Day 50 - Sportodimondo at Hard Rock Stadium

01.01.17

Welcome to 2017! We have also left behind 2016 (with a 6-hour delay compared to SUI). As they say: New year, new luck. We are already trying to implement this motto on the first day of the new year.

At 9am, we get out of bed and head to the kitchen-living-dining room. After a quick cereal and some bread, we prepare ourselves for the 'Super Sunday'. We are going to an American Football game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins :-)

However, the home stadium of Miami is not just around the corner. So we have to get there somehow using public transport. The game starts at 1pm. To make sure we are on time, we leave at 10:40am. After a 15-minute walk and a 10-minute taxi ride, we arrive at the Earlington Heights Metrorail Station. There, a special bus 297 (for $2.25) takes us from 22th Street to 201st Street. After another 30 minutes, we are in front of the stadium. Due to the traffic, we naturally get stuck in a bit of a jam.. The American doesn't walk or take the bus, after all. Luckily, we didn't leave later.

We make our way to the seats in the recently renovated Hard Rock Stadium with 65,000 spectators. Even before the game, it is extremely loud and there is a lot going on. Of course, the national anthem and the huge flag (about 100x50m) that launches the game are also impressive. The game begins at 1pm amid deafening noise. We didn't expect it to be this loud. The guests from New England, with Tom Brady as quarterback, start strong and even take a lead of 20-0.

But Miami wakes up. 2 touchdowns bring the Dolphins back to 20-14. However, there are some mistakes in important situations and Miami ends up losing 35-14.

It's time to head home. By the way, the other 64,998 spectators are also going home. We quickly reach the bus and can even sit down. However, we only get off 90 minutes later at the Earlington Heights Station. We try in vain to take bus J from there to Miami Beach. So we have to take a taxi again.

Since we have become a bit hungry, we go shopping at Publix. A short walk around the golf course takes us to the shop. After shopping, we walk the last stretch to the apartment. We cook a cozy meal and try to digest all the 'tackles' from today's game before falling asleep.

P.S. We still owe you the story of the involuntary bath in the river in Maui. Take a look...