Follow the sun

TRAVEL | United States
Follow the sun
Florida sands:
the journey
begins in Miami
Entdecken Sie bezaubernde Strände, Cafes und Sehenswürdigkeiten in Südwestflorida –
während Sie sich von der Sonne verwöhnen lassen. Von KARIN HOLLY
Day 1
Arrival, 4:45 p.m.
18
Spotlight 5|15
as sugarcane. The general economic well-being led to the
rise of tourism in the 1920s, when a lot of real estate was
sold and many hotels were built. Then came the Great
Depression, which slowed everything down. The state
would have to wait a long time to experience boom times
again — until the years during and after World War II.
The west coast developed more slowly than many other areas of Florida. Today, it is a vacation and retirement
paradise, with culture-rich cities and plenty of fine hotels.
But its lovely beaches can still be places of quiet, even
solitude. What they always provide, and this without fail,
is a wonderful place in the sun.
cattle [(kÄt&l]
glittering [(glItErIN]
head: ~ for sth. [hed]
real estate [(ri:&l I)steIt] N. Am.
solitude [(sA:lEtU:d]
sugarcane [(SUg&rkeIn]
Vieh
glanzvoll, glitzernd
etw. ansteuern,
auf etw. Kurs nehmen
Immobilie(n)
Einsamkeit
Zuckerrohr
11 a.m.
I head out of Miami on I-75 north. Locals refer to parts
of this highway as “Alligator Alley.” That’s because, on any
given day, you can see dozens of these reptiles taking a
snooze along the sides of the canal that runs parallel to the
road. Alligator Alley will take you through the edges of
the Everglades, which is the largest subtropical wilderness
in the United States. More than a million people visit the
park each year to enjoy its various protected landscapes:
rare areas of Florida pineland, coastal mangrove forests,
and tropical hardwood hammocks. There are plenty of
places to stop and explore, but I continue my trek to the
west coast.
About three hours northwest of Miami — through the
Everglades National Park and past the city of Fort Myers
— sits a little coastal community called Englewood. It
dates back more than 100 years, and the people who live
here are proud to preserve the historical small-town feel.
In 1884, the three Nichols brothers from Illinois
bought land here with the idea of growing lemons. They
named the area after their own hometown in Illinois.
Dearborn Street is at its heart, and I plan to explore the
many lovely shops and boutiques that have found homes
in historical buildings there. Before doing so, I stop for
lunch at a little restaurant called the Mango Bistro. There,
I enjoy a fresh Florida salad and a sandwich, all the while
thinking about the great coffees and crèpes on the menu.
hardwood hammocks
[(hA:rdwUd )hÄmEks]
pineland [(paInlÄnd]
preserve [pri(z§:v]
snooze: take a ˜ [snu:z] ifml.
Fotos: iStock
The sun is just about to set as I leave Miami International Airport. There’s a gentle breeze on my face, and the
air smells of coconut and the salty Atlantic Ocean. Aside
from the traffic, I hear palm trees in the wind, the rhythm
of Cuban music, and the excited sound of people getting
ready to enjoy a glittering night in Miami.
It’s quite a thrilling thought: I could head straight for
the city’s famous South Beach, walk along the seaside
boulevard, and take part in Miami’s famous nightlife. But
on this trip, I want to do something different: I plan to
drive a few hours west to experience what is so often described as “the real Florida.”
The west coast is known for being slower and having
a more relaxed atmosphere. With a wealth of wildlife and
glorious beaches, it’s a region that does much to define
what makes the Sunshine State so great.
In 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the US. By
1900, there were only half a million people living within
its borders. Farmers did extremely well there, raising cattle and growing fruit — especially citrus fruit — as well
7 a.m.
Don’t get too
close: an alligator
in the Everglades
Hartholzbestände
Kiefernwald
erhalten
ein Nickerchen machen
5|15 Spotlight
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