Shadows at Vizcaya. There is a long driveway that you have to walk down to get to the house. Lining the driveway is terraced water fountains.

The Barge, a boat shaped Scultpture, functions as a monumental breakwater. The Barge was sculpted by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870–1945) and can be found located in the water in front of the Main House overlooking the bay. The Barge is decorated with carving representing mythical Caribbean creatures.

This barge spans the water entrance to Vizcaya. From what I have read, back in the peak of the usage of this home, guests would gather for tea and events on these concrete barges. The barges were built as a water break. In order to get to the barge guests were taken out in rowing boats.

Jenny & Kevin at Vizcaya

From the front of the house your view looks over the Bay of Biscayne towards Miami.

Construction of this beautiful home began in 1912 but was not completed until 1922. The owner James Deering wanted the house built as close to the water as possible. The result is the terraced front area which would act as water breaks.

Statue frozen in time line the edge of the barges. Secrets of days gone by linger within the concrete.

Amy @ Vizcaya

Throughout the grounds you find coral coves. Mermaid, mermen, men of the sea appear in different scenes around the grounds.

We found Prince Charming hanging out in the pond

Kevin took some time to relax in the shade of the trees.

Tiny Ferns line the bark of the enormous trees.

Amy and Jenny climbed ahead of me up to the circle mount, but I managed to catch their attention for the briefest of moments.

I don’t get into photo’s very often, but I have taken a similar image before and love the many different facets that this image shows. Here is my self portrait.

What facinates me with Vicaya is the details that you find all over. I love these pillars with faces. Each is unique and different in their own way.

Rose petals were scattered on the grass in front of some sort of memorial. I forgot to take a photo of what it was for.

We stopped in a little gazebo where there were seats built into the pillars. I love this photo of Jen with Amy & I reflected in her sunglasses

Archeways of stone and coral lead you you through walkways from sector to sector.

Every room on the upper level looked out over the Bay of Biscayne. Each room was tastefully decorated to please the senses of each guest.

From the inside of the house looking out, I loved the distorted view of the grounds.

This Spiral Staircase leads from the ground floor up to the attic rooms. Photographs inside the house were not allowed and I can respect that as some of the antiques are priceless and flash light can cause damage when you are dealing with hundreds of guests going through each day. However, I could not resist this spiral staircase. It was amazing.

Kevin, tired of waiting for us, took a break on the edge of the wall.

I walked back to take a photograph of side gardens and came across this couple having their wedding photos taken.

I loved the view of the two bridges – the old and the new. The old bridge is part of the Vizcaya grounds, the new bridge links Miami mainland to Key Biscayne.

Take from the side of the house these are the Gardens at Vizcaya.

Moving on from Vizcaya we headed over the bridge and onto Key Biscayne. This was a first for me and so I was pretty excited to see the key as well.

Sailing on the Bay of Biscayne. I wish we were – it was really hot out there that day.

Amy was driving and I was attempting to get the city skyline. Somehow I think the air was a lot cleaner on the Key than it is as you go over the bridge.

We ended the day with a late lunch at the Bayside mall. Ironically neither Jen nor Kev seemed to have any interest in shopping. I think they were all shopped out.