Miami

South Beach, Miami

What can I say about Miami...? It was exactly how I think you would picture it. Extremely glam, very 'showey-offey' (I know that isn't a word but it really is the best way to describe it). Most people walk along Ocean Drive in bikinis looking like they are ready to go to the club, it was pretty surreal. The prices for food and drink were astronomical, if you fancied a cocktail near the beach it would cost you $25!!!! Don't get me wrong, I did still like it, but more as an experience rather than because I was particularly taken with the city. I must add here that my opinion is based purely on South Beach and my particular experience as I only ventured into the main part of the city once to Wynwood Walls, and it was also not great weather with plenty of clouds and showers (thanks again storm Alberto).

I arrived in the evening of Sunday 20th May with a Canadian girl called Lauren who I met on the bus. We ended up being put in the same hostel room which was great as we were able to hang out for the rest of my time in Miami. My friend Marie (who I met in New York) had already arrived and invited us to a night out with the girls from her room. We popped out for some Cuban cuisine across the road (lots of rice, beans and chicken, delicious), then headed back to meet the girls for some beers. We went to a club called Nikki Beach where we were met by a promoter who gave us a booth and free drinks for the night but it ended up being on some sort of stage like set up, with only girls allowed. The 'stage booths' were surrounded by the dance floor but sectioned off so we were practically on parade for the rest of the club. Personally for me it was a pretty uncomfortable and bizarre experience which I don't wish to repeat, I prefer to be dancing and relaxed and not 'on show'. I still had some fun as I was with some lovely girls from the hostel, but left early. 

Marie and Lauren at Wynwood Walls

The following day I went with Lauren and Marie to Wynwood Walls to see the graffiti which was on all the buildings and even had a special exhibit. That was pretty cool and certainly not something I had seen before as street after street was lined with the artwork. We eventually headed back to the hostel and I ventured to the beach with the purpose of swimming, but with no lifeguards and a rough sea I chickened out (mum would have been ashamed) and enjoyed a delicious pizza on the Lincoln Mall (lots of restaurants shops and bars all on one road). I then headed back and met Marie and the other girls for some drinks at the hostel bar and pool.

On Tuesday 22nd May I went with Lauren on the Everglades day trip to see the alligators in the swamps. This was great fun and we had quite a few up close encounters, perhaps a little too close for many of us. It was fascinating to see them in their natural habitat and a lot of fun to hold a baby alligator at the end who was in their sanctuary. The alligators are seen as nuisances in Florida and often shot when found in peoples gardens or pools (which happens frequently), but at this particular sanctuary they capture them and keep them or give them to Zoos or Aquariums. At first this upset me as I could not understand why they would not be put back into the wild, but this had previously been tried and unfortunately the alligators were able to find their way back to wherever they had been captured from, even when it was many miles away, so by doing this they risked the alligators being shot by "pest control".

Alligator in the Everglades

Alligator in the sanctuary

Miami was definitely an experience, but I am not too interested in going back. I had some delicious food and the beach was nice but again it was on and off rain with constant cloud so I'm sure it would be a lot nicer when the weather is good. It would also be nice to visit when I wasn't on such a tight budget and could afford $25 for a drink by the beach... Actually on second thoughts, I don't think I would ever pay that!

Thanks for reading!

Lucy B x

The Capital - Washington D.C.

Washington monument

Next stop on my USA trip was the not to be missed capital, Washington D.C. I arrived late on Sunday 13th May straight from New York. This stop was kind of a strange one for me with the country being in such a 'different' political climate. Without going too in depth on my own personal feelings of Trump (not a good idea on the internet as everyone has a right to their own personal beliefs,) I would have been a lot more excited to be outside the White House when Obama and Michelle were inside, but anyway, still really interesting!

I was incredibly lucky when I visited Washington as one of my closest friends, Cara, has her lovely sister Beth living in the city. Beth was a dream host, giving me my very own queen bed and bathroom to use. At this point I had only been traveling for 3 weeks,  but the luxury of having my own room and an apartment to hang out in was utter bliss. So good in fact I spent my first day relaxing inside, washing clothes and making plans for my future travels. I finally ventured out in the afternoon to explore the local area and pick up some ingredients for a home cooked meal, another thing I had been missing. I had a lovely evening with Beth, eating and chatting and getting lots of great tips on where to visit and what to eat over the next couple of days.

My second day was a lot more active. My first priority was to visit the White House, something I have always been very keen to see in person, but at first look I was extremely disappointed by how grey and dull it was, nothing like the bright white building you see in the movies. It probably took me a full five minutes before I realised that the building I was standing in front of and taking pictures of was in fact not the White House, but actually the U.S. Department of Treasury. Honestly there is no excuse for this, I can't even pretend they were that similar, it was just a very dumb moment and I felt extremely silly when I carried on down the path to find the real White House, which really does look like the pictures!

The White House

World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial

 

Little ducklings without their mum

I spent the rest of the morning exploring the surrounding area enjoying the views of the Washington monument which can be seen from quite a distance and is a real landmark in the city, as well as the World War II memorial, which I think was my favourite of them all. It had a beautiful water fountain with pillars surrounding it etched with the names of all the states in the US, and a wall full of stars representing all the thousands of US soldiers whose lives were lost. It was here that I also saw the cutest little ducklings next to a large and powerful waterfall looking stuck with no mum insight. I must have watched them for about 20 minutes, then couldn't wait any longer and decided to go on a hunt to find their mum. I am not exactly sure what my plan of action was as A) how on earth do you know which duck is the mum of the ducklings when you are looking in a park filled with ducks, and B) if I did somehow miraculously figure out which duck was the mother, how would I take her back to her ducklings in the memorial? But guess what... I found her! Well more accurately she found them, but I felt like I played my part in a beautiful family reunion and it was amazing!

Afterwards I ventured to Georgetown which Beth recommended to me as a really nice area of Washington with bars, restaurants and shops all near the water. It was here I stopped at the 'Baked & Wired' cupcake store, which I have crowned the best cupcake shop in the world. I haven't actually been to that many cupcake stores but I feel so confident in the superiority of their cupcakes that I will crown it the winner anyway (thank you for suggesting it Beth)! After a long day of sightseeing I decided to treat myself to a drink on a gorgeous rooftop bar. The sun was glorious and the views were stunning as I looked over the city with a Frose (frozen rose, yes it was delicious) in hand. I even topped it off with a cheese platter whilst Facetiming my parents and filling them in on the last week or so. I was in pure heaven! After that I headed back to the flat for a relaxed evening of Netflix.

Cheese platter on the terrace

Rooftop bar

The next day was the beginning of the dreaded storm Alberto, which proceeded to follow me down the entire of the East coast for the next two weeks. I don't think it would have been quite as annoying if it hadn't also been so hot. I had to constantly prioritise whether I wanted to be dry wearing my jacket, but incredibly hot, or cool without my jacket but soaking wet. I usually chose the drowned rat look which made for some great photos that you shall never see. I also explored the Library of Congress which had a great exhibition on the Europeans first coming to the US and discovering its beauty and plants. I also visited The Supreme Court and the US Capital, both extremely impressive buildings with plenty of history. I then walked around the Washington Basin to see the Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Lincoln, Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials. It was certainly a busy day. With so much to see I never even made it into one of their famous museums, but it is already on my list to come back and visit again one day.

That night I said my goodbyes to Beth (and the beautiful apartment) and got up on Thursday morning to catch my flight to Orlando!!

Lucy B x

 P.S. Thank you again so much for having me Beth, it was such a treat to stay with you and I am so grateful!

Korean War Memorial

Library of Congress

US Capital

New York New York!!

Times Square

I was lucky enough for this to be my second time in New York, my first being a year and a half ago with Mum and Dad on our 3 week trip around New England during the fall. The Big Apple was always at the top of my bucket list of places to visit with its huge skyscrapers, beautiful views, Times Square, Broadway, the Statue of Liberty and all the rest of the iconic tourist destinations you see in most blockbuster movies. Knowing my Uncle Jon had also lived in the centre of Manhattan for many years and hearing how much he loved it only spurred my determination to go. On my previous visit we only managed to fit in two days in the city, so when I visited again it still felt brand new. Not only that but I was lucky enough to have one of my closest friends from home, Ruth, meeting me out there for the entire week!

On Monday 7th May I travelled with my Uncle Jon from his home in New Jersey to his office in Jersey City where I planned to have a wander until I was able to check in at the AirBnB I had booked with Ruth in Brooklyn. I was able to meet some of his colleagues and have a tour of the office which was amazing, featuring a lego wall, games room, coffee station with real coffee and a delicious free breakfast (I certainly got my fill including a scone I stole for later)! I then attempted to walk to Liberty State Park, however got completely lost and never actually made it, but the view of the water was great and it was nice to stretch my legs. Uncle Jon then treated me to a delicious lunch before I said my goodbyes and headed to Brooklyn. The apartment we were staying in until Thursday was perfect, small but cute and a bit alternative with some very bizarre statues and keepsakes. It was also in a fantastic location in Brooklyn right next to Williamsburg, a must visit when in the city.

Ruth arrived later in the afternoon and after a much needed catch up we headed out to catch the ferry near our apartment for views along the river before nightfall to Wall Street. We had a quick look around the Wall Street area before heading back on the ferry to North Williamsburg where we walked around for a couple of miles and then sat down for dinner at a restaurant called 'Five Leaves', a place our AirBnB hosts had recommended. We were not disappointed with our typically huge American burger and fries. It was incredibly busy in there so clearly a popular destination for locals. As it was now past 11pm Ruth was beginning to drop, however I am still impressed she lasted that long as in England it was 4.15am and she had been travelling all day (well done Ruth)!

Ruth in Five Leaves, Williamsburg

On Tuesday 8th May we headed out early, determined to track down our first New York bagel! We both opted for the rainbow bagel, which although looked very pretty, was very disappointing, mainly because of the ridiculous filling of cinnamon, walnut and raisin that was piled so thick in the bagel I honestly couldn't eat it (for those who don't know me, this is a rarity). We had to squeeze almost all the filling out just to make it bearable, promising ourselves that we would stick to plain old butter in the future. We then set off to the 9/11 memorials and museum at the World Trade Centre. I think the two water memorials commemorating all the thousands of lives lost on that treacherous day in September are perfect. The atmosphere is somber and incredibly moving and I think they have created a wonderful place for loved ones to come and find some peace. What I find most heartwarming is that if you see a single white rose next to someone's name on the plaque, it is there to mark their birthday; all these years later not one person has been forgotten, nor will they ever be. I think that is beautiful.

9/11 Memorial

The museum was equally as incredible, there were so many artifacts on display from the Twin Towers, including pieces of the actual buildings. There was also many photos and videos of survivors and there experiences, and families of those who were lost. It was very tough walking around and hearing all the stories, but something I felt it was important to do. Their stories will be forever remembered by the many visitors who come each year, I shall certainly never forget that day.

Afterwards we headed through Chinatown to Little Italy for a delicious pizza lunch! It was great to be in the middle of it all with delicious food and great people watching opportunities. We then took the subway to Madison Square Garden and enjoyed a beer whilst walking around. It was at this point I was lucky enough to have a pigeon poo right on my head as I was posing for a picture, Ruth very kindly came to my rescue and cleaned me up. It is lucky right?! We then met our friends Anisha and Emily from home at this amazing locals rooftop bar that Emily had heard of for some cocktails and a catch up. We couldn't believe we all happened to be in the city at the same time, such a great way to spend an evening with friends!

From left me, Ruth and Anisha, Emily is behind the camera

Enjoying pizza in Little Italy

The next day we bought some ice cream and ate it whilst walking over the world famous Brooklyn Bridge and it was AMAZING! The views from it are spectacular and the sun was shining. I can't recommend this enough if you choose to visit New York (and the ice cream was a great bonus). From here we walked to the ferry port and took the boat to Governors Island which was fun but also bizarre. It had a sort of apocalyptic feel as there was barely anyone around and many of the buildings looked abandoned. Occasionally you would spot someone who I can only assume worked there but they didn't acknowledge us, creepy but cool. Once we reached the other side of the island we enjoyed a hotdog and swinging on awesome red hammocks (there were hundreds). Eventually we reached the lookout over the Statue of Liberty. I don't care what anyone says, it is so impressive!

Statue of Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge

We then caught the ferry back and went straight to the Highline which is a walkway through the city that is elevated above the streets; a genius and effective idea that is lots of fun to walk on with plenty of places to sit and admire the plants that feature alongside the path. We finished the day by exploring the Chelsea Market (I highly recommend the mini cinnamon donuts here), and enjoyed a Sangria dinner at Dos Caminos with incredible food!

Ruth on the Highline

On Thursday we packed up our things and checked out of our AirBnB and crossed the city to our hostel located right next to Central Park (after a delicious pancake breakfast in Brooklyn of course). We had a busy day starting with visiting Grand Central Station where some of my favourite movies and TV shows have filmed great love scenes. We then went to 'Dough', famous for its huge donuts. Unfortunately I found mine too bready and have definitely had better in the US. Next up was the infamous Rockefeller Centre for views over New York City. Safe to say this was spectacular, and really awesome to see the Empire State Building too. We then ventured to Times Square where we enjoyed sitting for a few minutes and soaking up the buzz of what must be one of the busiest streets in the world.

Top of the Rock!

Lastly, we ended the night in Ellen's Stardust Diner which was recommended to us by both Liv and Ellie (thank you ladies) and we certainly were not disappointed. The waiters and waitresses are performers trying to make it to Broadway and sing whilst serving you, it really is fantastic and so much fun. My favourite place to eat in New York! If you like musicals then this is a must-see when visiting the city.

Ellen's Stardust diner - yes there was confetti!

The next day we spent five hours walking around Central Park visiting the various lakes, ponds and other beautiful areas. We could have easily spent longer but our feet were aching and our stomachs were rumbling. The turtle pond was definitely a highlight as there were literally hundreds of turtles swimming and sunbathing not fussed by our presence at all. The experience was also improved by our slight detour from the park to visit Levain Bakery which boasts the worlds best cookies, well of course we had to test the theory. I am thrilled to say that these were in fact the BEST COOKIES IN THE WORLD. They literally melted in your mouth and were worth every penny; we had the dark chocolate chip but I am sure they are all delicious.

Central Park

Central Park

That evening we visited 'The View' in the Marriott Marquis hotel for sunset so we could see views of the city both in the day and night. We both enjoyed a (highly expensive) cocktail and beer in the revolving restaurant and bar and it was a perfect evening with breathtaking views. We both left about two hours later feeling slightly giggly and very hungry. We had planned to visit a posh cheese restaurant but it had closed for food by this stage so instead opted for a slightly less sophisticated McDonald's burger.

Having drinks in the Marriott Hotel with views over the City

After an extremely busy week we decided to have a relaxed Saturday by just wandering around the shops and having a better look at Times Square. We also decided to treat ourselves one last time to lunch a Ellen's Stardust Diner as a farewell meal from New York and each other! We then went back to the hostel and got ready for the bar crawl. This was a lot of fun and a great way to see the nightlife in the city. We met people from all over the world and I even managed to get quite a few travel tips from various drunk Americans who grew up in cities all over the country. These came in handy later on! I also met the lovely Marie from Norway who became a great travel friend as we were able to meet up again all the way down the East cast.

On Sunday we were both going our separate ways, Ruth to the airport and back to the UK, me on to Washington. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast in a typical American diner (like the ones you see in the movies) and eventually said our goodbyes. I was very sad to be leaving Ruth, but excited for my next destination... the capital of the United States!

New York is truly one of my favourite cities in the world. The buzz you feel when wandering around is indescribable, and there is so much to see and do. No matter how many times I end up visiting in my lifetime, I don't think I will ever feel like I have done everything I want to there. The opportunities feel endless and I can't wait to go back. Hopefully next time I can visit just before Christmas as I think the atmosphere would be magical.

If you managed to get to the bottom of this post then you truly are a great friend (and slightly mad), thanks for reading!

Lucy B x

New York City skyline