brighton beach - russian snack/turkish coffee

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i biked on a rainy night and drove on a sunny day

i wanted to see the ocean and buy cheap fruit in Brighton beach

under the elevated train there is always a dim shade -
and intermittent noise

tin Brighton beach
mostly Russian and Caucasian [from the Caucasus] people
Turkish-like food
kosher yogurts
a lot of fruit and vegetable stores.

one starbucks
and no bars at all in sight,
--
from a food stand on the street
for 2 dollars
i buy a baked bun
filled with ground lamb meat and spices.
it tastes amazing but i eat it too fast.
i wonder if it is Russian or Turkish food -
it might as well be just from Uzbekistan,
--
i get an apple pastry and Turkish coffee at some old bakery.
one woman is wearing bright fuchsia lipstick and flashy watch and jewelry.

she speaks little English and she lets me take her picture...
another woman translates for me her question "do you like Russian girls?".

it is hard to give diplomatic answers to blunt questions sometimes.

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on the boardwalk
it feels way windier and colder -
i wish i had a warmer sweater and gloves.

2 old Russian guys are playing chess on a bench

they speak almost no English

the larger guy seems to be going to win easily -
but he loses his queen -
i cant understand why he did that move-
and his game is over in a few minutes.

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prospect park a few days earlier -


Chinatown markets

Baxter street bail bonds -

the usual intimidating angry signs you always see in nyc

hurricane noel / swim

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hurricane noel off the florida coast
40 mph winds

the weather changes every 15 minutes sunny and windy then gloomy cloudy rainy downpour.
on the beach red flag and no one allowed in the water flag.

the only few people are surfers and bums.

the homeless of miami beach don't want to send their nights in the shelters in downtown miami.
"full with crazy crackheads"

i drive from the beach to the city -
some streets are flooded -
i help my friend download her travel photos to her iMac G5.
so slow - just because Apple for years sold computer with insufficient RAM to do anything but write letters and emails.
60 dollars in memory would compensate for years of slowness and frustration -
the view from the high rise is stunning - the bay and the fog moving in fast.

at 6 30 i go to the beach
some very big waves - but the whole ocean is tumbling and rolling.

it is hard to swim - the wind just pushes me south.

very few surfers try hard - but too many waves one after another -
there are no lifeguards -
this time
it is too much of a challenge and too little fun.
i could stay longer and try harder -
but the blisters on my toes turned into woulds -
the fins rub on those.