Fort Lauderdale

This morning I left my hotel in Hollywood, Florida, and went a little further North to Fort Lauderdale, which is also a popular cruise port and beach destination.

After getting settled at my new hotel, I explored a bit of the area, including the lovely Las Olas Street which is packed with cozy restaurants and shops. I had lunch at a really cool place right by the water. Fort Lauderdale is known for many canals - total Amsterdam vibes.

I also walked around the beach area a bit, which reminds me a lot of Miami, just without the Art Deco style.

In the evening, I went to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for a show with comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin Short. I have been a fan of them since I was a kid, especially Steve, so it was really special to see them live in person. I also had a really good seat, about 4-5 rows from the stage, in the center of the huge venue.

Aside from various comedy bits, Steve also performed live music (he is a very accomplished banjo player and has won five Grammy awards). For some of it, he was joined by the very skilled band, Steep Canyon Rangers.

Martin Short also did impressions which he is famous for, and reenacted some of the characters from his long career. My favorite parts were with both of them on stage together. One of the things they do is insult each other (in a very playful way) which is always really funny.

This show was one of the reasons I wanted to do this trip, and I got the ticket all the way back in February, so it was great that the day finally arrived.

I was actually supposed to see them on my US trip two years ago, but the show was canceled due to Covid. In fact, their two most recent shows on the current tour were also canceled due to Covid! So I'm really glad it all worked out this time.

While they both seem to be in great health, and they were running around the stage for two hours, at ages 80 and 75, I do wonder how many years of touring and performing they have left.

The hotel where the show took place is quite impressive in its own right - the main building is shaped like a huge guitar! It was really cool to see it in person.Lue lisää