2/15/12 - Kaleidoscope Clouds (travelblog)

I am laughing and smiling, trading jokes with the sun (especially the muffin joke). The clouds are kaleidoscoping above my head. I'm at South Beach Park. This is the beach where they filmed the 4 episode of Dexter, where they found the severed hand on a beach chair. Go ahead, say it, I'm a freak. A nerd.
So my first night in Ft Lauderdale, my host Michael picked me up from the airport. He is so nice! He is a professional cyclist and uber awesome. His girlfriend is amazing as well! They seemed to me to be some really cool people. very easy going and funny.  I took a shower, had a glass of great red wine, and michael dropped me off at my friend Humberto's place. we went to Little Haiti in Miami to a bar called Churchills. As in Winston Fucking Churchill.  :D
Rad bar. good mild rock bands, positive energy not that extreme macho ego punk shit. The people that frequent this bar were too cool. way too cool for any people who actually think they're cool. everyone looked different.  not one person was wearing the same thing as someone else. it was great. most of the girls werent wearing makeup and were all gorgeous and friendly. Rarely do i go to a bar where women are friendly with each other...this is the life.
I met a girl named Maria who had never left the Miami area before in her life. I told her all about couchsurfing and she was so stoked. I am very excited for her in what may be her first adventure in life. I hope her world opens up dramatically and fully to all the amazing experiences this planet has to offer.
Then i saw this guy next to me at the bar, his arm was bleeding! So what do i do...i took a picture. lols.
yeah...bob-like.
I got back to my hosts house (he left the back door open for me to get in) around 1am. woke up this morning at 8am had some tea, repacked my bags, thanked my hosts and caught the 9 bus out of riverland village to the main Transit Center in Ft lauderdale.  I walked the riverfront area. Its so beautiful and reminds me of San Antonio, TX. Albeit, much BIGGER (some things are not bigger in texas..haha)
I finally made it to my next couchhost, he left a key for me under his mat, what a sweetie!
When i walked into his beautiful bright blue painted apartment overlooking a boat dock and a garden pool, i found a little note from my host, "B! Welcome! If you can find it, you can eat it!" LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!
So inspiring. I will be this way from now on. Its too beautiful not to be this way to other surfers in the future.
It's too perfect.
Had breakfast, took a shower (i know! ME?! but something in Florida, i get all sticky and sweaty..i just need to rinse off lol) I walked to the beach and wandered south to South Beach Park, this entertainment landmark (haha) of dexter-o-bilia and now im all sunblocked up and can take in my vitamin D for the next 5 hours. Peace....

After around 4, i started walking North up the beach towards Sunrise Ave...where all the gay beaches are. YAY!
I found Sebastien st, Terramar and Vistamar. 3 mostly gay beaches..i would say Sebastien st was 100% all gay men and i saw one lesbian couple. It was so cute. I loved it. reminded me of Baker Beach in SF...without all the nudity haha

I walked back to my hosts place, made soup and washed the sand off of me.
Changed for Square dancing and Humberto picked me up. We went to Scandals. THE BEST GAY BAR EVER. Best BAR ever. So cool. Very saloon style, country music inside, but hey, disco pop club music on the back island patio. If i lived here, this would be my local bar. :)
We took the beginner lessons and I had the best time ever!
After, we jumped into the intermediate "Reggae Cowboy" Dance and it was wayyyyy fast and complicated, but i got some of it. I'm going back next monday, again after i find me some real cowboy boots.

Then we went to Rodeo, a southwestern grill still in Wilton Manors (the gay area of ft lauderdale, technically in town called Oakland Park.) had the best Pulled Pork of my LIFE. why? WHY? WHY??? did it have to taste so orgasmic...i thanked and sent a namaste to the little piggy who sacrificed this lifetime for my (or whoever elses tastebuds it wouldve gone to anyway). But it made me inspired to try to copy it and make it vegan. I dont think itd be too hard. I'd use seitan and enoki mushrooms probably.
anyway... then i came home with a bellyful and I cant keep my eyes open any longer.
boa noite!
B