This past week brought some of my friends to South Florida, and that was wonderful!!! Marja was here with her daughter Carina attending a Spa Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Carina is opening her own spa in Curaçao....
As busy as they were, they made time to have dinner with Frankie and I on the Sunday evening. We met at Espanola Way, on the Beach. A quaint place, made for tourists of course, but still very nice. The food was alright, the wine great and the company.....fantastic! We talked of everything, which was fantastic. Have I told you that I really love it when I see old friends? people that know me so well, I have nothing to explain or clarify.... They got me up to date with other friends' lives in a familiar and comfortable sort of way.
Then on Monday I drove all the way to Aventura Mall to meet them again. Shopping is still one thing everyone from the island does when traveling abroad. There is always something you can't find on the island, or is cheaper here, or it's new. I remember those times so well. It took me forever to get there by way of Biscayne Boulevard...I hate the expressway, as you know, but so worth it! Marja and I sat and had a drink, yes on a week day, while Carina shopped.
We drove back to their hotel, had another drink and talked some more and had fun. Except for the bartender who got mad at us because we asked him to turn down the music! He was so rude saying he couldn't work without music, so he was closing the bar and leaving early! He presented us with the bill and stormed out. Great service..... We stayed there and finished our drinks and then I said good bye, it was hard..... I drove home reminiscing of other times and other places. Still, I was so happy to have seen them.
On the next Saturday, Carolyn came calling. She lived in Curaçao years ago and we have kept in touch through the years. We hadn't seen each other in fifteen years. Since she was visiting family with her mother, we could only get together for lunch. We made the best of it, meeting half way between Lauderhill and Miami...in Aventura! Picked a Chinese restaurant that was conveniently located and enjoyed every minute. As with Marja, there was so much to talked about, so little explaining to do, so comfortable. We want to meet in Curacao in the Fall!!
Finally last night, we met Tony. He was here on his way to Mexico, and had been...shopping with Frankie in the afternoon. We went to our favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant. It is small and cozy and the food is so good. Tony was full of news about the island, the changes since we last were there, the new places that have opened, the get together with mutual friends. He could give us a better idea of the situation on the island: political, financial and social. For the first time since we moved to Miami, he didn't discouraged me when I said...we should move back! Well, he did say Panama would be cheaper, but I was surprised.
Even though it was a bit sad to see my friends, even though it was hard to say goodbye, I am grateful for those friendships started so long ago that still are so much a part of my life. In times like these, I wonder...is it not written in the stars that I should go back to Curaçao???
As busy as they were, they made time to have dinner with Frankie and I on the Sunday evening. We met at Espanola Way, on the Beach. A quaint place, made for tourists of course, but still very nice. The food was alright, the wine great and the company.....fantastic! We talked of everything, which was fantastic. Have I told you that I really love it when I see old friends? people that know me so well, I have nothing to explain or clarify.... They got me up to date with other friends' lives in a familiar and comfortable sort of way.
Then on Monday I drove all the way to Aventura Mall to meet them again. Shopping is still one thing everyone from the island does when traveling abroad. There is always something you can't find on the island, or is cheaper here, or it's new. I remember those times so well. It took me forever to get there by way of Biscayne Boulevard...I hate the expressway, as you know, but so worth it! Marja and I sat and had a drink, yes on a week day, while Carina shopped.
We drove back to their hotel, had another drink and talked some more and had fun. Except for the bartender who got mad at us because we asked him to turn down the music! He was so rude saying he couldn't work without music, so he was closing the bar and leaving early! He presented us with the bill and stormed out. Great service..... We stayed there and finished our drinks and then I said good bye, it was hard..... I drove home reminiscing of other times and other places. Still, I was so happy to have seen them.
On the next Saturday, Carolyn came calling. She lived in Curaçao years ago and we have kept in touch through the years. We hadn't seen each other in fifteen years. Since she was visiting family with her mother, we could only get together for lunch. We made the best of it, meeting half way between Lauderhill and Miami...in Aventura! Picked a Chinese restaurant that was conveniently located and enjoyed every minute. As with Marja, there was so much to talked about, so little explaining to do, so comfortable. We want to meet in Curacao in the Fall!!
Finally last night, we met Tony. He was here on his way to Mexico, and had been...shopping with Frankie in the afternoon. We went to our favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant. It is small and cozy and the food is so good. Tony was full of news about the island, the changes since we last were there, the new places that have opened, the get together with mutual friends. He could give us a better idea of the situation on the island: political, financial and social. For the first time since we moved to Miami, he didn't discouraged me when I said...we should move back! Well, he did say Panama would be cheaper, but I was surprised.
Even though it was a bit sad to see my friends, even though it was hard to say goodbye, I am grateful for those friendships started so long ago that still are so much a part of my life. In times like these, I wonder...is it not written in the stars that I should go back to Curaçao???
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