Miami, Coral Gables Venetian Pool

No TV in Algorrobo

The elaborate ploy of booking accommodation with no TV, thus prompting husband to wife chat, didn't really pay off. The Diminutive One worked her way through a load of quilting magazines, and when they were finished, she watched a DVD on how to make rag rugs.I read old copies of the Times sports pages, when Arsenal were top of the Premiership.

Las Cruces

The last time I was in Las Cruces I stayed in a creaky old hotel on a cliff top, and watched the fog rolling in. This time was much better, as it included shrimp empanadas, and no fog. The only tense moment was when it looked like there was no decent postre (afters), although the establishment was able to whip up an ice cream pancake, roughly the size of a regular house brick.

Tunquen

Two fish soup please!
Although The Diminutive One was initially unhappy about booking a hotel room without a TV, she soon perked up if fed seafood every four hours or so. Apart from heading straight out to sea, you will pretty much find a good plate of sea gloop in any direction along the coast of Chile. We only ate at this place(north of Algarrobo)as the road ended and we couldn't turn round.

South Africa

Again, I don't know what year I went to South Africa. Maybe it was about 96. While I was there I read a book called My Traitor's Heart, by Rian Malan, about a white South African who fled his country to avoid military service. I prefer to remember the amazing scenery, rather than being berated on how institutional racism had a purpose, by fascist Brits.
The elephant was in Addo Park. After a day of seeing nothing but dogs, we were suddenly surrounded by elephants.
The penguins live on a beach near Cape Town.
The little kids were from Soweto.

China 92

China is not part of Chile. China is a big country that I went to in 1992. The photos have sat rotting in a box since about 1999, but Father Towl recently went on a scanning frenzy (they are those old fashioned ones that you have to use a film for) and here are the results.
I remember not being able to buy things in shops, as bashful sales assistants just ran off. I also remember being followed down the street by a curious crowd of onlookers, as well as cyclists nearly riding into a lake because of the startling sight of a couple of round eyed freaks sitting on a park bench.

Miami - Art Deco

You will have to forgive the overkill of art deco snaps, as I love the buildings. It's a strange mix of sweating tourists and the body beautiful on roller skates. Roberto spent his pension on parking, and I spent mine on four ice creams.
As you will see from the bottom picture, those Baggies fans are just everywhere.

Key West - Tropic Cinema

This is beauty.

Miami - Key West American Gothic

The setting of Key West, probably the least gothic place in the world, is a strange one for this gigantic statue. The original painting by Grant Wood is world famous, with a sour faced farmer and his wife/daughter, but I didn't expect to see it when turning the corner. The reason they are so serious looking is because they're paying $4 an hour to park, just like us.

Miami - Key West

You take US1 all the way from Miami down through all The Keys, to Key West. At its southern most point it's only 90 miles to Cuba. Cubans regularly wash up somewhere along the shore.