"Life in Plantation: Finale"

Ok, finally the last post for Life in Plantation! When Gf was here, during the one of the weekday, after work, brought her to the Hard Rock Casino. Time to see if can get some extra income :D

This time the fountain music/show was on! Sort of like a small scale version of the fountain in Bellagio, Las Vegas. Registered for the Players club, got USD20, and started playing the slot machines! Too bad she didn't win anything. Sometimes just no luck :-S After that just go outside, take pics.



Statue of gators... hehe...

Everyday eat McD gona muntah dy, so got once brought her to Chada Thai, restaurant just opposite Modo office. They serve a pretty decent meal, especially the Kaw Pad Kapraw (fried rice). The curry has too much coconut milk, but considered decent by the standards here.

Also took pic of several other places we ate before.. like this Papa John's. Really awesome pizza! Its so much better than the crappy M'sian Pizza Hut.



Caspian Persian Grill... and our all time favorite Al-Salam Mediterranean food!

The day before we left, took a pic of Crowne Plaza from across the street in Sawgrass Mills.



Drove around, snapping pics. Plantation really has a lot of fountains. Check out some of the houses here.. superb eh.. got their own garage.



On the morning before we departed, Gf took a pic of the Crowne Plaza shuttle bus which ferried her to Sawgrass Mills daily :D



Pontiac Grand Prix waiting outside to load the luggage... quite sad to leave also. Spent 3 months here, sort of like forgotten how M'sia life is dy. Anyway, after some last minute shopping.. it's goodbye Plantation,
.
.
.
.
.




and hello Malibu, CALIFORNIA!

"Life in Plantation: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens"

On another weekend, Fren2 and I went to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Miami.

From their website:

"Vizcaya is a National Historic Landmark; we're also a museum owned by Miami-Dade County and accredited by the American Association of Museums. Vizcaya is open to the public 364 days each year, and we invite you to visit this serene and stunningly beautiful retreat in the heart of Miami.

Built by agricultural industrialist James Deering in 1916, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens features a main house, ten acres of formal gardens, a hardwood hammock, and soon-to-be-restored historic village"

Actually the reason we go there is because they have FREE admission for 3 times a year, and so happen it was on that weekend! (normal is USD10 per person) Actually also nothing to do la... :P

The place was packed with people (ah, they did their homework too). The entrance.



Walk a bit into the garden to reach the house.



Ah, reached. Beautiful mansion..



With all the designs. Once you go inside the building, no photography is allowed (ceh~~). They have volunteers who will be there to explain the details of the house and the antique collection inside. We weren't there for long. Once done, the exit of the house will lead u too....

.
.
.
.
.




Stunning view of the sea just right behind the house!



Super rich house :D From there, we can take a walk into the Gardens...








Very beautifully garden. No need to describe dy..

After awhile, it was kind of hot. Then look at the time, ah, about 1PM dy.. we spent about 2 hours here, then decided, enough dy, better go back to hotel and watch Euro 2008 Final! :P

Worth the visit? Sure! Love the gardens and the scenery behind the house..

"Life in Plantation: Big Cypress National Preserve"

Another nature adventure that you can do in Florida: the scenic drive through Turner River/Upper Wagonwheel/Birdon Road Loop Drive, which cuts into the Big Cypress National Preserve. Take I75 south, then US41 west. The Loop Drive takes you by open prairies and popular wading bird feeding areas.

This place is pretty hard to find. Even with Fren2 beside me, we missed it and had to do a turn. The Loop is off the main road, and chances are you'd drive past without even noticing it. When we finally got there...

Yes, DON'T feed the alligators. Man, who'd want to feed gators?? Imagine u give food to it, then wat happens if the gator chomps down ur hand also?? Sig..

At the entrance is a board walk, pretty safe. But as you drive into the Loop, there's no more barriers or anything. See pic below:

You can imagine how close we were to the gators! But still must take pics :P

Fren2 say dun turn ur back to the gator. Well, if I saw him running when he took my pic, then I know I have to run too :P

The loop drive.. driving in the open field. The volumes of clouds are just amazing. As we drove further, there wasn't much to see alrdy. THEN..

White birds! (Duno wats the name :P )

Ok, that's the other activity, bird watching. Man, they just don't stay still. Everytime we come close, they fly away! Eventually frustrated dy, just watch from inside the car :-S



The open skies. The landscape in Florida is so flat (as in no mountains/hills), that you always get to see the wonderful clear blue skies.

Is this place worth going? Well, recommended if you're a nature person. For me, it's a bit disappointing (most brochures in US are like that: the way they market it is like so great, but then when u go there, lemah dy!)

Oh, and on the way back, we saw the entrance to Shark Valley, another part of the Everglades National Park. Hmm.. Nahh... enough of gators dy!

"Life in Plantation: Miami wrap-up"

Fren2 reminded me that next week is Memorial day holiday. Wow, it's already been a year since the trip. Anyway, this next post is the day after Disney, want to drive back from Orlando to Plantation. We actually check out of Crowne Plaza Plantation and checked in to Crowne Plaza Orlando during this trip. Thankfully it is also Modo preferred hotel :D



Saw a fleet of Mini Coopers decorated like a drink :P

The drive back via I-95 was boring. Luckily Gf drive. But then as we near Plantation, suddenly decided, hey still quite early, maybe we should go Miami again! I wanted to take a pic with those large cruise ships up close, so we drove to find where is the place that we can see it.



Ah, found it :D Cruise lining up. What a name: "Freedom of the Seas"! The Port of Miami is the world's largest cruise ship port and it's always a wonder to see, even though I've been here many times :)



Then we drove around Downtown Miami...

Dade County Courthouse and Flagler Street, named after the founder of Miami, Henry Flager.

Here are some pics from another time which Fren2 and I went to Miami. This is the American Airlines Arena stadium, home to NBA's Miami Heats.



suddenly saw a black Optimus Prime :D

Oh yeah, and this is the Freedom Tower, one of the heritage sites in Florida, which serves as a memorial of the Cuban migration to US.



Skyscrapers...



Ah, this car brings back memories :D

Some pic of cars... 911...




It's not uncommon to see sports cars in Miami... Corvettes, Ferraris.... and my favourite Pontiac Soltice, which isn't too expensive, about USD28k.

And we also tried to see if we could go into Star Island, which is an artificial island where some of the celebrities like Shaq O' Neil, Will Smith and P Diddy stayed.



Alamak, got guard house.. lemah dy... turn back :-S

Ok, after Miami, we check in back to Crowne Plaza Plantation, and guess what, they gave us a suite!



Got living room area :D

Then that night went for dinner at this Mexican restaurant:



Nachos.. superb... and this hot plate chicken dish..



another chicken dish... gosh, so huge portion.



Food is really good and affordable (USD10-15 for a set). But I think this amount can feed 4 person :-S, end up tah-pau back :P

Ok, not too many posts for Life in Plantation left.. Next:
1) Big Cypress National Preserve
2) Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
3) Hard Rock Casino Part 2

"Life in Plantation: Miami!"

One of the must go places if you are in Plantation is of coz, Miami. It's just 45 minutes away and the most happening place in South Florida!



Highways on top of one another.. scary huh. First up, we head to Ocean Drive, South Beach.



where u'll be greeted by these massive cruise liners!



And the world famous South Beach! Warning (?) this is a topless beach, so use your own discretion (yahoo!) when visiting :P



self-explanatory ;)

Too bad after awhile it rained! Oh no..... went to find shelter. When the sky is clear again, went for a walk around the area.




The last pic is the home of fashion designer Versace, who was shot dead at this very door step.



Oh look, a M&M's van.



Ocean Drive is the street facing the beach itself and is the most happening spot around! Parking is absolutely a nightmare, you can round several times and never get one! The street is filled with cafes, bars, clubs... u name it!



Hehe, found the M&M's people. They distributed this new M&M's ice-cream. It tastes...AWESOME :D We took 4 and that became lunch :P

Just the next road is Collin's Avenue, shopping and fashion paradise~~




This won't be the last time we're here :-S




A Pontiac Solstice! (Jazz in Transformers :P)



Fast cars, hot people~~

After that we drove around, and went to the Holocaust Memorial.



This memorial is to remember the millions of Jews who were killed by the Nazis in WWII. A very grim place: there's lots of pictures showing the various tortures and experiments conducted on the Jews.



Yup, it's a pretty spooky place, even in the daytime. Chow~~~ Nearby is Lincoln Road, a marketplace. Not much here.. a few street performers (note that u r expected to give tips when necessary)



Drive around some more. I remember there was a place that Kyaw brought me the first time I came here....



... to catch a sunset. It's already 7PM, but the sky's still so bright. No chance for that! This place is called Key Biscayne. There's a lighthouse too..



...hidden in a secluded part of the park. The beach here is far cleaner than the congested South Beach.




Driving around, catch the skyline of Downtown Miami. Next, more Miami!