Miami

View from our room

Miami is a place to see and be seen, a mix of colors and people. The combinations are sometimes quite interesting to watch: drop dead gorgeous young women with older and visibly well off gentlemen. Or the very well preserved older ladies with 8 pack tattooed younger men. All the women tanned and wearing high heels (even on the beach), more in shape than most and LV bags are everywhere.

We spent our Saturday night in South Beach Ocean Drive, having dinner at one of the restaurants with a sidewalk terrace .There are plenty of beautiful restaurants, like Larios, the cuban cuisine restaurant of Gloria Estefan, Ocean 10 or BLT Steak.

Ocean Drive restos are mostly concentrated between 5th and 15th street and they all serve huge cocktails the most particular being a giant margarita with 2 bottles of Corona in it. It looks exotic, but the taste might be questionable.

We continued with clubbing, as the queue was too long to get into Dream, we set off to LIV,  quoted the best club in the US in 2010. Long line there as well, but we eventually got it. Here is how the system works: there are security guards who allow batches of people to go in, usually single ladies, couples and flashy dashy characters are favored to single men. We only stayed 'by the rope' for 15 min before we were 'allowed' to pay the entrance fee of $50. Posh crowd, once again a place to be seen. I overheard a bathroom conversation between 2 label wearing girls on how important the guys was with a couple of bottles on the table vs 'the birthday kid' who only had one bottle and how they were planning to move to the multiple bottle table…

We only spent $40 for a double goose and we danced a bit ( which was free), our party was over night at 3 am.

Next up was sunday brunch at the very recommended Nikki Beach, a lounge bar on 1 Ocean Drive. The food was very nice, a large buffet of sushi, salads, eggs in all varieties, waffles, pasta stations and last but noblest a giant a dessert table! 

The DJ played cool  music accompanied by live sax and flute players, creating a very nice ambience. Min of 1 bottle of strong booze to get a sun bed and 2 bottles for a cabana all this to do some people watching and have a relaxed afternoon in the sun.  This did not include the short shower of tropical rain which threw us out of the beach mood. as all sun beds were soaked with rain.. Oops…

We chose to work on our tan by walking (much cheaper) back to our hotel via the beach and the boardwalk. Not less than 44 blocks later we where finally displaying what a miami-an would call 'the beginning' of a tan.

Nikki Beach

Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive

Cruise ship terminal

Miami Port

Espanola Way

Miami Beach

Swan Lake

You might not be into ballet or arty stuff, but this video is absolutely amazing!!! 

Thoughts about music

This is a guest post by Holy Bronte

For many of you music doesn’t mean more than just some noise . But for others,  like me, it means so many things: the great sound that is wishing you good luck at your tests and it gives you confidence or the powerful sound that totally understands what you’re feeling and it makes you dreaming at a better … life . Also through music many people , even the ones who think the least of themselves , are expressing who they are. I think that for many people music is one of the great things in life because it helps them to believe when there’s no hope. 

The best example I can give you is also my favourite band : 30 seconds to mars . Why them ? Because their music is about having the courage to dream. This is what Jared Leto (the 30stm leader) said once in an interview where he was asked about their new song : “Capricorn is about a desire for renewal. But I’d rather let people take their own understanding and meaning from the song. I think that is one of the exciting things about music, the interpretation, from individual to individual and how it can change so much.” Also , his brother , Shannon Leto said once : “You gotta have faith . Even at the bottom of blackest hole , there will always be light shining through . It just takes faith to see” . So I think it is obvious that they really believe in what they are doing . And the thing  I love the most is that they aren’t chasing fame or other things . From where I know that ? From this : “ 30stm is not only music , it’s not only art , it’s a community . It’s a sense of having a place to belong . And not everybody will understand it , and that’s ok , it’s just for the people that do.“ They succeeded at bringing hope in their fans heart and that’s why I believe that music can make you a better person. I know it worked for me... 

I wish people will continue to express themselves through music and this type of art will never die.


LE You can read more of Holy Bronte HERE

Bucharest

Some photos of the Village Museum (Muzeul Satului), an amazing display of various houses from around Romania in one place, People's Palace (Casa Poporului), the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon, grotesquely big and tasteless proof that while Romanian people received their food rationalized (half a bread per day and 1 chicken per week), Ceausescu was aiming high like a true leader..

Brasov

The birth city of the bride proudly shown and toured by Mrs Van's sister. Pictures by Mr Van.

Strada Sforii (Rope Street) one of the
narrowest streets in Europe

More

Off we go...

As much as we love Vietnam, we are now closely approaching our vacation.

We will be away for 1 month, in which we will do:

- Romania one week visit and get married for the 3rd time

- Belgium one week errands and teraskes time

- Miami one week of sun, beach and people watching

- New York one week of everything amazing

During this time we will post weekly updates and pictures from our travels and also some guest posts.

We will be back in Vietnam at the beginning of August and will continue with our family stories then.

Have a good summer!

Morning surprise

We found this guy this morning while absently browsing the bottom drawer of our nightstand. 


He was breathless, crawless and in an full exposure  belly-up pose.


How did it get in there?!?!?!