MUSIC AND SPORTS

Yesterday the stormy wind had died down and it was a balmy summer evening, and the nice thing about open bars here in the USA are the musicians who play live music with their guitars and technical equipment. The one yesterday sang a bit flat in the higher registers, I’m a bit stricter about that as a musician than the rest of the audience, but the good old rock, country and pop song potential was enough to make you forget about an approaching war on the other side of the Atlantic for a moment. And it led to a bucket full of dollars for the singer, that’s right, five were from me. I could even hear him from my balcony in the hotel, but somehow in Florida life is vanishing outside at 9pm, so you have to keep drinking in the indoor bars and the music fades away over the sound of the waves.

This gym group with a personal trainer on the beach in front of my hotel made me realize again the next morning why I like Florida better than California. There are simply far fewer sporty people here, and in contrast to Santa Monica Blvd, I am one of the thinnest here, I fit in, even without fitness.

Friday afternoon a group of African-American girls arrived at the hotel, about 8 to 10, including all BMI’s from slim to well, massive. The purpose of the event wasn’t revealed until Saturday afternoon when, with cool beats, one of them posed for the photographer in a white swimsuit and veil, high contrast on the outside steps, “Bride” emblazoned in gold letters on the front, surrounded by the others all black on black with “Bride-Tribe” written on them. The girls gang then moved on to the beach, where they were unfortunately driven away by the onset of rain, which brought no men, hopefully not an omen for the woman in white…..They still had fun, and I was curious to see what form this bachelorette party would take.