CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?
CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?
Advocacy gets results
Shannon Wood, Director of Disability
Policy at MDA, noted that MDA advocates sent more than 400 comments to the US
Department of Transportation (DOT), and many testified at listening sessions
the DOT held to gather input for the final FAA reauthorization.
CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?
While there is
still a way to go before air travel is fully accessible, policy and rule
changes promise to make it safer and more dignified for people with
disabilities.
Most of the changes came in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization, an act that is reapproved every five years, most recently in May 2024.
“Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, was instrumental in getting disability provisions included. Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, helped move the bill forward on the Senate floor — it had very strong bipartisan support,” says Shannon Wood, Director of Disability Policy at MDA.
“We can say that in conjunction with disability advocates from across the
disability rights community, those living with neuromuscular diseases played a
huge role in getting disability-rights provisions successfully included in FAA
reauthorization.”
BUT MIAMI DOES NEXT TO NOTHING TO STOP IT
INCREDIBLE VALUE, GOURMET BREAKFAST, ATTENTIVE STAFF
IN A TRANQUIL LOCATION IN VIBRANT CARTAGENA
The value is amazing. I paid about
40 USD per day for a spacious modern room, a great support staff, a free
gourmet breakfast, free WIFI in room and on property, very clean pool and a
location close to the action but quiet enough to sleep.
I will return for sure.
INCREDIBLE VALUE, GOURMET BREAKFAST, ATTENTIVE STAFF
IN A TRANQUIL LOCATION IN VIBRANT CARTAGENA
Getsemani is a 15 minute walk over
a bridge.
The Walled City and its Colonial
Architecture and tourist attractions, is a 25 minute maximum.
The typical Uber ride to Getsemani
was 3 USD with tip. To the Old City -- about 4 USD with tip.
The hotel also is close enough to
walk to the chaotic, vibrant and fantastic Mercado de Bazurto -- where all the
top chefs shop early for the freshest seafood, tropical fruit and more.
INCREDIBLE VALUE, GOURMET BREAKFAST, ATTENTIVE STAFF
IN A TRANQUIL LOCATION IN VIBRANT CARTAGENA
It might want to think about signs specifying the common areas and gym
equipment are closed from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. to let guests sleep.
Crews were rebuilding the room on the floor below mine.
When I routinely came back from lunch for a pool plunge and nap to avoid the most extreme heat -- it was tough to rest because of the construction noises.
But I get it, the work has to take place sometime and
midday is preferable to overnight or predawn.
Again, I'm a light sleeper and
these are very minor suggestions to improve a place that is already very close
to 10 out of 10 stars.
INCREDIBLE VALUE, GOURMET BREAKFAST, ATTENTIVE STAFF
IN A TRANQUIL LOCATION IN VIBRANT CARTAGENA
On 3 of my six nights, the festival
played very loud music past midnight -- even though the festival was advertised
as closing at midnight.
The noise traveled over a small
body of water and I could hear it in the room despite a white noise machine and
ear plugs.
It's not Hotel de Marques de Manga's fault that Cartagena likes to party hard and until the wee hours.
But perhaps
when it comes time for renovations, soundproofing could be done.
Each pod of room is built over a mini lobby with seating etc.
Mine had the weights/gym equipment.
Sound echoed
from this common area right up to my sole interior-facing window.
INCREDIBLE VALUE, GOURMET BREAKFAST, ATTENTIVE STAFF
IN A TRANQUIL LOCATION IN VIBRANT CARTAGENA
In the reception area, they sell
water, soda, local beers and convenience items at a very fair price.
The pool is not large, but it is
kept sparkling clean and is a fabulous place to take a refreshing plunge when midday
heat is 100 degrees.
There's also a lounge chair area
with plenty of fresh towels.
The property is in a sleepy
neighborhood of homes and apartments -- no nearby clubs or bars to make noise.
INCREDIBLE VALUE, GOURMET BREAKFAST, ATTENTIVE STAFF
IN A TRANQUIL LOCATION IN VIBRANT
CARTAGENA
They answered several questions
before my stay -- suggesting places to eat in Manga and in nearby Getsemani and
in the Old Walled City.
There is hot water.
This is a
rarity in Cartagena, even at fairly costly properties.
The bed was firm and comfy --
another plus as Colombians are known to favor cement hard beds.
The breakfast was amazing.
Dozens
of fresh foods to choose from -- with an emphasis on local breads, arepas,
juices and tropical fruits.
REAL STORIES AND PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSIVE LIVING
In these troubling time of pushback against equity/inclusion for People with Disabilities, we need books that focus on Universal Design.
From the book blurb:
In Boundless: Real Stories and
Practical Strategies for Inclusive Living, Alex Norman and Garrett Mayersohn
share personal stories, lived experiences, and practical strategies to help
readers identify and remove hidden barriers that exclude millions of people
every day, often without us realizing it.
Through these real-world insights and the seven proven principles of Universal Design, this book offers practical ways to create environments where everyone feels welcome and empowered, no matter their age, ability, or background.
Amazon: https://a.co/d/8v2se4J
PERFECT LOCATION, INCREDIBLE VALUE,
TOP-NOTCH STAFF FOR PROSPEROUS VISIT
I wish it would
affiliate with a better tour provider than Jalisco Tour Mendez.
Both daylong tours
that I took spent an endless amount of time stopping at horrible restaurants
and tourists traps that likely pay the tour company a kickback for depositing
hapless tourists at their doorstep.
The base price of
the tours is 25 USD -- at that low price, you get a tour that only rates about
2.5 on a scale of one to 5.
PERFECT LOCATION, INCREDIBLE VALUE,
TOP-NOTCH STAFF FOR PROSPEROUS VISIT
You have to ask the
front desk to send a person up to set it.
That means you only
have a choice of air conditioning on or off -- you cannot adjust it to you
comfort.
Please, treat
guests like adults, and remove the governor on the temperature settings that
can only be overridden with a code used by management.
The breakfast
buffet was about 14 USD -- very high by Guadalajara standards.
I checked it out
and while it looked clean, it really didn't appear to be worth the money.
I could not justify
paying more than 20% of my daily room rate on a breakfast that was not cooked
to order and had no luxury items on the buffet tables.
CHALLENGES AND BEST PRACTICES
The Strengthen Alabama Homes program
that awards up to $10,000 to owners of existing homes to upgrade them with
stronger roofs, windows, doors and other features to prevent wind and rain
damage.
He said the program has resulted in
huge insurance savings for those who have retrofitted their home—stabilizing
the insurance market for tens of thousands of coastal dwellings.
PERFECT LOCATION, INCREDIBLE VALUE,
TOP-NOTCH STAFF FOR PROSPEROUS VISIT
Tlaquepaque and
Zapopan are about a half hour (45 minutes with traffic) 10 USD rideshare trip
to visit those historic and vibrant neighborhoods.
The room had a large desk for working and room enough for a small fainting couch by the large balcony.
I would gladly stay again.
And I wish every major city had a centrally-located,
cost-effective Hotel Antre.
PERFECT LOCATION, INCREDIBLE VALUE,
TOP-NOTCH STAFF FOR PROSPEROUS VISIT
GDL is a
gastronomic mecca -- with amazingly fresh and fabulous seafood for not being a
coastal city.
With a smooth check
in and bilingual staff, Hotel Antre sets you up for all the cultural delights
that GDL has to offer.
Jalisco state also
is ground zero for outstanding coffee production.
Several of the best
coffee purveyors in all of Mexico are within walking distance of the property.
PERFECT LOCATION, INCREDIBLE VALUE,
TOP-NOTCH STAFF FOR PROSPEROUS VISIT
Hotel Antre Chapultepec’s daily maid service brought two large bottles of water and cleaned -- while honoring my request to not remake my bed.
The front desk
arranged a tour for me and helped estimate the price of a car service.
The room has tons
of outlets -- regular prong and USB -- for recharging.
Antre Chapultepec is in the heart of Colonia Americana -- voted the hippest neighborhood on earth (as judged by Time Out Magazine).
Endless upscale and
down home restaurants, bakeries, shops, street art and early 20th century
architecture are within easy walking distance.
PERFECT LOCATION, INCREDIBLE VALUE,
TOP-NOTCH STAFF FOR PROSPEROUS VISIT
I asked a lot of
questions before my arrival and the staff answered each of them expertly.
The hotel is very
near Chapultepec and its noisy bars and clubs plus it is on one of the city's
busiest streets -- but I only heard a minor roar on my 10th floor, sound
proofed room.
I had a fabulous
balcony with southern exposure.
The room was large
for a price well under 100 USD per day.
The walk-in shower
had endless warm water.
ARRESTED MOBILITY –
OVERCOMING THE THREAT TO BLACK MOVEMENT
“It’s an interim and if we…make a
strong case for infrastructure that’s humane…we can have a very wide sidewalk
and we can have a bike land and we can have some sort of marked lane for
scooters,” he says.
“The idea that this is weaponized…the
idea that a Brown or Black person has maybe had a 50/50 chance of getting a
ticket or being called over and read the riot act…that’s not a world that I
want to live in.”
I have spent my life as a writer,
planner, educator and advocate – working the create a better built environment
for marginalized people.
I was proud to be on one of Brown’s
first Arrested Mobility podcasts, sharing my expertise in hurdles to mobility
experienced by people with disabilities, especially wheelchair users.
I have been gratified to work as a
Universal Design subconsultant to Brown’s Equitable Cities -- an urban
planning, public policy, and research firm
working at the intersection of transportation, health, and equity.
FÁBRICA DE CERÂMICA VIÚVA LAMEGO
The Viúva Lamego Ceramics Factory was founded in 1849 by António da Costa Lamego.
This was the workshop of the company, on Lisbon’s busy Avenida Almirante Reis.
It
features some of the most spectacular azulejos in Portugal.
FÁBRICA DE CERÂMICA DA VIÚVA LAMEGO
Viúva Lamego Ceramics Factory was founded in 1849. This was the showroom, on Largo Intendente.
It features
stunning Portuguese azulejos.
Regrettably,
some depict people in stereotypical, not appropriate images.
LARGO DE INTENDENTE
Rounded corner building adorned with Portuguese tiles hosting a modest cafe with apartments above on Largo de Intendente Arroios Lisbon.
Tell us Paris has
anything more beautiful, human scaled or enchanting than this.
THE COOLEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE WORLD
Arroios, Lisbon, in Portugal was recently named the coolest neighborhood in the world by Time Out.
The small parish is a hub for art, restaurants and design.
MOURARIA LISBOA
It would not be Lisbon without tons of laundry draped over small balconies, drying over tiled facades in 300 days of sunshine per year.
This is Rua do Benformoso in Mouraria
Igreja de
São Domingos is a church in Lisbon, Portugal. It is classified as a National
Monument.
The church
was dedicated in 1241 and was almost completely destroyed in the 1754
earthquake.
YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED AND MUST QUIT YOUR JOB
City
official: "It denies access to people with disabilities, but it
technically meets code. So there's nothing we can do."
Me: Fix your
broken code.
Laws
prevented women from voting & deemed Black people 3/5ths of a human being.
Just because
it's the law doesn't mean it's right.
Perpetuating
discrimination is NEVER following the rule of law.
PANTEAO NACIONAL
Daybreak over Baroque dome of Panteao Nacional on Alfama hill Lisbon.
The 17th
century Church of Santa Engrácia holds the tombs and cenotaphs of Portugal’s
most important people.
LISBON CATHEDRAL
Se de Lisboa.
From a different
perspective overlooking Rio Tagus.
Image taken from Museu do Aljube – Resistencia e Liberdade
Sun kissed Portugal
photos require no doctoring.
WELCOME TO DAMAS – YOU ARE HOME NOW
Live view from my customary window seat at the incomparable Damas.
You must visit this
restaurant, bar and safe haven in the heart of magical hilltop Graca Lisboa.
