The initial plan was to travel from Budapest to Manila, but the company’s plans unexpectedly changed. It turned out that before reaching my final destination, I had to cross the Atlantic Ocean first. The schedule was set up in such a way that I practically became part of a mini-around the world trip: Budapest -> Miami -> Los Angeles -> Manila and then a few weeks later via Dubai to Budapest..
The few days I spent in Miami were mostly filled with work meetings. However, the Florida sunshine and the proximity of the sea provided a wonderful backdrop to the professional challenges. Although our time was limited, we managed to take a few hours to catch a glimpse of the vibrant life of the city and recharge a little.
One evening, after the exhausting meetings, we had an unforgettable dinner at the famous Rusty Pelican restaurant. The restaurant is located on Key Biscayne, and its terrace offers awesome night view of Miami’s gleaming, modern skyscrapers of the Downtown.
After the meetings in Miami, the logistical challenge of the trip across the Pacific Ocean began. The flight took me via Los Angeles to Manila, and the leg between Los Angeles and Manila was the longest flight of my life, at over 15 hours.
Miami’s history began thousands of years ago, when the Tequesta Indians inhabited the area around the Miami River. Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century, but the area remained largely untouched for a long time. Miami’s modern development is due to businesswoman Julia Tuttle, who in the 1890s convinced Henry Flagler to extend his railroad to this area. Thus, in 1896, Miami officially became a city – the only major American city founded by a woman.
After the real estate boom of the 1920s, Miami became truly important during World War II as a military training center. The most defining event of the post-war period was the Cuban Revolution of 1959, after which hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled to the city. This fundamentally changed the city’s image and culture, creating neighborhoods such as Little Havana and the Latin American character that is still felt today in Miami.
Today, Miami’s economic and cultural importance is also significant on a global scale. The city is often called the “Gateway to America” because it forms a strategic bridge between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean. Miami International Airport and PortMiami, the world’s busiest cruise port, are the engines of international trade and tourism. Miami is now not only a resort city, but also a major financial center: after New York, it is home to the largest number of international banks in the country.
From a cultural perspective, Miami is one of the most colorful metropolises in the world, with more than 70% of the population being of Hispanic origin. This diversity is also reflected in the gastronomy, music and arts, as is reflected in Art Basel Miami Beach, one of the world’s most prestigious art fairs. From the graffiti of Wynwood to the skyscrapers of Brickell, Miami is today a modern, innovative and extremely fast-growing global city, which has also become one of the new centers of the technology sector and the cryptocurrency market.
