SUN SONG 30: With My Face to the Sun
Calle Ocho, construction everywhere, Miami is hot.
June 13th, 2022
Miami, FL
12.91 miles
I was absolutely zonked. Passed out fully clothed on top of the bed with the lights on. I woke up at 7am without an alarm, completely dumbfounded as my laptop was beside me and my sunglasses were still around my neck. I closed my eyes for one second. Next thing you know, 7 hours had passed.
As mentioned yesterday, my host, Ines, prepared breakfast and coffee for me. She insisted I eat everything as Miami is so expensive. You’re going to experience sticker shock! I reminded her I’ve lived in New York City the last seven years, a very expensive place, but that doesn’t mean I’ll refuse free food.
Ines has been the most generous host. When I left this morning, she asked where I was going. I had very little planned save for walking Calle Ocho, the main drag of Little Havana, eventually making my way downtown, and then up to Little River if I was really, really feeling it. She is so knowledgeable about the city. I’ll admit I was a little self conscious explaining my route for the day.
Ok, yes. Don’t go that way. It’s just a bunch of car dealerships. Now you’re gonna want to go down 17th Street. OK? Take a right on 8th.. Continue until 27th Street and then turn around and walk all the way to Brickell…
Ines takes great care of her guests and just wanted to make sure I was getting the best experience possible. I appreciated her care. Now if only I had an Ines in every city I walked…
I’ve said this about countless cities, but I mean it this time! Miami is really unlike any place I’ve ever walked. It possesses a certain energy and visual language that is specific to Southern Florida. According to the Census Bureau, over 70% of the people living in Miami are Latinos making the city home to the highest concentration in the United States. Nearly 35% of those residents are of Cuban origin. Miami is not just Magic City, but in some circles, considered the capital of Latin America.
The city isn’t as compact or pedestrian friendly as I expected, but I wouldn't consider it as unwalkable as Orlando. Yesterday I walked around Little Havana, Brickell, Downtown, Wynwood, and finally the Design District to meet a friend getting off of work with relative ease. Unlike cities up North which are commonly made of brick, the facades down here are covered in stucco or painted various shades of white, tan, or beige. It’s not unusual to see an entire building painted a radiant green, blue, or yellow, giving the cityscape a vibrant character. It’s very difficult not to photograph Miami.
That being said… I still spent the first hour walking without my camera and kept it in my backpack. I’m developing certain practices when reaching a new city, especially when I’m trying to get the feel for a place. I've found it fruitful not to worry so much about documentation as it pulls me away from my immediate surroundings. Instead, I focus on moving my feet back and forth along the pavement, moving my eyes from one side of the street to another and saying hello to those who walk beside me. When I feel a certain rhythm emerge that feels like flow, I pull out my camera and begin photographing.
This walk has taught me to do less. I’m taking less and less pictures than I previously would. My walks are shorter and usually fall within 10-12 miles per day, opposed to the 15 or 18 I enjoyed walking in New York City. I’m being easier on myself and not worrying about whether the work I’m producing is good or bad. It doesn’t really matter right now. It’s just me and the walk. I hope these feelings continue once I return home.
A digital camera allows for endless pictures, given I have enough SD cards in my pack and a fairly large harddrive. I’ve every reason to press my shutter as much as possible, but that doesn’t appeal as much after 30 days of walking. Instead I’m tuning into my surroundings and focusing more on the fine details. I never considered myself a photographer prior to beginning this work, as my camera was always just a means of documentation, but now I’m becoming increasingly intentional and considerate of the frame. I’m looking for a composition and the dials and buttons of the lens and body are becoming second nature. Of all the people and places I’ve seen, my camera has always been at my hip. It’s my best friend.
Following Ines’ instructions, I walked down Ocho Calle, but stuck to the north side of the street where I was free from the sun. So much of this work, and not because it’s the Sun Song, is about following the sun and watching it move. Half of the day is spent walking one side of the street because there’s more shade and the sun shines directly on the building facades across the street. Typically this results in rich colors and dramatic shadows, given it’s sunny outside. However, eventually I’m forced to the other side or have no choice but to walk with my face to the sun at a certain point of the day.
Ocho Calle is filled with little shops and restaurants. The further east you go, the more touristy it gets, but it’s nothing compared to that of Charleston or Savannah. As much as I love writing about my disdain for tourist traps, I didn’t mind Calle Ocho so much. It was actually quite pleasant. The air smelled like tobacco and cigars. A small public square, appropriately named Domino Park, was filled with elderly men slapping dominos on the table.
I’m sure there are hidden gems all over the place, but they’ve yet to reveal themselves. I walked the length of the neighborhood, but think I will return tomorrow and spend time weaving throughout the streets instead of sticking on the main drag. I have a feeling you could spend an entire Miami trip walking Little Havana.
I was tempted to stop and eat multiple times, but considering I was just getting started and had eaten a large breakfast, I wasn’t in the mood to eat. That didn’t stop me from getting an iced cafe con leche (I despise sugar in my coffee, but this is the only instance where I find it permissible). More on Little Havana tomorrow…
I passed through Brickell just before crossing the bridge downtown. The area is supposedly Miami’s financial center. It’s filled with high-rise buildings, condominiums and the Brickell City Centre, which is a massive luxury shopping mall. I was amazed at the sheer volume of high-rise buildings surrounding me. I’d stick my camera up in the sky just to take photos – something I rarely do while walking around New York City.
I arrived downtown just after 1:30pm. My host, Ines, had mentioned the area was a little down and out these days and I could see what she meant. Vacant storefronts can be found within the vicinity of Miami Avenue and Flagler Street. A few fabric warehouses and watch repair shops remain. Occasionally I’d stumble upon a luxury jewelry store or little market selling cologne. I stopped inside a souvenir shop filled with Miami garb with no intention of buying anything. The shop also carried a handful of New York City souvenirs, which made sense. We’re a looong way from New York City down here, but this place is marketed towards international tourists. I read Miami is the second most popular city for international visitors behind New York City.
I took a break at Bayfront Park, which sits right along the water. It was so hot out and given this walk is coming to a close, I felt no real pressure to push it this afternoon. There was little chance I would make it to Little River. I’m slowly, slowly beginning to wind down. My feet are covered in blisters, I've got heat rash on my arms, and generally speaking, I’m a bit exhausted. My body feels more pain than it did once ago, likely because it knows this whole thing is coming to an end.
There’s so much construction going on in Miami. Everywhere you look, especially as you walk the northern neighborhoods that hug the coast, are construction workers, building materials, and large cranes shooting into the sky. Even here in East Little Havana, not far from where the Miami Marlins play, I wake up to the sound of hammers. A large building is being constructed just blocks away.
Miami has pockets of older developments, but most of my day was spent walking beneath brand new buildings with reflective glass. Have you been to the Hudson Yards in Manhattan? Miami has a similar feel in certain parts, which is such a contrast from Calle Ocho, where I started my day.
I was told to visit Wynwood, which is considered one of Miami’s most “happening” districts. It’s filled with old warehouses that are covered in graffiti and empty lots. Ines mentioned the area was once home to artists, but nowadays is filled with expensive restaurants, a Sweetgreen, hip breweries, and overpriced clothing stores. The area is quite spacious compared to other parts of the city as many buildings were demolished and left as empty lots, but the city is trying to redevelop the area. There are a handful of recently completed luxury high-rises and many more in the middle of construction.
I’m sure Wynwood has its merits and I haven’t walked it enough to truly form a based opinion on the place, but from first glance, there is nothing that makes Wynwood unique to Miami. Every city with a growing population has this kind of neighborhood. Many these places are just the result of a post industrial economy, leaving many warehouses and lofts vacant. It reminds me so much of Bushwick, Brooklyn near the Jefferson L train stop (apologies for New York references today… I just see many parallels between Miami and NYC in some regard). This isn’t a Miami issue, but a global issue. Gentrification has its way of homogenizing and sucking the life out of a city. It’s become especially apparent after COVID. I felt it in Savannah too. Many residents of New York City, for example, have left in search of more comfortable living elsewhere, such as Miami, therefore raising the rent and making it unaffordable for long standing residents.
I ended the day at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) where my friend Adam works. We’re both from Iowa, which I always find comforting even though we haven’t known each other long and grew up in completely different parts of the state.
ICA is located in the Design District. I read the land was once a pineapple farm, but nowadays is full of more luxury developments. The area feels like it was raised in the last ten years. It’s just another neighborhood disguised as a luxury shopping mall consisting of restaurants frequented by celebrities, Dior, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, and the lot, plus numerous design showrooms. I didn’t get much time to walk around as Adam had just got off work and we were both fixing to eat. Having ended the day’s walk, Adam drove me to a restaurant situated in North Bay Village, we ate fish, and called it a day.
The heat really got me. It was probably 8:30pm when I dozed off last night. I woke up 20 minutes later and remembered I still had to start on today’s letter. So I hopped in the shower just to keep myself awake.
More on Miami tomorrow. It rained all morning, but has finally cleared up. Today I hope to walk around Little Havana again and spend time in Allapattah. Stay tuned…
Till then,
–Alex
Love the blue and white striped one, and the first one of the little jewellery shop.