More beer please

West Palm Beach sounds like a place dripping with cash, large holiday resorts and bikini clad models. Well it did to me. The reality is another story. Around our motel is apparently gang territory and it does look pretty run down. Even so it's not exactly the Favellas of Rio.
We're here to see one of my favourite bands, Pearl Jam, handily supported by another of my favourites the Kings of Leon. The venue itself is typical Florida, an outdoor amphitheatre. The lightening and rain has been lurking around today but as the dark sets in the weather calms down.
As we queue to collect our tickets a guy at the front is holding everyone up. He's a one-legged guy who's trying to get into the more expensive area to no avail. I can only describe him as the typical Vietnam war veteran you see on American films and TV. Tie-dyed head handkerchief, 70's rock t-shirt and a 'far out' Californian accent. It would've been more amusing if Kings of Leon weren't already playing we couldn't get in without our tickets.
Once in we realise that the Kings of Leon aren't as popular n their homeland as they are back in good ole Blighty. It's a decent set which is only let down by the dour American crowd. Ah, let's get some beers in to quench our thirst in this intense humidity. It's not that simple. For starters beer is £5 a pint. I can stand that on an occasion like this, and with a wad of cash that we have from the car sale, but the real problem is actually getting served. No-one is willing to serve us without valid I.D. We both have our UK driving licenses but when the bar staff look through their huge book of state driving license photographs, for recognition purposes, they don't have it. Understandable, I suppose, that they would have Hawaii state license pictures and no UK ones, even if the UK is about as close! Our only hope, as we're advised, is to approach the sheriff and see if he'll escort us to the bar. How ridiculous. We ask the sheriff and his idol looking deputies if this is possible but they tell us by law they can't do it. However, they do point us in the direction of a more lenient barmaid. We buy one beer and don't bother with all the messing about again. Disappointing and nowhere near rock and roll enough for my liking.
A great set by Pearl Jam that couldn't even be interrupted by a couple of large planes descending very low overhead on the way into land nearby. After the gig it takes around two hours to get off the choked car park.
Next day we drive south to retirement paradise Fort Lauderdale.

We go to have a look at the long beach but even though the sun is out it's far too windy to be hanging around. A woman tells us about the ills of sea lice that can get inside your swimming costume whilst you're in the sea, lovely. Let's get to South Beach, Miami.