As we left Little Havana we passed a sculpture that seemed to reach for the sky. Our tour guide said it was the Challenger sculpture.

The Challenger Memorial, sculpture by Isamu Noguchi, is located on Southwest corner of Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, Florida. The memorial is white, composed of metal piping, and rises 100 feet, designed with a twisted shaped to symbolize the contrail of the Challenger as it rose on its fateful, final flight.

As we enter the neighborhood known as Coral Gables we were back to ducking tree branches and palm fronds that over hang the streets.

Coral Gables is unique in a couple of ways. Dubbed “The City Beautiful,” Coral Gables is known for its tree-lined boulevards, ivy-covered mansions and historical landmarks such as the world-famous Biltmore Hotel and the Venetian Pool, both built in the 1920s. According to our tour guide there are no homes valued at under $1,000,000 in Coral Gables.

Coral Gables was one of the first “planned communities” and prefigured the development of the gated community.

Most of the homes are made of Coral, the walkways and walls, foundations and decorative features , all coral.

Leaving Coral Gables behind we headed back to the Bayside, a shopping and entertainment complex where we would have lunch and then catch the boat ride through the harbor islands.