Exploring Oregon

A state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Oregon resides on the Pacific Coast. Jason Buzi hadn’t been in Oregon in about 15 years except that a few months ago, he visited Seattle with some friends during his birthday weekend. They spent a day in Seattle and a day in Portland. They surely loved Seattle because it was vibrant, interesting, artistic, energetic and alive. Other than that, there were great neighborhoods with outdoor art, hip cafes, beautiful architectures, unusual bars, famous music scenes, and of course, great restaurants.

They never wanted to leave ‘til they decided to extend their vacation to Portland. In contrast to Seattle, they found Portland to be dull, lifeless, and people seemed to be lethargic. It wasn’t as beautiful as Seattle. They visited the recommended spots found in the guidebooks as well as in online travel sites. Most of the places they visited were deserted and sluggish. The only place people were flocking in was called “Voodoo Donuts”, where in many waited in line for long hours. They all agreed that Portland sucks. 

As for Oregon, Jason Buzi remembered little about it except that it was a beautiful state. He decided to spend the two days in the coast as possible as well as in the “Crater Laker”. He started his trip in Astoria, a northernmost town on the Oregon Coast, where the Columbia River, a border between Oregon and Washington. The movies such as “The Goonies”, “Kindergarten Cop”, “Free Willy”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” were among the films that took place in Astoria. Being the largest town in the area, it felt much bigger than its official population of only 10,000. 

After Astoria, he continued down the coast to places he couldn’t remember the name but all of them were very gorgeous. As he reaches the Rockaway Beach, a 4^th of July parade was taking place. It was a cute little town. The views from the hilltop of the beach below were breathtaking. There were also the “Three Coves”, which required a detour from 101, which goes along the coast for the most part. 

Many of the beaches in Northern Oregon had rocks near the shore. Sometimes it had only a big rock then sometimes several rocks or sometimes arches. There were also many rivers along the way. Also, it displayed some forest, meadows and even waterfalls. Occasionally, a dear could be spotted grazing near the road or in the hills. They passed by Tillamook, a place famous for its cheese factory and an oyster shucking plant. Unfortunately, since it was the 4^th of July, both places were closed. After many stops in order to take in so many amazing views of all sorts of beaches, one might think it could get redundant yet it didn’t because every beach was different and unique in its own way. After the long ride, they arrived in the town of Newport at around 7 in the evening. 

Jason Buzi got up early and spent all day on the road and never stopped except during lunch. He was able to cover a third of the Oregon Coast. Decided to go home the following night and wanted to see the Crater Lake before leaving the state, he somewhat reluctantly left the coast and headed inland.

The next morning, he drove his way to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States by average depth the third deepest in the world and Oregon’s only national lake. Upon arrival, he was surprised at all the now. On the way in, the park ranger told him that half the ring road going around the lake was closed due to snow. It was unfortunate of him not being able to drive all around the lake. Furthermore, the greenish blue waters, an island in the middle, snow and forest around it was one of the most spectacular lakes Jason Buzi had ever seen.

 Bottomline is Oregon is a beautiful state. If you are into coastal scenery, lakes, forests, and charming little towns, you will definitely love Oregon.

Flipping House — Basics You Need to Know

There are many ways to earn money through real estate. One of the primary methods of doing this is through flipping houses. There are three basic things you have to do when flipping houses and these include buying a property, fixing the house and of course, selling the property for a profit. This cycle continues as you use the money you get from flipping a house to fund your next real estate venture.

First off, buying a property is initially all about funding. How will you finance your purchase? Do you have cash or will you have to apply for a loan? Are there partners available with whom you can divide the purchase cost with? Financing is fundamental when you want to flip a house.

Similarly, you likewise need to see the property’s location as well as structural integrity. A good neighborhood is a pre-requisite to an easy sell. Check the whole house as well as the periphery of the property. See to it that all is in order and if renovations or repairs are need, be sure that they will not burn a hole in your pocket.

It would likewise be advisable to buy below market value properties. Find motivated sellers who want fast cash and need to put their homes for sale at low prices. You can also look into foreclosed properties. Nonetheless be wary of some institutions that don’t let you preview the house. You won’t know the marketability of the property in this case.

Second, fixing the house or property is another aspect you need to address. You have to budget your resources for materials, labor as well as other miscellaneous expenses. You can engage your adult children in some tasks and give them some recompense so you can save on labor costs.

Some Tips on Buying A House

There are several tips you need to consider when buying a house. It’s not just about the dimension but something more. Here are some tips you need to keep when planning to buy a house:

 1. The first thing you need to think about is location. This is the primary factor which dictates the amount of money you need to spend to buy land and build your house. Prime locations are definitely pricier but these are situated near vital locations such as schools as well as business centers.

 2. You also need to think about your budget. This can be commensurate with the location you have chosen. You can also do it the other way around by having your budget dictate the location of your house. It’s all about balancing both to get the best scenario.

 3. You also have to know the condition of the house. Schedule a visit so you can check the condition of unit you wish to buy. It would be best to take note not only of the design but the overall feel as well as some areas for improvement. If you are buying a house firsthand, then it would be easier for you to look for something that is suited to your taste. Otherwise you have to look for a house that is accessible and gives you some leeway when it comes to renovation or refurbishment.

 4. Some home buyers visit banks and other like institutions and look for foreclosed houses. These properties are easier to buy since they are cheaper. You can even do house flipping and invest your profits into a new house.

 5. Be sure to consult real estate experts to get the best advice on what you can do. You can also get the help of friends who are in the real estate industry or those who know someone who has the know-how when it comes to buying houses.

 There are many factors to consider when buying a house—regardless of whether it’s a firsthand one or a previously owned unit. What is important is you take your needs and budget into consideration and get the help of experts who can give you valuable advice on what you need to do to get the best deal for your money.

Only in Bhutan

A small country in the Himalayas, Bhutan sets itself from its larger neighbors with its strong sense of culture and tradition and stunning scenery. Furthermore, 

the tiny Kingdom of Bhutan has been called “The Last Shangrila” because of its pristine environment and harmonious society.

 During Jason Buzi’s five stay in Bhutan, he kept saying to himself that the country is quite unique like no other because of its unique style of architecture, culture, food and most especially it’s near odd national animal. It was really a special and wonderful place, having been completely isolated until recently.

He took a fifty minutes flight from Kathmandu passing over most of the Himalayan mountain ranges. Good thing he followed the tour guide’s advice of requesting a seat near the window because the views were really breathtaking. Also, there was only one national airline, which was Druk Air that flies into and out of Bhutan. The Druk Air only consisted of a two airplanes fleet. It was only in Bhutan that an international airport was served by one Airline Company, which only had two airplanes.

As soon as he arrived, he was amazed on how the roads were paved and how good the road condition was, unlike Nepal. Moreover, the cars were in better condition. Everything seemed cleaner. Not only that, the style of architecture of the country was simply amazing. Houses were built without nails or any adhesives and instead, pieces of wood were used and fitted together for building. Furthermore, in more good news, hotel rooms had heaters and power interruptions were rarely occurring.

Jason Buzi expected that Bhutan was somewhat similar to Nepal but it wasn’t, it was much more refreshing. It reminded him more about the place he had visited which is Iceland. Geographically remote and sparsely populated, both countries have a population of an estimate of six figures (Bhutan about 650,000 and Iceland about 300,000).

Surprisingly, the level of English in the country was quite high, knowing that the country was never colonized before and had a limited influence from the outside world. Primarily the reason for such high literacy could be attributed to its Oxford educated King because almost forty years ago, learning was deemed to be very important so it was integrated in the school’s curriculum beginning kindergarten. Furthermore, he noticed that all the menus in the restaurant he was dining in with some friends were written in English. He asked for any Bhutanese menu however the waiter replied that most Bhutanese prefer to have the English menu since they could read the language quite well. Also, many of the signs were written in English. The bottom line was that English language was widely used among the locals.

Jason Buzi noticed that the royal family in the country seemed to be truly revered like the royal family in Thailand because their pictures were found everywhere. In an unusual move, without any public pressure, the King decided to give up absolute power in order to establish democracy and to open up the country to the world a few years ago. In fact, most Bhutanese didn’t want him to do this. In 1999, the internet was permitted yet it didn’t have much positive effect among the people because for example, English swear words or scandalous graphics had begun appearing on walls.

It wasn’t the peak season when Jason Buzi visited the country. He was like one of the two hundred tourists in the entire Bhutan. In fact, he kept running into the same people he flew with in different towns. It was definitely a very small country. The country tried to limit the impact of tourism by requiring tourists to pay about $200 each per day to travel in the country. The rate was all inclusive which means that it included a tour guide, a driver, an accommodation, and food. 

The locals were friendly and helpful. The country had lesser commercials compared to other developing countries he had visited. Also it has a good diplomatic relations with its southern neighbor, India, where in it exchanges trade and assistance with. However, it doesn’t have any diplomatic relations with China and the border is closed. Furthermore, it doesn’t have any relations with U.S., and Russia and other major countries.

 Unlike many of its neighbors, Bhutan didn’t have a widespread poverty because everyone seemed to have the basic needs such as food, shelter, and others. Also, polygamy wasn’t’ very common however it was practiced. In fact, the King is married to four sisters. Among the nomads, several men will sometimes share with one wife.

 Furthermore, archery was the national sport. It was quite popular to the point of being held as a competition every week. Not only that, there were also plenty of archery shops. Even kids played with toy bows and arrows rather than toy guns.

 The national dress was called a “gho”, a kind of a bathrobe like. Men wore it over a shirt and boxers, down to their knees, with their socks being pulled up. On the other hand, women wore it similarly but over a full length skirt.

 Jason Buzi found the food in Bhutan to be tasty but too spicy. Bhutanese people liked to put plenty of chili in their food. In fact, there was a large section of the weekend market in Thimphu dedicated to selling chili.

The capital which is Thimpu was quite attractive. It felt like a small European town in some ways, thought it had the unique Bhutanese architecture everywhere. It certainly felt nothing like the crowded big cities of neighboring countries like Nepal or India. Furthermore, there were no traffic lights however a policeman was manning the traffic at one busy intersection. The “busy” intersection probably was less traffic than a typical suburban street in the U.S..

 Upon arriving at the guesthouse in Thimphu, Jason Buzi was greeted by two giant penises painted on both sides of the front entrance. It was believed that it guarded against evil spirits and many believed it, that such graphics were painted on entrance gates of many houses.

It was completely “green” because all of its power came from hydroelectric. Well, it was 99% of it Jason Buzi speculated and the rest was solar. The government had given solar panels to different villages. Also, it engaged in exporting electricity to India which was one of its major sources of revenue.

Jason Buzi highly recommends Bhutan for a truly unique cultural experience. James Hilton wrote the classic novel Lost Horizon, describing “Shangri La”, a utopian Himalayan society, isolated from the outside world, filled with happy residents living in a valley. Though no place is perfect, today Bhutan is probably the closest place to fit such description. In a fast changing world, hopefully it would remain the same.

Advantages of a Short Sale

Paying mortgage can be a challenge for many people given the economy today. However, there are solutions that can help ease the burden and get you out of the rut. Let Jason Buzi help you get a short sale. 

Numerous lenders can let borrowers settle out of a mortgage loan via short sale. Several advantages are tied to this kind of transaction. Both the customer as well as the lender will gain from this arrangement. A short sale means a family or person would see a house for an amount which is less than that which remains on the mortgage. There can be a slight loss incurred by the lender or the bank, but this is better compared to the possible damages that can happen when the borrower defaults on further payment of the mortgage.

Meanwhile, there are also some advantages of a short sale. The main benefit of doing a short sale is that it help you avoid foreclosure. A foreclosure can prevent you from obtaining another loan to purchase a home for around 5 to 7 years. When you do a short sale, some lenders or banks may give you a home loan in as short a span as a couple of years. Nonetheless, regard of your circumstance, failure to pay your mortgage would give you a lower credit score. Take note that your credit report will contain a short sale for 7 years while it takes 10 years for a foreclosure to be removed from your credit report.

Following a short sale, you don’t need to make mortgage payments. However, before you make a decision on this kind of sale, you first need to weigh in on all the legal options you have, which include mortgage modification as well as renegotiation. You can consult a veteran lawyer to help you understand the best legal and financial action you can take. Many opt for a short sale as it is often deemed as the fastest way out of mortgage payment and it can pave the way for a more stable future for you.

Let Jason Buzi help you in short selling your house and getting out of mortgage payment.

Bali and Gili (Paradise Lost, Paradise Found)

The famed “Island of the Gods”

because of its varied landscape of mountains and sandy beaches, Bali is a province in the country of Indonesia. The name alone evokes an image of an exotic paradise. Visiting Bali was a last minute decision so Jason Buzi had no guidebook, no reservations, and no idea where he was going to stay. He started wondering if it was a mistake to be so unprepared, especially given the late hour andhow tired he was. When he went out of the airport terminal, while trying to assess his options, he made the mistake of talking to two different taxi drivers, almost resulting into a fistfight, with several people wanting to join in the commotion. There was a lot of shouting going on. Finally, his bags, which had been loaded into the first taxi, were unloaded. He went to another taxi driver instead.

Jason Buzi picked up a brochure at the airport and looked for a hotel that looked decent and deemed to be affordable. The taxi driver drove off and dropped him at the hotel. He went to check in but was told that the hotel was fully booked. He almost cried because he was really tired. He asked again the hotel worker if there was any other place available. He said all the hotels in Kuta Beach were full since it was peak season. As a result, he was really getting concerned.

Luckily, the hotel staff called their sister hotel which was located 10 minutes away and asked if there were any rooms available. Good thing the sister hotel had available rooms so he immediately went there.

 The room was really nice. It was like a small apartment with a balcony. It had a living room, a fridge, a satellite television and a Wi-Fi internet. The next day, after much needed sleep, he was off to explore Kuta Beach. It reminded him of Phuket in Thailand or Cancun on spring break or any thousands of resort towns around the world. Everything seemed to cater to foreigners and there was little to indicate whether you were in Indonesia, Bahamas, Mexico, Thailand or Australia for that matter. The place was filled up with strip malls, souvenir shops, bars, massage parlors, nightclubs, fast-food restaurants and many others. There were also many Australians that shopkeepers yelled out “Hello mate!” when they pass by their stores. The vendors were very aggressive.

Although it wasn’t in his mind when he came to Bali but he had an opportunity to eat some non-indigenous foods like Turkish Kebab and Sushi. Furthermore, Indonesian food was pretty good though.

 The second day, he barely left the hotel room and spent the day watching reality TV series “Survivor”, surfing the internet, ordering room service and swimming in the pool. It was clear that if he wanted to see the real Bali, he needed to get the hell out of Kuta. As a result, that night he booked a trip to Ubud, a cultural center in the interior of the island.

It was in the Ubud area in central Bali, that a small number of European artists and intellectuals came in the 1920’s and 30’s and helped establish the reputation of Bali as a mystical paradise. It was in and around Ubud that he saw two Balinese dance and Gamelan (traditional Indonesian music) performances, art galleries, unique temples, wood carvings, royal palace where the royal family still lives, paintings by hand of batik, Balinese architectures and so much more.

 There were still many aggressive vendors, and it was still very touristy, but in a much more traditional way. Art and culture were everywhere; there were more cultural tourists and fewer drunken ones.

 He heard the name Bali so many times, but he never really knew what to expect. Spending some time in the center of the island, he discovered what made Bali unique. It was not the natural beauty of the island. It was nice, but not very different from thousands of other tropical islands. Its nature was actually quite similar to another island he just came from – Sri Lanka. In both cases, the beaches were OK, but not great (not of the clear water and white sand variety found elsewhere).

Jason Buzi wanted to rediscover paradise, and a couple people told him about the Gili Islands. Plus, there were brochures for the boats en route to it all over Bali. Closer to the island of Lombok than Bali, they were small islands, each so small that you could walk around it in a couple hours. He was told that they have nice beaches, great snorkeling, and are very laid back. So he got on a speedboat from Bali, and arrived about an hour later.
There were three Gili Islands, and he decided to come to the middle one, Gili Meno. There were many bungalows along the beach, dive centers, a grocery store, cafes and restaurants, and even an internet cafe. But somehow, it was still very quiet and laid back. It never felt crowded, and he often had long stretches of beach to himself. And this was the height of the high season, right around Christmas (He arrived on Christmas day, in fact). No hassles, no aggressive vendors. A pleasant change after Bali…

International Rescue Committee

How the IRC Works

IRC or the International Rescue Committee founded at Albert Einstein’s request in 1933. The organization’s thrust is to respond to the worst humanitarian crises in the world and help people survive as well as rebuild their own lives.

Disaster as well as war refugees receive help as well as lifesaving care from the IRC.

Expert traveler Jason Buzi is volunteering with an Iraqi Christian refugee family through IRC and donating to them.

The International Rescue Committee is present in 22 cities in the US as well as over 40 countries. They help those who are displaced and struggling and help restore their dignity, hope as well as safety.

Their Commitment

The IRC is committed to be on scene within 3 days or 72 hours with needed supplies as well as expertise which would protect individuals who are caught in the middle of chaos. They will stay where they are needed as long as they are needed and help in the healing, recovery as well as rebuilding of the communities of the survivors. Hundreds of thousands of refugees have been helped by the IRC in the US.

 Their Impact

 The International Rescue Committee is all about long-term solutions. They want to boost local capacity as well as self-sufficiency. They likewise promote human rights, accountability and participation in their innovative programs.

 Donations Used Wisely

 Their efficient financing department utilizes financial support wisely and the organization is consistently a recipient of charity watchdogs as well as respected publications’ high marks. 90 cents of every dollar donated is used for programs as well as service which directly help communities and refuges that are displaced by disaster or war.

 Be Part of the Solution

 Like expert traveler Jason Buzi, you too can help the International Rescue Committee continue their mission by making a gift, attending IRC events as well as advocating for change. You can do fundraising for the organization or work with them as an employee or volunteer, like Jason Buzi. Social networking is also a big help. You can campaign for IRC and help spread knowledge about their admirable work in crisis situations.

Burning Man: Breaking the Misconception

Many people troop to the Burning Man Festival for days filled with fun, music as well as art. There is something for everyone at the Burning Man Festival and travel expert Jason Buzi and help you around.

As far as art goes, walking around the beach and seeing the installations from afar, away from where people are camped is the highlight of the Burning Man experience. You will see various art cars from animal 

figures to replicas of famous landmarks and many more. You can read moving inscriptions by visiting the temple. There is likewise fireworks and fire dances to behold

However, there seems to be some misconception about the festival, which is the cause for some people choosing not to go to the occasion. Here are some of them:

1. A lot of money is needed.

You have to have a ticket (which is around $350), camping gear, food and transportation of course. You can go for a thousand bucks and that’s no more expensive than the usual vacations.

2. You have to allot plenty of time.

Actually, you can spend a good 24 to 48 hours in the festival and enjoy it to the full. For some who really like it, a couple of days is enough. A week may be a stretch. So, it really depends

3. Terrible Weather awaits you.

Actually some experience sunny weather and temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit and up, without sandstorms. Naturally, weather is unpredictable so you just have to be ready.

4. Entrance and exit takes forever.

Entrance isn’t that long usually. If you’ll leave prior to the burning of the temple then getting out isn’t that much of a hassle. It takes around 4 hours to reach Reno.

5. You’ll have a difficult time buying tickets.

You can get tickets as long as you’re willing to pay. They sell tickets on their website and there are others who vend on craigslist. You just need to research since they change ticket sales rules every year.

6. All people there are naked.

There is a one in one thousand chance you’ll see someone totally naked. In a crowd of five thousand there may be around five walking around naked. There are special events such those where they wash you or “critical tits” where you get to see a bunch of women topless. But generally, 99% percent of goers where funky stuff and aren’t naked.

7. Everyone is high.

There is drug taking for sure but it doesn’t look like everyone is high or stoned. It isn’t necessary to take the stuff when you go to BM.

8. You have to be totally prepared

Most who go there actually overprepare. But this is dependent on the length of stay. Just keep in mind that you are going to a desert where you can’t really buy anything apart from ice and crappy coffee. Regardless of your length of stay, bring a good supply of food and water.

Don’t let the misconceptions deter you. Let expert traveler Jason Buzi guide you in your journey of discovery at the Burning Man Festival. Leave the itinerary to him and just enjoy your time in Black Rock desert

Sri Lanka, the Island of Serendipity

SERENDIPITY (from the Oxford English Dictionary):
From Serendip, a former name for Sri Lanka + -ity.

 -       A word coined by Horace Walpole, who says (Letter to Mann, 28 Jan. 1754) that he had formed it upon the title of the fairy-tale ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’, the heroes of which ‘were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of’.

 -       The faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident. Also, the fact or an instance of such a discovery.

 Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is an island country in Southern Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean which is south of India. Even though Jason Buzi spent two weeks in the country, he already had seen so many amazing things about it. He spent his first few days in the capital, Colombo, largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte suburb (parliament capital of Sri Lanka). The capital felt like it was in Mumbai but only cleaner and with fewer beggars and homeless people.

 Although the civil war ended in May and there hadn’t been any terrorist attack on the capital in years, there were still quite a few military checkpoints throughout the city. Jason Buzi planned to do some volunteer work at a school in the southern city of Galle but quickly found out that it wasn’t a charity but a business. He also realized that he wouldn’t make a difference in a short time so he stopped volunteering after three days. However, it was fun giving magic pens, coloring books, postcards and T-shirts to the kids. Also, he made friends with two other volunteers: Amanda, a British girl and Mia, a Swiss girl.

 The beaches in the country were really nice, however being able to travel around world, it weren’t that impressive anymore. The waves were pretty big and interestingly, there were only a few surfers around. Jason Buzi did a lot of swimming, as it was warm outside and the water was very nice. He never went in too far though because of the strong currents and waves. Those waves were nothing compared to the tsunami that originated in Indonesia and reached Sri Lanka really hard exactly five years ago, in December 2004, and over 30,000 people died. He met some people who lost their family members and also their livelihood.

 There were plenty of Americans since many American groups came to help after the tsunami. In fact, one “tuk tuk” driver said the Americans bought him a new “tuk tuk”. The affected areas seemed to have recovered really well, though he is sure that many people’s lives haven’t.

 After a few days at the beach, he went to visit the highlands, where the landscape and climate were completely different from the coastal area. The place was lush and mostly green and with many rivers and waterfalls. The skies were mostly misty and it was definitely much cooler.

 Furthermore, the country is much popular with its tea and even people who know nothing about Sri Lanka knows about its tea. Thomas Lipton, a Scotsman, bought tea plantations here and introduced tea to the masses in Europe and beyond. Before that, it was an expensive drink and the ones who could afford it were the elites. Ceylon, Sri Lanka’s name until 1972, tea became very famous around the world and in turn, Lipton became the world’s leading brand of tea. Today, the country is the world’s second largest tea producer after India and it sells for a 50% premium as it is considered the best. Seeing women tea pickers up close was one of the things Jason Buzi was looking forward to on his visit.

 It turned out that most of the tea laborers were brought by the British from India until now. He asked a Sri Lankan driver and guide why the factories don’t hire local laborers but they replied that Sri Lankans are too lazy for this kind of work. Consequently, in the tea growing areas, Hindu temples were found everywhere yet the majority of the population was Buddhist.

After visiting the tea plantations and tea factories, he went to the cultural city of Kandy, the second biggest city in Sri Lanka. He saw one of the nicest botanical gardens he had ever seen and it was the largest in Sri Lanka. He was impressed that it was built by a local king, long before the British came.

 Jason Buzi saw a traditional dance show in Kandy incorporating fire spinning and fire walking. Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth was the most important Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka and one of the most important in the world. It was a giant complex containing different shrines and temples. A tooth kept here was allegedly one of Buddha’s teeth brought here in the 4^th century. This is probably the most important tooth in the world and has become a symbol of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.

 On Wednesday, he visited the Dambulla caves which contain many Buddha statues and a huge rock called Sigiriya. It was a difficult and sweaty climb to the top of the big rock, only to discover that at the top, there was basically nothing. Only an old pool, two stray dogs and three unsocial Finissh guys were there. He made sure to tell everyone as he was coming down, that they should be prepared to be disappointed.

 Well, the sense of achievement was possibly worth it Jason Buzi shared. It was impossible for him not to compare Indian and Sri Lanka because there was an evident cultural similarity. Well, you could say that Sri Lanka was the lighter version of India because it was cleaner, less chaotic, less crowded and there was not much visible poverty. Beggars and homeless people were rarely seen but it was less colorful in a way.

The people and culture seem gentler, and for better or worse, you don’t get as much sensory overload. From his experience and those of other travelers, you are also less likely to get sick here, as it is more sanitary.

The landscape and climate were very reminiscent of Southern India. Little wonder since Sri Lanka was just off the tip of Southern India. The English level was also much lower here. Although also colonized by the British, and though many signs are in English, they did not retain English as an official language.

Overall, Jason Buzi really enjoyed Sri Lanka, but there were a few places, like Thailand, that he saw himself returning to again and again.

A Visit To The Philippines

A sovereign state in the Southeast Asia, the Philippines (Republic of the Philippines) is an archipelago of 7,107 islands. It is a kaleidoscope of cultures and ethnicities that are found all throughout the islands. Furthermore, Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is the center of education, religion and finance.

Jason Buzi arrived in Manila at around 4 in the morning, taking an overnight flight from Bangkok, Thailand. Heeding his guidebook, he headed to the neighborhood of Malate, an old district of the city of Manila. There were numerous guesthouses all over despite that, it had a Filipino feeling everywhere.

 Cities in the Philippines are not the main attraction for tourists and likewise, Manila is not a beautiful city and has only a handful of tourist spots for a city of its size. In fact, many Filipinos spend their free time hanging out at the mall, as Jason Buzi shared.

The culture in the Philippines is difficult to describe yet there are definitely strong Spanish, Catholic and American influences that are evident everywhere. At times, Jason Buzi felt more like being in Latin America than Southeast Asia. The locals are very Southeast Asian but often times they hold a Spanish name. Most of them are devout Catholics which makes Roman Catholic as a one of the most influential religion all over the country. They are also fond of watching “telenovelas” on television. Furthermore, most Filipinos are fluent in speaking the English language, which makes it easier to communicate.

 Jason Buzi once read that Filipinos have been colonized for so many centuries first by the Spaniards and then by the Americans after toppling the Spanish government in the country and so on until they lost contact with their own culture. This is probably true to some extent but they have also adopted other influences from different cultures. It is somehow a “halo-halo” of many influences however he wasn’t that interested about its variety. The Philippines didn’t have the many of the unique attributes that he experienced elsewhere, in relation to the national dress, architecture, and customs among other things.

 According to him, the average Filipino’s biggest dream is to live and work abroad, and this for him doesn’t help the national pride as one country. He saw many agencies advertising job positions available overseas.

 Although there aren’t many recommended places to visit in Manila, there are also a few exceptions and worthy of recommendations. First is the old Spanish buildings at Fort Santiago, where in it is a good place to walk or take a ride in one of the horse drawn carriages. Second is the boardwalk along the bay, which is very pleasant during the day however, by night, it is quite the opposite because of the many hopeless people who sleep there.

 There are plenty of homeless families and street children all throughout Metro Manila. Some sleep outside modern shopping centers and office buildings. With his Coke and Mentos geysers, he entertained some of the street children and gave out some candies for them. Unfortunately, things quickly got out of hand, and some people tried grabbing the coke from him and chasing him for a few blocks. Also, they even tried pick pocketing him but failed to do so.

 The “jeepney” is the most popular form of public transit in Manila. Known for their flamboyant decoration, they were originally made from the U.S. military jeeps left over from World War II. It is a jeep converted into a long van with benches for the passengers. Furthermore, there is often a Mercedes emblem on the front bumper.

 “The biggest foreign group in Manila seems to be the Koreans”, he shared. It is because there are so many Korean groceries and restaurants everywhere. Also, all throughout Manila, there are many casinos and karaoke bars, where hostesses are available to provide entertainment especially to men. Like Bangkok, there are 3 to 4 convenience stores in every block however, unlike Bangkok, there are no beautiful temples or buildings and delicious street foods.

From Manila, Jason Buzi headed to the resort island of Boracay. It is a small island located approximately 315 kilometers south of Manila, and it belongs in the Western Visayas region. Before coming to the Philippines, Boracay was one of the few places he had heard of unfortunately, so has the rest of the world. It is a beautiful island with white sand beaches. Also, its beaches have crystal clear water, which is great for snorkeling.

 Disappointingly, he had to share it with a million other people because it was a “super peak” season. It wasn’t only the dry season, but Chinese New Year was also celebrated. He found out later from a friend from Hong Kong, that package tours were promoted to Boracay from Hongkong, Taiwan and other places during Chinese New Year, which are quite popular.

 There are also many direct flights from different cities in Korea, hence there were many Koreans as well. Moreover, there were also other nationalities such as Americans, Australians and many more. Until the late 70’s, Boracay was a hidden and well kept secret paradise until it came out to the world, and so, many hotels and resorts began appearing and tourists were already flocking the small island.  It was one of the most beautiful island and beach he had seen and ever been to. He is glad he came to visit the place.

 Furthermore, in the main beach, a man was selling “Balot”, a popular street food in the Philippines, which is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. He was curious to see one so he bought and asked the vendor to open it but never intending to eat it. He just wanted to take a peek of it and get a photo. When he offered it to the Filipinos at the café he was sitting at, to his surprise, nobody wanted it and some made a disgusted face.

 By night in Boracay, there were candle light beach side dining, live music, fire spinning performances and fireworks. There was also a police presence which kept vendors and beggars to a minimum. Althought it is a beautiful island resort, it is somehow identical to so many others in the world, which sadly, didn’t create a deep mark in Jason Buzi’s traveling memoirs.

For a more authentic Filipino experience, he went to the island of Mindoro after Boracay. It is the seventh largest island in the Philippines and is located off the coast of Luzon. He stayed with a family of farmers outside the town of San Jose. Like many Filipino families, the host family was loud, friendly, easy going and simple. By loud, he meant that the television was turned on whether anyone was watching or not and also the radio was turned on with maximum volume while people were talking. Other than that, people spoke simultaneously in loud voices. He really couldn’t say that he bonded with them in a deep way maybe because he didn’t have much in common especially in temperament, background, interest, and even language. Despite the differences, he was glad to experience a more traditional Filipino one compared to staying in hotels and resorts.

 The farms in the area were growing tobacco, tomatoes, eggplants, onions and many others. He was able to ride a water buffalo and pump water, like a good farm boy. In Nepal and Myanmar, there was running water but electricity was kind of bi-polar but in Mindoro, he shared, that it was the opposite that is why the need to pump water from the well is part of the lives of the people in the area. He took showers using buckets.

 Moreover, he was able to witness one of the most popular pastimes in the country, a brutal sport, cockfighting, which is banned in most Western countries. It is a blood sport between two roosters. The participants of the game were overwhelmingly men and many bets were made especially on the chosen rooster.

In the evening, the host family would sit around for hours, drinking beer and smoking, the two things Jason Buzi is not interested in. Although they showed little curiosity about anything else, they were curious about his laptop, especially when they found out that he can watch movies on it (they have no DVD player). Moreover, they also visited the “white island” near Mindoro, a small but very picturesque island. Only one family lives on the island and there are empty shacks for picnicking. He had a leisurely walk around the island which took him about 15 minutes. They were able to meet the owner, who lives in San Jose, and he said that the island is for sale for about $200,000. He shared that the amount is quite a fortune here but less than a studio condo back in the Bay Area, so it was a good bargain.

 Afterwards, they went to the fish market, where in there were small lobsters for sale by vendors. Jason Buzi asked how much and it was only three dollars for all seven of them, so he bought it. The host mother cooked them in garlic and it tasted very delicious. He was told that they rarely eat lobsters because it was too expensive.

 Other than the mentioned characteristics of most Filipinos, one of the most common is the “Filipino Time”, where in people will arrive late for an hour or so from the agreed time. Jason Buzi shared that when he arranged the boat going to the “white island” before 10 in the morning. By 30 minutes past 10, they were not yet ready to leave the house so he was getting anxious. Also, the harbor was at least 30 minutes away and nobody seemed to understand why he was concerned about the time. They said something about “Filipino Time”. When they all arrived in the harbor, everything was fine. It is a different time concept being exercised in the country as he realized.

 Not only that, he realized that he wasn’t cut out to become a farmer because time moved very slowly and with little things to do so after a few days, he was ready to come back to the city. He flew back to Manila. He spent his last day in Manila visiting the modern business district of Makati. It is an area filled with office buildings and shopping centers and home to many first class hotels and multinational companies. It is similar to most financial districts of many western cities, not at all like the rest of Metro Manila. Afterwards, he visited Manila Ocean Park, which is a large indoor aquarium sitting by the bay. He really enjoyed seeing all the sea creatures, and most of them were native to the Philippine Islands.

He really enjoyed his time in the Philippines, and he would like to visit the country again as there are many other islands left to explore. Despite being not impressed with the country’s culture, which is a sentiment being shared by others who have visited the country, it is somewhat compensated by the fact that Filipinos are generally friendly and hospitable.

A Glimpse of Portugal

With only 4 days in Portugal - 3 on the mainland, and one in the Azores - we had to maximize every minute, and plan ahead. After a bit of research, we decided to spend one day each in Porto, Sintra, and Lisbon, before flying to the Azores for a day, and then back home.

We flew into Porto from Dublin, and took the Metro to the center of town, where our hotel was located. Upon exiting the Metro station in the town center, the view was breathtaking, and reminded me of everything I love about Europe. We found ourselves in the middle of a wide avenue, with very grand, old and beautiful buildings surrounding us on all sides. We couldn't stop staring, but had to make our way with our luggage to the hotel a couple blocks away. We checked into our hotel, which we loved (Infante de Sagres; it was the only 5 star hotel on our trip) and set out to explore the center. We didn't have to walk far. Everywhere, there were people sitting outside cafes, drinking and talking with their friends. It was a Friday night, so I don't know if this is a weekly
Cathedral in Portoor just weekend thing, but so many people were out enjoying themselves. We also saw a big crowd literally dancing in the street to some music. The city had a very social and friendly energy about it.

In the morning, we set out to explore the rest of the town. Sadly, being on such a tight schedule, we had to leave that afternoon, so we went down to the train station to book our train before spending the next few hours exploring. The train station itself was impressive, with many wall murals made of white and blue tiles. These tiles are something we saw throughout Portugal. We walked along cobblestone streets to get to the main pedestrian shopping area, and spent a little time there. Could have spent a lot more, but we were on a tight schedule. We then discovered a huge ancient cathedral overlooking the city. It was magnificent, and the views were spectacular. Seeing all the tile roofs, we really felt we were in a Mediterranean country, a big contrast from the country we had just left, Ireland. There was also a fish market nearby and the vendors were yelling. All of these sights and sounds
Cobblestone streets of Sintrain our first day in a new country were really exotic and exciting. I was already falling in love with Porto, and hoping that the rest of Portugal was as magical.

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal (after Lisbon, the capital) and the home of port wine. We didn't even have time to tour the wineries, but we also found out that a lot of great soap is made in Porto, and we visited a shop and bought a few great smelling bars. We took a funicular down to the riverfront and walked along the charming boardwalk for a little while, before realizing we had to hurry back to catch our train to Lisbon. I was sad to leave Porto. It was such a charming town, and we hardly got to explore it. As it would turn out, it was my favorite place in Portugal.

We took the train to Lisbon, about 3 hours, and shortly before arriving, saw a crowd of hundreds lined up along the train tracks, chanting and excited as if they were awaiting the arrival of a dignitary or some special event. A few minutes later, the reason for the commotion was
Moorish Castle, Sintrarevealed when we saw the arena and several large signs announcing a bullfight later that evening. My guidebook also mentioned that this small town outside the capital was a major bullfighting destination during the summer. We didn't see any bull fights, however, and continued to Lisbon. As soon as we arrived at the station, we took a taxi for a 30 or 40 minute ride to Sintra.

Sintra is a hillside town near Lisbon, which was the summer residence for the King and Queen of Portugal. Many poets and other artists also stayed there over the years, including Lord Byron, who wrote: "I must observe that the village of Sintra is the most beautiful in the world". The two most famous places in Sintra are the Moorish Castle and the nearby Pena Palace, where the royal family would stay. Both are near each other in the hills overlooking the town. We visited both, and were impressed with the views from the castle and the views OF the palace, including its gardens and lakes with white and black swans. The narrow, cobblestone streets of the town of Sintra itself, and the excellent restaurant we found, where we ate once for
View of Sintra town from the castledinner and the next day for lunch, added to the enjoyment and ambience of this touristy but charming small town.

As we only had one day in each place in Portugal - Porto, Sintra, Lisbon, and the Azores - after a day in Sintra, we took a taxi back to Lisbon. We arrived in the afternoon, and would be leaving for the airport the next morning, so our main objective was to see the main sights as quickly as possible. The first one of these was the Torre de Belem, a small fortress on the water, that was featured in many pictures and postcards (and, this being Portugal - tiles!) we had seen. It really was a lovely sight. Next to it was a boardwalk along the water, and a bridge that looked exactly like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. We then took the famous Santa Justa elevator, for a view of the city. We also visited a couple of the main squares. We ended our evening with a nice dinner accompanied by Fado music, traditional and nostalgic Portuguese folk music. There were three different singers, and they were all very good. Despite all we saw and
Pena Palace in Sintra, former royal residencedid, Lisbon didn't have the charm of Porto or Sintra. In many areas, it seemed deserted or depressed. It lacked the energy and vitality of many capital cities. It seemed like a place down on its luck, and in many areas felt like a Third World city. Although our time there was very brief, especially for such a large city, we managed to see all the main sites, and it was not a place where we wished we had more time. I am glad it wasn't our first experience in Portugal, as Lisbon simply did not have the energy or charm of other places.

When I was booking our trip, it turned out that it was a bit cheaper to fly back to the U.S. via the Azores and not directly from Lisbon. The Azores are nine islands that are a Portuguese territory, and whose residents are Portuguese, but they are located in the middle of the Atlantic, almost halfway between Europe and North America. We arrived at Punta Delgada, the largest town on the largest island, Sao Miguel. In mainland Portugal, we didn't rent a car, but here we did. These both proved to be good decisions. Immediately,
Pena Palacewe started touring the island. The island of Sao Miguel has many beautiful lakes, though the beaches are nothing compared to many islands and beaches I have been to around the world. But the lakes, many of them viewed from the mountains, are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps. The most famous of these are in a place called Sete Cidades. It is a volcanic crater with twin lakes. The view from the mountain overlooking these is breathtaking. Driving along the island, we noticed rhododonderons everywhere, colorful birds, and a very pastoral sort of landscape. The pace of life seemed very slow and laid back. We got caught in a "traffic jam" on the way back, as we were stuck behind a woman herding cows, who was yelling at us and at them.

The town of Punta Delgada, the largest in the Azores by far, is still small and sleepy. There were a few restaurants open, but the food was surprisingly disappointing. It turned out that, despite being an island, their specialty was beef and not seafood. They also didn't know what we were talking about when we asked about the cherry liquor, which was everpresent in mainland Portugal. The
Black swans in one of the lakes at Pena Palacenext morning, we rented bikes and rode along the shore to a couple beaches. As I mentioned, the beaches were not spectacular, which may prevent the Azores from becoming a major tourist destination, but it was nonetheless a lot of fun to bike around and observe the laid back lifestyle. In every square and street corner, it seemed like a few people, mostly men, were sitting or standing around talking. This was a weekday and was the middle of the day. At one point we stopped and asked a man who was standing around with his buddies to take our photo. A few hours later, we were surprised when we arrived at the airport passport control window and the officer asked: "Did your picture come out OK?". I was a little confused, until I realized that the passport control officer was the same man who took our photo that morning!

Our flight from the Azores was delayed by 4 hours, and we missed the connecting flight in Boston as a result. The flight TO the Azores from Lisbon was also delayed, by about 2 hours. So keep in mind if you are flying to or from the Azores, that
"Mini castle" in a lake at Pena Palaceyour flight will probably be delayed. This probably goes for a lot of islands in general, and was certainly in line with the laid back pace of life there.

We thoroughly enjoyed our brief visit in Portugal, and wish we had more time. Highly recommended are Porto and Sintra. I'm sure there are also many wonderful places in Portugal we didn't get to see this time. Maybe someday...

I am Jason Buzi

Jason Buzi buys, builds, and fixes up houses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. He has invested in San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Alameda and San Pablo. He will invest anywhere in Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties. Jason Buzi usually buys houses directly from the owners, saving the seller commission and trouble, as the houses are always bought in "as is" condition with no need for repairs, painting, clean up or staging. In fact, the seller sometimes doesn't move out until some time after the close.


        Jason Buzi and his partners have built and are in the process of building several new homes in the San Francisco Peninsula. They have also extensively added to and remodeled existing homes.


Jason is also interested in rental properties. But primarily looking at single family homes. Jason Buzi has also helped quite a few distressed homeowners throughout the Bay Area by helping them to do short sales and avoid foreclosure this way. He has also bought houses just days before the foreclosure auction, helping the seller to avoid losing everything.
If you have a house or other real estate property in the San Francisco Bay Area, that you are even thinking about selling in the next year, please call Jason Buzi at 650-471-5807 or email at jayre01@gmail.com