PARADISE ON EARTH FROM A SAFE AND BRILLIANT GUIDE

THREE BARBOSA WATERFALLS IN ONE DAY TOUR FROM MEDELLIN

The Barbosa three waterfalls tour offers high value for what it costs.

When you are knee deep in cool, pure water -- looking up at cascades of mountain water -- you will reconnect with nature.

Like everybody, I have my concerns about clients, earnings, savings, health and poor local, state and federal government in the U.S.

Hearing rushing water, then coming out of the trees and lush greenery to see a unique waterfall – it is a deeply spiritual and profound experience.

This is one of the most physically and mentally renewing day trips possible.

In less than an hour, you are driven from the urban intensity of Medellin into the paradise that is rural Colombia.

The tour passes the quaint center of the town of Barbosa.

It visits we will visit the Cascada Chorron plus two other waterfalls that I believe are roughly translated to the Waterfall of the Wind plus the Cave of Love/Enchantment.

 

 

PARADISE ON EARTH FROM A SAFE AND BRILLIANT GUIDE

THREE BARBOSA WATERFALLS IN ONE DAY TOUR FROM MEDELLIN

Lunch, at an aquaculture farm filled with trout, is a highlight -- you catch your own trucha then hike while it is prepared as part of an authentic and delicious meal.

The lavish local lunch, as well as an optional brief breakfast, is included in the price along with transportation and admission to the natural sites.

Expert guide Camilo Escobar helped keep my camera and wallet dry during my Andean adventure.

The price is a bit more than the typical Medellin area big group tour -- but it is worth double what is charged.

 

PARADISE ON EARTH FROM A SAFE AND BRILLIANT GUIDE

THREE BARBOSA WATERFALLS IN ONE DAY TOUR FROM MEDELLIN

The three waterfalls tour, booked through Get Your Guide and led by the eco-friendly Enduro Racer Barbosa Antioquia Experience, is top notch.

Barbosa native Camilo Escobar is a passionate and brilliant guide who will emphasize safety while taking you to three hidden waterfalls.

There are three convenient pickup sites, but because I was the only one who booked the $120 tour that day – Camilo came directly to my hotel in Laureles that morning.

He quickly shares his expertise about and love for Barbosa's spectacular nature.

Camilo supplied aqua shoes, a precision walking stick and a steadying hand over slick rocks during small river crossings.

PARADISE ON EARTH FROM A SAFE AND BRILLIANT GUIDE

THREE BARBOSA WATERFALLS IN ONE DAY TOUR FROM MEDELLIN

Medellin has many charms.

Once a feared place, it is a modern city with fabulous gastronomy, green spaces, neighborhoods, historic buildings, transit, music and people.

Colombia is one of the most naturally beautiful nations on earth.

We very highly recommend a day trip outside of the hustle and bustle of Medellin – and into the lush green mountains and cool pure water.

Guatape plus Piedra de Penol are the most famous day trips – but we say under the radar Barbosa is well worth some of your time and money.

LISBON, PORTUGAL

MUSEU NACIONAL DO AZULEJO

Casamento da Galinha is one of the most enigmatic tile panels at Lisbon’s Museu Nacional do Azulejo. 

A chicken is transported in a coach, driven by a monkey, in front of two elephants.

LISBON, PORTUGAL

 PRAÇA LUÍS DE CAMÕES

Lisbon’s historic Praça Luís de Camões — named for a great literary figure — plays prominently in another masterpiece:

Jose Saramago’s The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis.

LISBON NEST

MODERN COMFORT IN HISTORICAL, TRADITIONAL AREA OF MAGICAL LISBON

The local food and culture recommendations in the Lisbon Nest’s guest guidebook are amazing.

I never would have found world class restaurant Estamine and many others in the area -- without their book of prime suggestions.

Considering that this nearly 400 SF home is often priced below the cost of a barely more than 100 SF hotel room -- I would say book it every chance you get.

Bedding is super comfy.

They have thought of everything -- including a trio of space heaters for those chilly spring nights on the highest windswept hill of beautiful Lisboa.

One other thing to note, the apartment is in an old, traditional building -- but everything is super modern and updated inside.

Expect warm water in the shower and appliances that are almost brand new.

LISBON NEST

MODERN COMFORT IN HISTORICAL, TRADITIONAL AREA OF MAGICAL LISBON

The Lisbon Nest vacation apartment is naturally cooled.

I have not stayed there in June, July or August -- so they may want to put air conditioning on the list of upgrades.

It is up 15 steps in a super traditional old Lisbon neighborhood apartment complex.

It's not a knock, just a head's up that the unit is not at all suitable for people with disabilities. 

And it may not be ideal for those that have trouble doing steps -- 

though all of Lisbon is hilly and has alleys that become steep staircases, so if you're up for the city, you should do fine with Lisbon Nest.

 

 

 

 

LISBON NEST

MODERN COMFORT IN HISTORICAL, TRADITIONAL AREA OF MAGICAL LISBON

This was my second time staying a week at Lisbon Nest and the third time at a Nest property in the perfect Lisbon neighborhood of Graca.

Valeria is a wonderful point person. 

She keeps in touch via text/whatsapp, meets you the second you leave your rideshare and saves your neck when you misplace the key.

The property is big enough to live in year round.

It has everything including a big kitchen with dishwasher and clothes washer.

Everything is clean and spotless.

I slept like a baby. 

You can hear the neighbors just a tiny bit, but it's a very quiet property for an increasingly loud and bustling city.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

Heather Ozur is president of the CAR and a REALTOR® at the RECollective in Palm Springs, Calif.

She praised the National Association of REALTORS®  for covering 100 percent of RRF’s administrative costs, so every dollar donated goes directly to disaster relief efforts. 

“For more than 24 years, the RRF has been a lifeline for communities affected by disasters, providing housing-related assistance.

Since 2001, the foundation has distributed more than $43 million in aid, helping more than 25,000 families nationwide,” according to an NAR statement released when $1 million was granted to California wildfire relief.

“When a major disaster occurs, RRF mobilizes its outreach efforts and turns to NAR members and other constituents for support.”

 

 

 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

Heather Ozur is president of the CAR and a REALTOR® at the RECollective in Palm Springs, Calif.

“We need to build more affordable homes. Our lobbying team was just in Washington, D.C., to support the bipartisan More Homes on the Market Act (H.R. 1340) which would raise the capital gains tax exclusion on the sale of a primary residence,” she said, noting that more people would sell, increasing housing availability if they didn’t face high capital gains taxes.

“Zoning needs to allow more homes.

We need to revisit constraints that makes building so costly, so we can create more affordable and attainable housing.”

 

CELEBRATING 1.5 MILLION BLOG READERS

My blog started out humbly, more than a decade ago.

 

Today, it has had more than 1.5 million unique visitors over its lifetime.

 

Sometimes I share simple photos of my cats or urban street photography.

 

Often, I share my passion for Universal Design and creating a better built environment for people with disabilities.

This year alone, I have traveled to more than a dozen major cities in eight nations – to work on removing barriers and making design more inclusive and wheelchair accessible.

 

I have appeared as an expert: in a major book, on stage at the world’s largest gathering of engineers, in a training video for the largest state gathering of real estate professionals, on national TV, in webinars and in countless articles that I have published in influential planning magazines.

 

Thanks to everyone who follows and supports my work.

 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

Heather Ozur, president of the CAR, said it continues to play a leadership role in working with local governments to fund relief and rebuilding.

“Wildfires are a huge concern nationally and in California.

The question is how do we help with fire hardening in the future?

We must find the best ways of mitigating against disaster for residential and commercial buildings,” she said, noting that property owners could benefit from government grants to pay for retrofitting against wildfires.

“The wildfires exacerbated an insurance crisis that we already had in California. We need to continue to work with state officials to help alleviate that and ensure that every family can insure their home,” Ozur said.

She explained that many families in working- and middle-class parts of Los Angeles County, such as Altadena, may not have enough of an insurance settlement to rebuild.

The wildfires took away affordable housing in one of the highest housing cost areas in the nation.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

CAR president Heather Ozur said while CAR works to leverage more donations and government support, it also is working on several long-term issues.

“We are working in the Sacramento Capital with legislators, the governor and the commissioner of insurance to help extend relief.

We successfully got a price gouging moratorium extended to July,” she said of disaster-related protections against price hikes for hotels, motels and rental housing plus prohibitions on evictions of tenants to relist the rental at a higher rate.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

“With so many homes and businesses lost and a housing crisis that existed long before the fires, REALTORS® recognize the importance of reaching out and helping their communities to recover and rebuild,” CAR President Heather Ozur said when the funds were received.

“As residents begin the long process of starting over, the REALTOR® community is glad to be able to provide some immediate support in their time of need.”

The CAR’s REALTOR® Member Grant Program also made $1 million available to REALTORS® and staff members.

The grants within the REALTOR® family, available for up to $10,000 per household for disaster relief, were quickly exhausted in Los Angeles County.

 

 

 

 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

Heather Ozur, president of the CAR and a REALTOR® at the RECollective in Palm Springs, Calif., said National Association of REALTORS®  funds were granted to assist with housing relief or displacement for anyone whose home was destroyed or damaged by the fires.

The $1,000-per-household grants — for mortgage relief, rental payments, or temporary housing, such as hotel stays due to displacement from their primary residence—were fully disbursed in a month’s time.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

In late January, NAR’s REALTORS® Relief Foundation (RRF) made a $1-million grant available to the CAR to provide disaster relief support to families affected by the wildfires.

“Agents who are REALTORS® deeply understand that in times of crisis, we step up to help our communities remain resilient and united, even in the face of devastation like what we’re witnessing in Southern California,” RRF President Greg Hrabcak said in statement when the funds were granted.

“This grant underscores RRF’s dedication to providing assistance during the critical weeks and months following a disaster, and we are committed to helping families stay in their communities and begin to rebuild their lives.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE

REALTORS® TAKE ACTION TO HELP COMMUNITIES

Severe wildfires impacted several areas within Los Angeles County in Southern California. REALTORS® responded rapidly.

“After burning for 24 days, both fires were fully contained on Jan. 31, with over 37,000 acres burned and more than 16,000 structures destroyed.

At least 29 people were killed in the two fires—17 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades Fire, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner,” ABC News reported.

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) were in action before all the flames were extinguished across 45 square miles of the densely populated area.

CITIES TYPICALLY NEGLECT LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS

WHEN THE UPGRADES COME, CITY LEADERS ARE CLEARING THE WAY FOR NEW WELL-HEELED RESIDENTS – NOT THOSE THAT HAVE SUFFERED WITH SUBSTANDARD CIVIC SPACE

An outsized proportion of people with disabilities is unemployed or underemployed. 

When cities care about fixing/widening sidewalks + safe crosswalks & premium transit--the affordable/accessible housing is on the way out and the wealthy hipsters are on the way in.

EXPLORING RESILIENCY

AND SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN

Wildfire Adaption Principles

Regional Scale 

1.     Actively manage the forest

2.     Create firebreaks

3.     Harden infrastructure (electrical, water, sewer, storm)

4.     Create redundant emergency notification systems

5.     Provide multiple ingress and egress routes and a regional emergency evacuation plan 

Community Scale

6.     Prohibit dead-end streets

7.     Foster neighborhood fuel reduction and places of refuge

Home Scale

8.     Codify defensible space

9.     Require fire-resistant building shells

10.Encourage aggressive code enforcement

 

EXPLORING RESILIENCY

AND SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN

University of Pennsylvania Wharton Real Estate Professor Benjamin Keys has been studying the true cost of homeownership, including the expense of disasters and insurance to protect against them, for more than a decade .

“These are tough choices for those on a fixed income,” Keys said.

“We think of homeownership as a way to lock in our costs … It’s desirable relative to renting, where a landlord can jack up the rent each year.

But now property taxes have gone up in [vulnerable] areas, to fund infrastructure to combat flooding and these areas also have seen a sharp insurance rate increase.

A lot of homeowners don’t understand flood is not covered by primary insurance, and they don’t realize flood maps are drawn in highly political ways and don’t account for all types of flood-related risks.”

While many want to blame insurance companies for high rates, growth patterns that place people closer to risk, in an environment with many more costly disasters, is a major factor.

“We’ve been moving southward as a country for years now.

We’ve been moving into riskier areas,” he said, noting dense development in coastal, warmer areas.

“Where we’re choosing to build and to live is the biggest driver in the increase in insurance cost.”

EXPLORING RESILIENCY

AND SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN

The National Flood Insurance Program, which provides most of the flood insurance to homeowners, is increasing rates at 18 percent per year to reflect the actual risk of flooding.

While this impacts everyone, it can be devastating to low-income people.

When a lender considers a higher insurance premium over the life of the loan, it could keep the would-be buyer from qualifying.

Even for longtime homeowners who have paid off their mortgage and seen decent appreciation of their value, spiraling insurance rates may force them to drop coverage they cannot afford.