What would day three of our adventure bring as we continued south toward Miami? We were getting closer to the tip of Florida and I could hardly wait to see what would be in our path!
As we approached Miami, the traffic was definitely getting heavier. We didn’t have a plan for the day, so we put Little Havana into Google Maps. Surely this would be a good place to start…. and it was getting close to lunchtime… so the thought of finding a great restaurant was on our minds.
As we got off of the freeway, we noticed some excitement in the area. We passed the stadium where the Miami Marlins play, and would you believe we were right on time for the baseball game that day!? It was a hot day, but the stadium is inside a dome!
We could think of no reason not to go to the baseball game on this random day that we found ourselves in Miami. We pulled into the nearest parking deck and Cavin bought tickets to the game using an app on his iPhone! We sound like pretty cool 50-something-year-olds… if you ask me! …But don’t ask our kids… or the guy at the ticket gate who had to help us figure out how to access the tickets to get into the game!
Inside the dome, we found our seats pretty easily, which were near perfect! We were sitting behind home plate with a clear view of the field! I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Thursday afternoon!
Lunch that day consisted of all the ballpark favorites…. a hot dog, popcorn, and soft drink. These are not necessarily my favorites…. but when you’re watching an impromptu baseball game, it will have to do!
The Miami Marlins were playing against the Colorado Rockies. Of course, we pulled for the Marlins… Cavin enjoyed watching the game, and I enjoyed watching the fans. The Marlins pulled out the win that day, and it was also a win for day three of our vacation!
Miami is such a unique city. It’s an all-American city with a blend of Latin flair. It’s a city that reminds us so much of living in Panamá City, Panamá. Just like Panamá, there are palm trees throughout the city and lots of ocean views. Oh…. and did I mention the traffic! We had fun driving through Little Havana and South Beach. The art deco hotels are well preserved. They give the city a cool feel, even in the heat of the summer! There were lots of beautiful sights…. and lots of people… and traffic… everywhere!
Since Miami had us missing Latin culture, we decided on dinner at Pollo Tropical – that means “Tropical Chicken” for all you non-Spanish speakers. This quick-serve restaurant started in Miami in 1988. Two brothers studied cookbooks on Latin American cooking and experimented on their backyard grill to create the perfect marinade. We’ve eaten at locations in Panamá and Atlanta. It seemed like the perfect ending to our day in Miami.
I chose the Avocado Cilantro TropiChop Bowl which consisted of rice, black beans, grilled chicken, and fresh avocado slices. It was served with an avocado cilantro sauce that pulled the whole dish together. I just love a good sauce! Cavin chose two fresh skinless, boneless all-white meat chicken breasts marinated in a citrus blend, then grilled. He chose rice and fries as his side items. Once again, the avocado cilantro dipping sauce took his meal to the next level! A good dipping sauce can’t be underestimated!
All in all, I would say there were a lot of wins for Miami on day three of our vacation! The Marlins won the baseball game; the city won for its architecture, tropical feel, and Latin culture; and Pollo Tropical pulled it all together with their stand-out avocado cilantro sauce!
We ended our day in Homestead… the city at the tip of the mainland of Florida … which leads to the Florida Keys! More fun awaits on day four of the “Cawthon Adventure”.
Sampling the South… one adventure at a time!