Free Falling

The next morning, we left the hotel early and drove to a small airport.  Chris reminded me of the time we went on a hot air balloon ride just after we got engaged, so I thought that was what we were doing...until I saw a sign for Miami Skydiving Center! 

ready to go!

My instructor, Chris, could tell I was nervous and said that he would jump with me (he was the most experienced with over 10,000 jumps!).  He asked in what order I wanted to go and I said first! There was one single jumper that went before us, and then we led the 4 tandem jumps.   

Chris said his scariest moment was watching me disappear out of the plane!  Chris with his instructor Anthony (the horse!), they did a flip out of the plane!

we jumped out of the plane at 12,000 feet

and free fall for 7,000 feet at 120 mph (in about 40 seconds)!

Then parachute down 5,000 feet for about 7 minutes.

walking on clouds and spinning in circles with the parachute!

we all landed safely, in a bean field!

Join the Circus

Chris and I walked from the hotel to Bayfront Park.  

In the middle of the park was The Flying Trapeze School and we were there for a 2 hour class!  

When the instructor started by saying that by the end of the class we would be doing flip dismounts and swinging from our legs to someone catching us, I smiled and thought I don't know if I can even hold onto that bar for a swing!  

But in no time we were FLYING and by the end of class we had both accomplished all he had promised!  It was such a fun experience!

     the scariest part was the 30 foot climb up to the platform!

Vizcaya

Our first activity was visiting the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.  

Vizcaya is a lavish historic estate built in the 1910's and we enjoyed taking a guided tour through the beautiful gardens and then walking through the home. 

The Ride and the Room

While Mom and Dad stayed with the children, Chris and I went away for two days 

(Hadassah's first time overnight without me and she did super!).  

Chris had the entire time planned with romantic and adventure activities 

and it was all a surprise for me (I didn't even know where we were going)! 

One of Chris's friends lent us this car for the trip and we had so much fun driving in a convertible with beautiful weather!  We said good-bye, went to breakfast and then (listening to a CD he'd made with Will Smith's "Bienvenido a Miami"!) we drove to Miami!  

 we stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Miami

lobbyour room

view from our balcony

welcome message 
on the tv and chocolates

sand sculpture on the hotel beach

 rose petal path to rose petal heart on bed in the evening!

Chris ordered these delicious chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate cake as a yummy surprise!

We went to dinner that night at Cafe Sambal, 

a  restaurant on property overlooking the Biscayne Bay.  

When we returned to the room another plate of chocolate strawberries and chocolate candies had been delivered (from a friend who knew we were celebrating my birthday)!