I arrived in Ft. Lauderdale in the middle of the afternoon on Monday, October 12. Sometimes called the "Venice of North America," Ft. Lauderdale more closely resembles Dubai. Previously a top spring break destination, Ft. Lauderdale passed strict laws in the mid-1980's to discourage college students, and the city has since been transformed into a true nobleman's playground. Never have I seen such a gaudy display of wealth. I respected it for its idiosyncracy. Rather than hosting a separate marina, the downtown area is interspersed with canals where residents dock luxury yachts in full view of passing pedestrians (none of my photos turned out well, so the one at left is from Flickr). Bellydancers perform in open-air bars and businessmen sip fine wines at high-end hotels just yards from the beach. The city also hosts a whopping 7 miles of public beach, including one uninterrupted stretch I clocked at 2 miles before turning off. I spent the next night at a hostel in South Beach, Miami. The ride between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami was very challenging urban riding, and marked the first and only time I was pulled over by the police. Due to frequent freeways merging on and off on the right I was riding in the left lane, which I knew was against the law but I didn't feel I had much choice given the circumstances.
South Beach is a hip, fashionable place with a distinct latin flair. The area is famous for its meticulously-restored art deco architechture and Scarface-style drug and mob history. The beaches were also beautiful and I spent several hours romping in the waves.
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