Travel - Miami BEYOND THE BEACHES
Pore over cutting-edge street art, learn to roll a Cuban cigar
or simply monkey around...
For someone who tips the weighing scale a little (okay, a lot)
over 100 kg, visiting the beach town of Miami can be quite scary. Most of the
people here are not only fit, but they also like to flaunt it.So, on a recent
trip to the beach city, to avoid further guilt of bingeing on massive American
burgers, I decided to skip the surfboard and zone off to the `other' side. You
might wonder what's more to Miami than beaches.Well, lots more.
THE CUBAN
CORNER
The one place that adds oodles of character to Miami and gives a
happy twist to its facade is a neighbourhood called Little Havana. Home to
Miami's ever-expanding Latin community, this is the place that many migrating
Cubans have called home since Mr Cas tro took charge of Cuba in the late 1950s.
Extremely different from the rest of Miami, Little Havana has a subculture all
its own. It is always time to party here you will generally find people
tapping away to folksy tunes or engrossed in their little board games at the
Domino Park. Little Havana is also home to many cigar makers; you can always
walk in to one of them and watch as they roll a fresh batch of leaves for you.
From the finest cigar cutters to other accessories, this place is like a candy
store for all cigar lovers.
THE WALL OF
REBELLION
Now who would have thought that M i a m i would be home to some
of the finest graffitis in the world. Wynwood Art District is for those who
wish to step out of comfortable galleries and experience the maniacal thoughts
that reside in the head of artists, who literally use the world as their
canvas. Here you will find art in every imaginable form. From abstract art to
geometric p a t terns that can only be created once your mind is pushed into an
overdrive... Wyn wood has it all. The e n tire district is a massive canvas
you won't find a single wall or street that's not covered.
TRIPPING ON ART
Museums is something I am happy to give a miss. But when my
charming tour guide suggested a quick stop at the Pérez Art Museum, we obliged,
albeit grudgingly. What we expected: an hour-long snooze fest. The re ality: a
mind-blowing experience. This haven for modern and contemporary international
art of the 20th and 21st centuries is unlike any other museum. From the first
exhibit to the final one, there was not a single piece that didn't transfix us.
From using light to mirrors and sound to miniatures, the works at Pérez are
such that they take you on a trip that's parallel to this universe, and yet not
from our realm. Sounds absolutely bonkers, but Pérez is a sensory overload
that's a must-do in Miami.
THE WILD ZONE
Like most cities, Miami too has its own little paradise for animal lovers.
The Jungle Island is a place that both kids and adults would
love to visit. Built about 80 years ago, most of the animals are kept in
massive en closures that mimic their natural habitats.
You also get to spend qual ity one-on-one time with certain
four-legged friends. Your head can be a dance floor for the a bunch of lemurs
or your can get some muchneeded TLC from a baby Capuchin monkey (the same breed
that Ross , had in Friends) all-in-all a once-in-a lifetime experience.
Hari Govind Nair
TL23APR17
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