is enough to savor its charm; no need for a long stay. #travel #Miami #BeachVacation #FoodDiary