A Bad Day in Miami is Better Than a Good Day Most Other Places

This morning we docked in Miami passing other cruise ships and row after row of palm trees.  The weather and the skyline were beautiful, I had made arrangements to meet with Florida East Coast Railway Special Agents today but, that fell through.  One agent was in training and the other on a call I the next county up from Dade. They texted me a contact of a fellow who was an FEC historian but it turned out he was tied up today as well. That messed up my main objective of visiting in Miami. Still, a bad day in Miami is better than a good day in other places.

I went through downtown looking around then to the Bayside for a nice lunch. Then the trouble began again.

There was booth selling tickets for a water cruise around Biscayne Bay and the islands around Miami. It was an hour and a half tour so there was plenty of time to check Miami out from the water and still make the ship before it left.

I should have had concerns first when ticket lady, while talking on her cellphone offered a discount for cash and then didn't have change. She hit up vendors all around her with no luck then made another cellphone call and ran off. It occurred to me that any pretty girl can stand next to an empty tour sales booth. She finally came back with $15 change all in $1 bills. I though I was going to miss the tour boat because of her running around looking for change but, I needed have worried, The didn't even board until 15 minutes after the announced departure time.

Oh, but this is only the beginning.  When the Captain finally pulled up the gangway and started the motor something wasn't working.  The crew spend 45 minutes running back and forth to a "pirate boat" nearby and talking on their radios making hand gesters back and forth. Yes, a big red pirate boat with skull and crossbones, masts and everything in front of the Miami Hard Rock Café.

They sent us to the other end of the pier to another boat. Now, we wouldn't get back until after my ship left for Cuba. I asked for my money. Already too long a story, I spent another 20 minutes waiting on the girl from the front ticket stand to get there - she didn't. The next group that came up to the booth, I told them they were closed for the day. The tour clerk was upset and I told him I needed my money back and was going to turn everyone away or tell them not take one of their tours until I was refunded. A phone call and the girl from the front was there immediately with my cash.

Still, a bad day in Miami is better than most days elsewhere.