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There are plenty of reasons to spend part of your Florida locum tenens assignment venturing to glittering Miami. Half clustered skyscrapers, half sprawling tropical beach, it's a burgeoning and beautiful landscape of nightlife, world-class food, epic water sports and unending throngs of tan people. There's something about the local flavor in this Floridian city that truly makes it special, though. It's distinctly American but at the same time so diverse, cultural and, well, spicy—thanks to its immense Cuban population.
The Cuban Revolution of 1959 brought thousands of refugees to Miami, although Cubans have been living here for over 100 years. There is so much Latino flavor in Miami that it's a crying shame to miss out on it. Here are a few things you need to know before you go:
Little Havana
Calle Ocho gets its name from Southwest 8th Street, but the English name is rarely uttered. It borders a predominantly Cuban neighborhood known as Little Havana, the epicenter of the local Latino community. The special thing about this place? Besides being the heart and soul of Miami's Cuban culture, it's also modeled after a pre-communist Cuba—and any visit paid here feels a little like time traveling.
Versailles
Part restaurant, part cafeteria and part bakery, Versailles is a major hub of Cuban cuisine and conversation in Español. You can order everything from croquetas to milanesa to palomilla steaks here. Its tagline is "the word's most famous Cuban restaurant," which is pretty spot-on.
Calle Ocho Festival
This 10-day carnival is held every March, when 23 blocks along the road are roped off for the massive celebration of Latin music and dance. Three dozen venues, one million people and a really, really long conga line make this festival one for the books—and a welcome break during a Florida locum tenens assignment.