The glory of South Beach...

This is our third visit to Miami, and we spent five nights here to get over our jet lag before setting out for Cuba. This time the weather varied from warm to cool (the southern fringe of the bad storms affecting the north), with some persistent light rain on one day. It was very windy throughout. Apart from the rainy day, skies were mostly blue with quite photogenic cloud formations. Afternoons got stormy.

Ocean Ave has some of the prettiest art deco examples.

The art deco architecture of South Miami Beach remains its greatest appeal, for us. Walking around this area provides endless pleasant surprises, and an interesting new building appears, tastefully painted in delicate pastels. No doubt, city ordinances protect this architecture.

Even modest apartments can feature neat art deco features and colour enhancements.

Very appealing pastel colour schemes adorn many buildings in South Beach.

Apparently, the term art deco derives from the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Artes Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, and that style was adopted fulsomely in rebuilding the young resort city after a hurricane in 1926 destroyed it and killed 400 people. Some 800 art deco buildings are registered in the area.

Moon rising over the Ritz Plaza at sunset.

Even newer buildings along Collins Ave adopt a faux art deco style.

This building is regarded by some as the best example of art deco. It reveals that the so-appealing pastel coloration is not an essential feature of the genre! The building now houses the Bass Museum of Modern Art.

Our hotel in Collins Ave is quite near the Lincoln Steet Mall which on Sunday, one of our jet-lag recovery days, was abuzz with market stalls (local crafts, art deco artifacts and fresh produce) and open-air restaurants. We managed to find good coffee and food, but the crowding and noise made the whole experience a bit unpleasant. The gusty wind added to the discomfort, the outdoor cafes having to struggle to keep umbrellas up and things on the table.

High hazard flags warn of dangerous surf conditions.

Determined beachgoers scurry for protection from the strong breezes.

The beach is an incredible attraction to tourists here, and even now, in winter, it entertains a modest crowd up and down its long length. But the beach-goers have to be determined. The wide sandy area is a windswept wasteland. People grimly try to protect themselves from the uncomfortable and neverending blast. There is almost no-one in the water, and the surf is quite rough and unruly, stirred up by the wind. Red flags on every lifeguard station (maybe 100m apart for many kilometers) signify "high hazard". Even in this season, each and every one of those lifeguard stations appears to be manned.

Enjoyment of a brief period of sunny respite from the unpleasant winds.

We enjoyed a takeaway dinner and beer on the front balcony of our Collins Ave hotel, cool enough for jackets.