When making our plans to spend the month of January in Miami, we had no idea that EL NIÑO  would be impacting our weather so much.  But we have been able to work around it.

I also discovered how difficult it is to be right-handed and not be able to use that hand!

After self medicating for a few days, we found a Hand Specialist who diagnosed De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis.  He gave me a steroid injection = RELIEF!!

In between the rain and being without a right hand, we did venture out  to visit a couple of places.

The history of the Ancient Spanish Monastery dates back to 1141 AD.  In 1925 William Randolph Hearst purchased the Cloisters and the Monastery’s out-buildings. His intention was to rebuild them somewhere in the US.  How and why it has been rebuilt in Florida makes an interesting read!

The first weekend we were here, naively we attempted to reach the beach!  Miami has a real traffic problem.  There is no room to expand; on one side lies the Atlantic Ocean and on the other side is the Everglades. We decided that next time we wanted to go to the beach, it would be in the middle of the week!

North Miami Beach.

The temperature was very pleasant, in the high 60s F (~ 20C ) But no one swimming!

Who is looking at whom?

The kitten on the bottom & the ginger one lying down are residents of the Monastery.  The other 2 (top left & right) are feral; they were  living in the brush buffering the ocean and the highway. Obviously they find enough to eat!

Key Biscayne    While Jouko played golf,

I went further down the small island to the Bill Baggs State Park.

I have never seen wild Raccoons roaming free during the day.  This fella had just finished begging at a picnic table, with no luck since feeding them is forbidden!

It was overcast, but still quite pleasant to walk around and capture some of the wildlife on camera!

Those are fishing houses on stilts, dating back to the 1930s.  Apparently they are now protected, and some of them are still in use!

Feeding time!

The welcoming committee waiting patiently to escort the new arrival!

There is so much money in the Miami area, and I was just amazed by the number of mansions on this exclusive island of Key Biscayne, which is just off the mainland.  In this  small bay, the yachts & cruisers came to rest and take advantage of the restaurant.  Hmmm “PROZAC”?  And who knew – yachts with solar panels!!