The day began in the middle of the night – at 3:25 AM, the alarm clock tore us from our sleep. We hadn't slept much anyway, but there was no help for it: Our flight to Miami was scheduled. We packed up the last of our things, took one last look around the hotel room, and set off.

In the reviews, I had often read that in the morning, you have to wait a long time for the elevators at the hotel, especially during rush hour – but we never had problems during our entire stay. Not now either: The elevator came immediately, the check-out was quickly completed, and by 3:55 we were already sitting in the shuttle heading to JFK, Terminal 4.

Two other travelers were already sitting in the bus, who were dropped off at another terminal first. We were lucky: no traffic, no congestion – and a driver who was very sporty on the road. Instead of the planned hour, we were at our terminal after only 40 minutes. A good feeling when the day starts so smoothly, even if we were feeling queasy due to the racing.

We quickly checked in our suitcases, had our boarding passes printed, and swiftly passed through security. After that, we went directly to the Centurion Lounge from American Express.

We were really hungry – I was already feeling quite sick from an empty stomach, and my mood was correspondingly low. Unfortunately, the lounge was a real disappointment. After our great experience in London, the bar was set high – but here everything was cramped, loud, not very comfortable. And then there was also no warm food until later. No comparison.

Somewhat satiated but also somewhat dissatisfied, we then went to the gate. Our flight departed punctually at 7 AM. Seats: 33D and 33F – so we weren't sitting directly next to each other, but with a seat in between. The flight crew seemed unmotivated, almost unfriendly. But at least: Drinks were free, along with a small snack.

Entertainment was available via a display in the seat in front. The selection was good – even current movies were included, though almost everything was only in English. I watched The New Avengers. Later we discovered the games section in the menu. Particularly exciting was a game where you had to tap locations on the world map. I held my own for a long time, but in the end, Steffi simply had the better sense – or the better intuition.

After landing in Miami, things moved pretty quickly: out of the plane, into the MIA Mover, and on with Bus 150 directly towards Miami Beach. Here again: Credit card to the terminal – done. No ticket purchase, no stress. Really pleasant.

Already on the way, we saw signs and notices everywhere for the Memorial Day Weekend Festival, which took place yesterday and today – including a big air show by the US Air Force and Coast Guard. The anticipation grew.

Arriving at the Generator Hotel Miami Beach, the next moment of luck surprised us: We could already check in at 11:30 AM – although there would have been a fee for online check-in the day before. Our room (1708) was in the back part of the building, a corner room with a beautiful view of the Miami skyline – the first impression was great. The bathroom, however, was not: tiny, no toilet seat, and a small rolling cart served as a shelf, which you constantly had to push aside just to be able to move at all.

Then we went out – and there it was already: the air show. Fighter jets thundered over the beach, so low and loud that you automatically ducked your head. The sky was cloudless, the sun was burning with full force – 90 degrees and no wind. We called a Lyft to avoid arriving at Ocean Drive already drenched in sweat.

Our first stop was a small but very good Italian place. Finally something decent to eat – pizza and pasta under the open sky, while planes circled above our heads. Again and again, deafening noises tore us from our conversations – according to the Apple Watch, it was over 110 decibels at times. Small fighter jets, huge bombers, formations, dives – a spectacle.

After eating, we made a detour to the shops. My sunglasses were nowhere to be found – only the cloth pouch had survived the journey. In the 5th shop, I finally found what I was looking for, and so we were ready for the beach.

Despite the crowds, it didn't feel overcrowded. Maybe it was due to the vastness of the beach – or because everyone had their gaze directed towards the sky. The show continued: Jets flew loops, helicopters dropped soldiers in the water, four fighter jets raced synchronously over the ocean. Then came the highlight – a simulated aerial refueling of two helicopters in flight. Impressive.

But the heat eventually became too much. So we changed the scenery and strolled through the festival grounds along Ocean Drive. Various units of the US military had set up tents and stands there: strength-testing stations (at 90 degrees? No thanks!), vehicles to touch, selfie spots with tanks. At one station, you could even have your photo taken with a bazooka – right next to it was a first aid stand with information on what to do if you're hit by something like that. Intense. I'm really not a fan of war equipment, but I think if our German military would do something like this – in a cool, open, modern way – then the public perception would be different. At least a little bit.

Eventually, everything became too much for us: the sun, the noise, the people. We sat down with a nice family in the shade – quite spontaneously. And as it happens, we got to talking, exchanged recommendations. Of course, we immediately sent them to the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg.

Later, we took a Lyft back to the hotel, where we immediately plunged into the pool – and into pretty hot water at that. Felt like 104 degrees, but somehow it felt good. Afterward, a short breather in the room, also because of the mosquitoes outside.

For dinner, we decided on the hotel's own restaurant – Mexican. Taste-wise okay, a bit dry, but the salsa packed a punch – really a lot of garlic, which we love.

But the evening wasn't over yet. We took another Lyft, this time to the "Spanish Alley," a small, lively neighborhood. From there, we walked to Ocean Drive again in the dark. The contrast to the day was huge – everything glowed in neon colors, it was much quieter, almost relaxed. We took a few last phone photos under the palm trees, with the light of the bars and clubs in the background.

Then back to the hotel. Feet up. Good night, Miami Beach.

Until tomorrow.