We had a day in between coming off our first cruise on NCL's Getaway, before we embarked on our second cruise, on MSC's Armonia. We found a hotel in the Coral Gables area of Miami, Florida for the night. We had briefly been to Coral Gables many years before on one of our first trips to Miami, so this gave us the opportunity to see more of the area. We took a cab from the cruise terminal, but later found out how we could have done it with public transportation for a lot less (although it would take a lot longer). We walked around the Coral Gables area, did some shopping, had a bite to eat then headed back to the hotel. We had planned to go out to one of the many restaurants in the area for dinner, but in the end we just grabbed something light from the supermarket across the street, and enjoyed a relaxing night in the hotel.
Setting out from our hotel - one of the wide, landscaped streets.
"Coral Gables was one of the first planned communities, and its planning was based on the popular early twentieth century City Beautiful Movement. It is infamous for its strict zoning regulations." The buildings are attractive and cohesive, if lacking a little imagination and variety.
One end of the Miracle Mile downtown section.
Giralda Plaza section of Giralda Avenue is a popular pedestrian area with many shops and restaurants with al fresco seating.
The glittering, undulating canopy over Giralda Plaza. The movement of the ribbons was very cool. We had thought to maybe come back later for dinner, but in the end stayed close to the hotel. (Well... we just got take-away and ate IN the hotel.)
"The Coral Gables Police and Fire Station is a historic site in Coral Gables. Completed in 1939 as a Works Progress Administration project, it was designed by Phineas Paist. In 2003, steps are taken to preserve the building and its legacy and by 2011, it had reopened to the public as the Coral Gables Museum."
Some of the interesting detail of the Police and Fire Station.
Coral Gables City Hall - "On July 24, 1974, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The city hall was built in the Mediterranean Revival architectural style and completed in 1928. Phineas Paist and Harold Steward were the architects. It was major element in the plan of George E. Merrick, founder of Coral Gables, to create a Spanish-Mediterranean city."
NEXT: (Day 1) Miami, Embarkation
Caribbean-Cuba (MSC) - 2019
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