North to Miami, go North, the rush is on

Busy morning, we had to vacate the little condo by 10 am which is usually when I'm having my fourth cup of coffee and wondering what to do about my hair. I like my coffee hot - hot! Hot, I say! - so I prefer small narrow cups to things that can also be used as chili bowls. After a few of these I can cope, much of the time.

one last sunset

Before getting on the road we stopped for breakfast at the Local Food and Crafts Fair, part of the KW Food and Wine Festival - enjoyed more coffee, conch ceviche, cannoli, cinnamon roll, still more coffee - thus fortified, we got on the road.
When we drive from Key West to Miami we always break the trip with a stop at the Bird Sanctuary. Over time they've cared for a number of pelicans, herons, ibises whose injuries have been healed but who still can't survive in the wild. This is a friendly cheerful goofy crew, they come right up to you and wait for you to make the next move. I found this touching, because the injuries that brought them to the sanctuary were caused by humans - fishing line, garbage, poison - and yet they trust.









The sanctuary had a new permanent resident:





This is how she was introduced:
She's old and wise and her name is Fred. Well.

And now here we are at the Mondrian Hotel in Miami. I have fallen in love with this hotel. There's no turquoise anywhere, although there is plenty of whimsy. Like the chandelier in the shower:




And the gnome on a neighboring terrace:


The bathroom sink:


The Dutch tiles in the kitchen in an otherwise all-white room



The pool, seen from our terrace:






So tomorrow's agenda is to lounge around by the pool and gaze at the bay...

Although we knew the address, we had trouble finding the place because the hotel's name doesn't appear on its front... a twee little touch but forgivable because everything else seems to be such a delight.