Sunday we visited Mami, observed the Day of Remembrance and..

Sunday we went to visit my Mami in Miami Beach. Did a lot of eating, walking and talking.

We took the time to visit The Holocaust Memorial in honor of The Day of Remembrance and The Miami Beach Botanical Gardens.

The Day of Remembrance is an annual celebration in commemoration of the more than 6 million Jewish victims (as well as gays, gypsies, artists, catholics, poets, etc) that were massacred by Hitler's forces.

My father's last name is a converted Jewish name. I remember he would talk about his Cuban-European  Born-Jewish Grandpa and how he became a Catholic so he could marry a local girl.

My family is beautifully mixed; we have Indian, White European, Black and Scott-Irish-American on my daughters side. So we celebrate our many cultures and religious backgrounds.



PART I

Efforts to build The Memorial started in 1984.

 This entire area is a semicircular colonnade made from Jerusalem stone columns

and they support a wooden arbor decorated with white bougainvillea vines.

The Hand reflection in the pool/fountain.

I wore my old Target shirt.

My oldest daughter Forever 21 bag.

Cha Cha Vente skirt from Steinmart.

Indian necklace(it kept getting inside my shirt) and bracelets.

Roman style sandals.

This Memorial was designed by Kenneth Treister and it opened

on Sunday, February 4, 1990.

The devastion in the figures creates a contrast with the lush vegetation around it.

It was a bright and hot day.

My Mom and I stayed and observed the hand up close. My girls

and my niece were upset and had to leave.

Walking my way to The Lonely Path.  

When you walk through The Path, you will hear the voices of Israeli children singing songs about the Holocaust...

PART II

After spilling our emotions at The Memorial, we decided to walk The Botanical Gardens. A 31/2 minute walk.

The oleander: beautiful and poisonous, if put into drinking water. When I lived

 in Dominican Republic we had a gorgeous white oleander tree across from our house. 

This is a giant sculpture in the form of a strapless dress.

Two nudes relaxing in the garden. Yeah, because this is how we women relax.

Koi fish by the Japanese garden area.

Another tranquil space in the Japanese garden.

This lovely area is a fountain and its right by the entrance.

I had to sit and smell the roses!

Youngest daughter, releasing some of the sad energy by screaming.

Oldest daughter, placing the sad energy into the painted flamingo!

Me, using scream as a emotional release. Youngest daughter

already cured from sadness.

Leaving our "secret garden".

 My Mami cooked: Arroz con pollo, vegetables, empanadas, calabaza (squash). 

Not shown on the photos were: platanos amarillos (yellow plantaints) and pescado frito (fried fish).  

This is how my plate look before I engaged in some serious eating.