गुरुवार, 7 जुलाई 2011

Road to India - 14 days to go [Florida]

Florida is one of the most beautiful states to live in United States. It never gets cold here except may be for 5-10 days. It rains a lot here for 3 - 4 months making all kind of spicy snacks such as Pakoris tastier. It has many great beaches on the east (Gulf of Mexico) and west side (Atlantic Ocean). If you are into water sports, this place is your paradise. It is very popular for the retired people, who love to spend twilight of their lives under the sun, sitting near beaches and having margarita.

My first interaction with this beautiful state was during thanksgiving vacations of 2006 (late November). Weather was very pleasant, no rain, no hot Sun. In summer, you might convert into a humanized lobster under the hot sun, but in November, you don’t need to worry about sun screen lotions and their quality. I used to live in New Jersey with my apartment mates. Three of us and one more friend took a flight from Newark airport to Miami airport and went straight to one of the South Miami Beach hotels near ocean drive.

The very first moment, I went to Miami Beach, I was in love with the place. I wished and told my friends that what it would be like to get a project in such a beautiful place, and as they say, be careful about what you wish for, the wish was fulfilled in Mar 2009. I came to Florida, that too near Miami, and staying here for more than 2 years now. My love for Florida increased with each trip to a different beach. It turned into even more beautiful place, once I got married in Nov 2009 to my lovely wife and came back with her to this beautiful place.

On the west side, there are Miami beaches, Hollandale beach, Hollywood beach, West Palm beach, Paradise beach, Aruba Beach, Boca Raton beach, and a very beautiful Fort Lauderdale beach. There are many more. You can never get tired in exploring all these beaches. Beautiful shades of blue water are all over the ocean. There are nice sea side drives, pathways, and lively restaurants. ‘Mango tropical’ at the Miami Beach and fries at ‘the Deck’ of Fort Lauderdale are our all time favorites.

On the east side, there are some beautiful small towns and islands with white sand beaches. The green and blue shades of water give spiritual experience. It is a great delight to mention Naples, Fort Meyers, Sanibel, Marco Island, Sarasota, barefoot beach, and many more. Shelling is one of the best time pass in these beaches. Mollusk seashells, and Bivalves are plenty, but searching for Shankh is an amazing experience.

Apart from these beach side places, there are many more beautiful places in the center and northern part of Florida. Just to name a few are the lovely Jacksonville, scenic old city of Saint Augustine (and the St Augustine beach), the ever busy theme park city of Orlando (it would require a separate tidbit to say anything about the famous magic kingdom of Disney parks, and Universal Studios). One honorable mention would be the south most city 'Key West' and the bridges over the sea to reach there (another separate topic). List is too long.

I know my days at Florida are approaching the expiry date, but this place will always have a great place in our (mine and Lucky) hearts. Just want to thank the beautiful state today. Thank you, Florida!

- Neeraj Mathpal
July 7, 2011

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