Did you know that the average temperature on Miami Beach in the month of July is 90 degrees? Yea, that's hot, especially for a hedgehog covered in fur. Juliette's cousin Harriette lives in a small town in South Florida and has always wanted to visit Miami Beach. She had seen pictures of all the beautiful people lying on the beach, with the breeze blowing their hair and the sun making their skin glow. They have tall frosty drinks in their hands and smiles on their faces. Harriette thought this must be the place for me! But she was a shy and fearful hedgehog unlike her cousin Juliette. Juliette was brave and adventurous.
One day as Harriette was looking through a Southern Living magazine, she got a text from Juliette. "What's up cous?" it said. Out of the blue, Harriette texts back, "I want to go to Miami. Will you go with me?" Without any hesitation, Juliette returns with "Sure. When." And so, the adventure begins.
Juliette lives in Chatanooga Tennessee. She hopped on a bus and in 8 hours she was knocking on Harriette's front door. She looked amazing in her beach hat and dark sunglasses. Harriette felt frumpy in her old-fashioned housedress. Juliette didn't even notice. She gave Harriette a big hug, carefully of course. They are hedgehogs you know.
Harriette had a map spread out on her kitchen table. They planned their route and called for an Uber. Oh yes, there is a big network of small-animal Uber drivers. They hopped in the vehicle and began their journey.
Juliette had found them an oceanfront hotel, the Surfcomber. It was a classic upscale place with loads of amenities. They found a room and settled in. The frig was stocked with drinks, and the cupboard had all the snacks 2 little hedgehogs could hope for. The bed was humongous with soft and fluffy pillows. They quickly changed out of their traveling clothes and put on their beach outfits. Of course, Juliette had a bikini, while Harriette wore a coverup over her one-piece. They scurried down the back steps to the pool. It wasn't crowded at all. Everyone must have been taking a siesta. The water was incredible and there was a waterfall at the deep end. The girls jumped, laughed, and played in the water for an hour until some little kids spied them and wanted to catch them. They scampered out of the pool and headed for the beach. 
Harriette stopped in her tracks, she couldn't believe what she saw. It was just like in the magazine. There they were, the beautiful people in their bathing suits. With their tall frosty drinks in their sun-tanned hands. They were sitting on chairs under umbrellas, reading books, or looking at their phones. Then they noticed how hot the sand was and they retreated to the shade of the mangrove trees along the edge of the boardwalk. They sat there for hours watching the people laying on the beach, jumping into the water, or walking along the shore picking up seashells. Juliette 's tummy started to rumble. The girls decided it was time to enjoy those snacks in their room as they got ready to check out the night scene on Ocean Drive.
After munching on M&Ms and sharing a Coke they took a quick shower and put on their party dresses. The sun was going down but the action on Ocean Drive was heating up. Sports cars rumbled up and down the road, and women dressed in sparkly pants with high-heeled shoes walked slowly along the sidewalk. People, young and old looked at the menus of the restaurants that lined the street. Names like Oh Mexico, Cafe Americano, and Icon on the Ocean were filled with beautiful people and delicious smells. Juliette had done her research and they ran around the back to Havana 1957. The place was dimly lit, but the girls were greeted with a friendly smile. They ordered Seafood Stew and a pineapple Mojito. After their delicious dinner, they walked along the boardwalk back to the hotel. What an exciting day! Could life get any better, thought Harriette as she drifted off to sleep on the fluffiest pillow she had ever slept on.
Story two
The next morning the two friends jumped out of bed and scurried downstairs for breakfast. They ordered granola and Cuban coffee. It was served with fresh fruit and real maple syrup. They hurried back to their room to get ready for the day ahead. Harriet had found an advertisement for a daytime cruise to Key Largo. There they would board a glass bottom boat and spend an hour looking at coral reefs and tropical fish. The cruise started out great until they hit some rough waves. Harriette had never been on a boat before. I don't think she was made for sailing. Her tummy rumbled and rolled with each dip and sway of the big boat. By the time they got to Key Largo, she was not very steady on her feet. They decided to skip the glass-bottomed boat and find another way to spend the day. They found an aquarium and butterfly garden at John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park. They grabbed a quick snack and jumped on a bus going back to Miami Beach. They returned to the Surfcomber and ordered pizza. They had enough excitement for one day. Tomorrow will be their last day before heading back to Harriette's little house in the country. Juliette had a big surprise planned for Harriette.
Story three
Rain, Oh no! Juliette looked out the window at the gray sky and watched streams of water rush down the sidewalk. She had planned a day filled with outdoor adventure and activities for Harriette. First, they would jet ski, then parasail and finally kayak through the mangroves in the Oleta River. But now rain. Maybe it wouldn't rain all day. Florida is known for daily quick rainstorms. The girls took their time going down to breakfast. They ordered eggs this time and sat on the patio to watch the rain, hoping it would pass by. They played games in the Lobby and watched the people walking through the doors. Everyone had somewhere to go. The rain finally stopped around 3:00 so they found their way north to the Oleta River State Park. They each got into a kayak and paddled through the crystal-clear water out into the Miami River. The water was smooth, the air was warm and as evening approached, the sunset was magnificent. They returned for their last night at the hotel. After looking at the menu, they decided they wanted something fun to eat for their final dinner in Miami. They googled "best wing on Miami beach. The Foutainblue came up. Wow, how would have thought that a fancy place like that would serve wings? They splurged on a taxi and went uptown to check them out. They were out of this world delicious. With full bellies and messy fingers, they decided to walk the boardwalk back to their hotel. The sky was full of stars and the sound of the ocean was relaxing. Crawling into the big bed for the last time, Harriette said in a sleepy voice, Juliette, thank you for making my dreams come true. Juliette went to sleep as a tear rolled down her cheek.
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