Texas

Just flew in from Houston, Texas last night. It was quite a change in scenery, coming from New York.

First, the temperature. I was miserable! I don't see people walking around because it was just sweltering at around 99 degrees. And it was so dry. I kept on hydrating myself. My relatives all have inventory of power drinks (gatorade, powerade, etc). I left New York with a jacket (When I left, we had a high of 60 and a low of high 40s). Never needed it in Houston.

There is not much public transportation because people in general would have cars. So for a New Yorker used to subways and buses that transport people to any spot in NYC, there's a bit of culture shock.

One thing I noted, though. Roads are constantly widened, and a slew of flyovers and bridges continue to be built. The highways are abuzz with construction. That's a good thing, I guess, as the population (of people and cars) might increase in the coming years (as can be seen in new housing developments along the freeways). That's a foresight and good governance that could be lacking in some cities in the Philippines.

The good things though. I love that Texans in general seem to be happy. The pace of life is actually ideal for people with families. Prices are generally cheaper than in New York (including gas prices). They have good school systems, relatively cheaper real estate and good neighborhoods. They also have good hospitals (The medical center is a CITY of hospitals)

And San Antonio -- I loved the place! The river walk was just such a cool hangout - with the flowing water, the towering trees, the delectable selection of food, the beautiful crowd. Although we were there in the afternoon, I could only imagine how beautiful the place is at night time - lights and all. Only it was such a long drive from Houston. :)

It's only too bad that I wasn't able to stay longer to explore Austin and Dallas. That would have to wait till the next time I visit. Though probably it won't be in the summer.

Side note: On my way to Houston from JFK, I had to go through Washington Dulles and wait. But the trip from IAD to IAH was just wonderful. United Express/Chautauqua has this new plane, the Embraer 170 regional jet, that was such a pleasant experience. The leather seats, the good air conditioning, the ample leg room. And it was so clean! Kinda wished there were more planes like these (though I don't know how viable it would be with only 18 rows of seats)

Cable vs. DSL

Yesterday, I had internet connection installed in my house. It was a choice between 2 providers in our area- Optimum Online or Verizon DSL. A decision made after months of deliberation.

So I called the customer service centers of these 2 providers. First I called Verizon using the number I saw on a tv commercial, and discovered that the DSL service itself is cheaper than cable internet. Just under $30 if I sign up for 1 year. But they say I needed to have a land line telephone, which I don't have. (I'm not even sure if that's really needed because I remember a friend telling me that back in the Philippines, DSL service can be installed independent of the telephone line) So that's around another $15 to $20 that I will be spending on top of the DSL fee for the basic phone line. See, here's the thing. We don't want a land line in our house because everyone's usually out, and we all have cellphones. A land line telephone is redundant.

It was tougher to get through to Cablevision (since they have a whole range of products they want to sell, including Triple Play (bundled package that includes cable tv, internet access and land line telephone) for around $100. (Though I think recently, Verizon came out with its own version (with DirecTV).)) I had to go to their website. And they called me. Here's their deal. The service (for Optimum online only) will cost $30 for 6 months, and it will be $44.95 thereafter.

So I asked around, and found many of my friends who believed Optimum is actually faster than DSL. I factored that into my decision.

In the long run, DSL might be cheaper IF I had a land line phone. But I'm philosophically opposed to paying for something that I don't really need nor use.

So here I am, writing my first blog from home with my really fast Internet connection from Optimum Online. :)

Portland

Last January 6 to 15, I went to Portland, Oregon, and I fell in love with the city. In a different sense. It’s different from New York. It’s clean and well-planned, and things move just a bit slower. People take their time while walking, greeting each other, not rushing from one place to another. And everyone seems to have some close affinity with nature (no styrofoam cups for me...). It was just great!

A mere 30 minutes could take one from downtown to forests and mountains and waterfalls.

1. The Grotto is one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been in. The meditation room is so quiet and comfortable. They have these really comfortable couches and a wide window with a panoramic view of Oregon – Plains, Mountains, Skies, and the occasional plane that takes off from the Portland Airport (which, by the way is another great thing about Portland – they have this really lovely airport)
2. Crown Point and Chanticleer Point (vistas along the old highway) offer beautiful views of the gorge, the river, and Washington State just across are great picnic places. The sights were only so breathtaking.
3. Multnomah Falls was a fun trek. It’s one of the tallest year-round waterfalls in the US. There’s the mist from the waterfalls that’s just everywhere as I walked in the area. It’s almost magical.
4. Powell Books is one of the greatest places in the world! I was like a child in a candy store. It was bigger than I had imagined. They have these rooms labeled by color (red, gold, yellow, purple, pearl, and so forth) I literally got lost inside, and spent 2 whole days of my visit immersing myself with the books. One particularly interesting thing that I noted were the mini-reviews by the bookstore staff (hand-crafted and posted on the shelves). They buy books, and they have a rare book collection (pearl room). It’s simply book-lover’s paradise. And the Coffee’s good.
5. Gardens – Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, Rose Test Garden. I have to come here during springtime to see Portland in bloom.
6. Galleries in the Pearl District are great! There’s this gallery with works by Rodin, Matisse and Picasso. It really was something!
7. Mount Tabor was another wonderful trek – trees and all. And there’s a view of Portland and Mount Hood. It’s a great place for a wide range of activities like biking, jogging, dog walking, etc. 8. No Sales Tax!

I’m sure there’s more. I didn’t really get to explore much yet. I really wanted to go to the zoo, the coast, Mount Hood, etc. I’m looking forward to coming back.

Thanks Tita Yvette, Tito Don and Manang Dina!