Baltimore aquarium rainforest

[PalmatierMeg]

We visited our son and family in Rockville, MD, the week before Easter. On Tuesday we drove to the Baltimore Inner Harbor to see the aquarium (our 10-month old grandson loves to look at fish). On the top floor was a rainforest conservatory full of palms, tropical plants and exotic birds. I recognized a few plants, i.e. Chamaedoreas but most left me clueless. But it was a great place to be on a cloudy day in the 40s with gale force winds.

[PalmatierMeg]

More rainforest.

[tjwalters]

Hmm... appears to be a pinnate C. metallica. Not sure what the second Chamaedorea is. Third looks like C. elegans. The big palmate guys look like Carludovica. Were they labled? I've actually never been to the Rain Forest, even though I work right across the harbor (in the old Proctor & Gamble campus next to Domino Sugars). I should really try to get over there sometime soon, as it looks quite interesting.

Not sure on the trunking palm. Thrinax, maybe?

[PalmatierMeg]

Hmm... appears to be a pinnate C. metallica. Not sure what the second Chamaedorea is. Third looks like C. elegans. The big palmate guys look like Carludovica. Were they labled? I've actually never been to the Rain Forest, even though I work right across the harbor (in the old Proctor & Gamble campus next to Domino Sugars). I should really try to get over there sometime soon, as it looks quite interesting.

Not sure on the trunking palm. Thrinax, maybe?

Nothing was marked and most stuff was beyond reading range. I managed to ID the Chamaedorea metallica and elegans. The rest had me stumped.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Thanks for the photos Meg. I haven't been to that Aquarium in many years.

The rainforest section was always my favorite part!

[Walt]

My wife and I went to the aquarium and rainforest at the Baltimore Inner Harbor sometime during the summer of 1994, when we lived in Howard County, Md. Still have the highlights of the visit on video tape.

[Breadfruit Bill]

Thanks for the pics Meg!

I grew up just outside of Rockville in Olney, MD... Don't know how I missed this thread, the balmur aquarium is one of the best! Love that circular shark layout!

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

OFF TOPIC: Meg, you may just want to check on your family in Rockville. We had more very severe storms roll through the DC area again this morning with 80+MPH winds and the area from Gaithersburg on down to NW DC and over into western PG co was hit VERY hard. Last week on Thurs it was my neighborhood (Del Ray) in Alexandria that saw the 100+ MPH winds and LOTS of structural damage to houses, hundreds of trees completely uprooted or destroyed, dozens of power poles down, metal street light poles bent 90 degrees, windows blown out, lots of roof damage, shingles off, metal roofs peeled back...etc. Essentially it was a 5 minute minimal category 2 hurricane. It made Hurricane Isabel which rolled thru here as a category 1 hurricane seem like a very breezey shower, and the damage, while concentrated, was far worse. Were STILL cleaning up and repairing from that one here. From what I heard and saw on the news, the area up in Montgomery county got it almost just as bad early this morning. Just FYI.

[velutina]

Third looks like C. elegans.

Am I the only one that thinks nematode when someone types "C. elegans"?? Gets me every time!

[peachy]

I missed this topic too somehow. Thanks Meg for the photos....what an unbelievably lovely place. I think if I ever went there they would have to drag me out kicking and screaming at closing time.

Ken its been like that here too on and off for a couple of days. Half the city is without power and the southern states have been copping a bad pounding too. Some of the wind gusts here nearly sent me flying.

Peachy

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

I missed this topic too somehow. Thanks Meg for the photos....what an unbelievably lovely place. I think if I ever went there they would have to drag me out kicking and screaming at closing time.

Ken its been like that here too on and off for a couple of days. Half the city is without power and the southern states have been copping a bad pounding too. Some of the wind gusts here nearly sent me flying.

Peachy

Peachy if you ever get to Baltimore and DC, visit that aquarium, and the National Botanic Garden palm house and surrounding climate greenhouses. You will NOT regret it! Both are gorgeous and have very nice collections.

Yea, this year is turning out to be a boon for the tree removal and construction people. You'd think a hurricane blew through here! Some streets around me just look totally different. Where 80 foot tall trees once were its now mostly open sky, and blue tarps on roofs everywhere you look Reminds me of Florida (or here) after a hurricane comes through! Blue tarps on roofs everywhere. Massive power outages are becoming a regularity around here too, and were talking 3, 4, sometimes 500 THOUSAND homes at a time in the dark, sometimes for days. Sleeping in this heat and humidity with NO air movement is a big challenge. That is a decent chunk in a metro area that is almost 6 million people! Hope you stay safe down there!

[PalmatierMeg]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

OFF TOPIC: Meg, you may just want to check on your family in Rockville. We had more very severe storms roll through the DC area again this morning with 80+MPH winds and the area from Gaithersburg on down to NW DC and over into western PG co was hit VERY hard. Last week on Thurs it was my neighborhood (Del Ray) in Alexandria that saw the 100+ MPH winds and LOTS of structural damage to houses, hundreds of trees completely uprooted or destroyed, dozens of power poles down, metal street light poles bent 90 degrees, windows blown out, lots of roof damage, shingles off, metal roofs peeled back...etc. Essentially it was a 5 minute minimal category 2 hurricane. It made Hurricane Isabel which rolled thru here as a category 1 hurricane seem like a very breezey shower, and the damage, while concentrated, was far worse. Were STILL cleaning up and repairing from that one here. From what I heard and saw on the news, the area up in Montgomery county got it almost just as bad early this morning. Just FYI.

Thanks, Ken. I've been following WaPo. Sounds like a mess, esp. in MoCo. I hope my son is in town - he travels all over - and that my pregnant daughter-in-law stayed home and didn't try to ride Metro in to the Smithsonian. They live in a very old neighborhood with many large trees that don't deal well with hurricane-force winds. I called my husband at home & he is trying to reach our son. Hope your area came through okay. I used to live in Del Ray! On Sycamore Street in Warwick Village just off Mt. Vernon Ave. at the top of a hill. We could see planes land at National from the upstairs windows. So long ago and far away. Thanks for the memory.

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

OFF TOPIC: Meg, you may just want to check on your family in Rockville. We had more very severe storms roll through the DC area again this morning with 80+MPH winds and the area from Gaithersburg on down to NW DC and over into western PG co was hit VERY hard. Last week on Thurs it was my neighborhood (Del Ray) in Alexandria that saw the 100+ MPH winds and LOTS of structural damage to houses, hundreds of trees completely uprooted or destroyed, dozens of power poles down, metal street light poles bent 90 degrees, windows blown out, lots of roof damage, shingles off, metal roofs peeled back...etc. Essentially it was a 5 minute minimal category 2 hurricane. It made Hurricane Isabel which rolled thru here as a category 1 hurricane seem like a very breezey shower, and the damage, while concentrated, was far worse. Were STILL cleaning up and repairing from that one here. From what I heard and saw on the news, the area up in Montgomery county got it almost just as bad early this morning. Just FYI.

Thanks, Ken. I've been following WaPo. Sounds like a mess, esp. in MoCo. I hope my son is in town - he travels all over - and that my pregnant daughter-in-law stayed home and didn't try to ride Metro in to the Smithsonian. They live in a very old neighborhood with many large trees that don't deal well with hurricane-force winds. I called my husband at home & he is trying to reach our son. Hope your area came through okay. I used to live in Del Ray! On Sycamore Street in Warwick Village just off Mt. Vernon Ave. at the top of a hill. We could see planes land at National from the upstairs windows. So long ago and far away. Thanks for the memory.

Thanks Meg! OH WOW! You were close! My best friend lives on Tennessee Ave in Warwick Village. I live in the heart of Del Ray on Duncan Ave @ Mt. Vernon Ave. This whole area, Del Ray, Warwick Village, all the area over up in park fairfax, fairlington, russell road, quaker lane, all the way into old town bore the BRUNT of last thursdays storms and extremely damaging winds. Today we have been very lucky as we have been missed by the hurricane force winds, buy a couple of miles or so, TWICE since 7AM. Were under a warning now, but it thankfully missed Del Ray by a few miles. Just very heavy rains, but thankfully no winds or hail. Its been a WILD 7 days in the D.C. metro area, and the whole summer for that matter. much more severe storms than usual.

Have you been to Del Ray recently? It has become quite the sheik "place to be" now, and is a rather upscale neighborhood. You cant find a single family detached home here now for under 1/2 million dollars. Even in the terrible market, the home prices here are still through the roof, and those prices are for very small homes. Million dollar homes are common in Del Ray now.

Sorry for taking your thread off topic. I hope your family came through with no damage because I'm seeing severe damage in MoCo on the news right now. Keep us posted!

[PalmatierMeg]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

OFF TOPIC: Meg, you may just want to check on your family in Rockville. We had more very severe storms roll through the DC area again this morning with 80+MPH winds and the area from Gaithersburg on down to NW DC and over into western PG co was hit VERY hard. Last week on Thurs it was my neighborhood (Del Ray) in Alexandria that saw the 100+ MPH winds and LOTS of structural damage to houses, hundreds of trees completely uprooted or destroyed, dozens of power poles down, metal street light poles bent 90 degrees, windows blown out, lots of roof damage, shingles off, metal roofs peeled back...etc. Essentially it was a 5 minute minimal category 2 hurricane. It made Hurricane Isabel which rolled thru here as a category 1 hurricane seem like a very breezey shower, and the damage, while concentrated, was far worse. Were STILL cleaning up and repairing from that one here. From what I heard and saw on the news, the area up in Montgomery county got it almost just as bad early this morning. Just FYI.

Thanks, Ken. I've been following WaPo. Sounds like a mess, esp. in MoCo. I hope my son is in town - he travels all over - and that my pregnant daughter-in-law stayed home and didn't try to ride Metro in to the Smithsonian. They live in a very old neighborhood with many large trees that don't deal well with hurricane-force winds. I called my husband at home & he is trying to reach our son. Hope your area came through okay. I used to live in Del Ray! On Sycamore Street in Warwick Village just off Mt. Vernon Ave. at the top of a hill. We could see planes land at National from the upstairs windows. So long ago and far away. Thanks for the memory.

Thanks Meg! OH WOW! You were close! My best friend lives on Tennessee Ave in Warwick Village. I live in the heart of Del Ray on Duncan Ave @ Mt. Vernon Ave. This whole area, Del Ray, Warwick Village, all the area over up in park fairfax, fairlington, russell road, quaker lane, all the way into old town bore the BRUNT of last thursdays storms and extremely damaging winds. Today we have been very lucky as we have been missed by the hurricane force winds, buy a couple of miles or so, TWICE since 7AM. Were under a warning now, but it thankfully missed Del Ray by a few miles. Just very heavy rains, but thankfully no winds or hail. Its been a WILD 7 days in the D.C. metro area, and the whole summer for that matter. much more severe storms than usual.

Have you been to Del Ray recently? It has become quite the sheik "place to be" now, and is a rather upscale neighborhood. You cant find a single family detached home here now for under 1/2 million dollars. Even in the terrible market, the home prices here are still through the roof, and those prices are for very small homes. Million dollar homes are common in Del Ray now.

Sorry for taking your thread off topic. I hope your family came through with no damage because I'm seeing severe damage in MoCo on the news right now. Keep us posted!

My husband called a few minutes ago. My son was home and said everything was fine - just a bad thunderstorm. When we bought our first house in Warwick Village in 1975 it was $36,500 and we borrowed the $1,000 downpayment from my brother-in-law. It had been a rental community for 25 years but the owners lost their tax shelter, so renovated the rowhouses and sold them. Beautiful wooden floors. House payment was $350/month and we rented out a bedroom for extra income. Del Ray was just starting to rise from the ashes of squalor because it was close to DC, Pentagon and Crystal City. Location, location, location. I checked Zillow: my old digs registers $418,000. What a hoot!

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

OFF TOPIC: Meg, you may just want to check on your family in Rockville. We had more very severe storms roll through the DC area again this morning with 80+MPH winds and the area from Gaithersburg on down to NW DC and over into western PG co was hit VERY hard. Last week on Thurs it was my neighborhood (Del Ray) in Alexandria that saw the 100+ MPH winds and LOTS of structural damage to houses, hundreds of trees completely uprooted or destroyed, dozens of power poles down, metal street light poles bent 90 degrees, windows blown out, lots of roof damage, shingles off, metal roofs peeled back...etc. Essentially it was a 5 minute minimal category 2 hurricane. It made Hurricane Isabel which rolled thru here as a category 1 hurricane seem like a very breezey shower, and the damage, while concentrated, was far worse. Were STILL cleaning up and repairing from that one here. From what I heard and saw on the news, the area up in Montgomery county got it almost just as bad early this morning. Just FYI.

Thanks, Ken. I've been following WaPo. Sounds like a mess, esp. in MoCo. I hope my son is in town - he travels all over - and that my pregnant daughter-in-law stayed home and didn't try to ride Metro in to the Smithsonian. They live in a very old neighborhood with many large trees that don't deal well with hurricane-force winds. I called my husband at home & he is trying to reach our son. Hope your area came through okay. I used to live in Del Ray! On Sycamore Street in Warwick Village just off Mt. Vernon Ave. at the top of a hill. We could see planes land at National from the upstairs windows. So long ago and far away. Thanks for the memory.

Thanks Meg! OH WOW! You were close! My best friend lives on Tennessee Ave in Warwick Village. I live in the heart of Del Ray on Duncan Ave @ Mt. Vernon Ave. This whole area, Del Ray, Warwick Village, all the area over up in park fairfax, fairlington, russell road, quaker lane, all the way into old town bore the BRUNT of last thursdays storms and extremely damaging winds. Today we have been very lucky as we have been missed by the hurricane force winds, buy a couple of miles or so, TWICE since 7AM. Were under a warning now, but it thankfully missed Del Ray by a few miles. Just very heavy rains, but thankfully no winds or hail. Its been a WILD 7 days in the D.C. metro area, and the whole summer for that matter. much more severe storms than usual.

Have you been to Del Ray recently? It has become quite the sheik "place to be" now, and is a rather upscale neighborhood. You cant find a single family detached home here now for under 1/2 million dollars. Even in the terrible market, the home prices here are still through the roof, and those prices are for very small homes. Million dollar homes are common in Del Ray now.

Sorry for taking your thread off topic. I hope your family came through with no damage because I'm seeing severe damage in MoCo on the news right now. Keep us posted!

My husband called a few minutes ago. My son was home and said everything was fine - just a bad thunderstorm. When we bought our first house in Warwick Village in 1975 it was $36,500 and we borrowed the $1,000 downpayment from my brother-in-law. It had been a rental community for 25 years but the owners lost their tax shelter, so renovated the rowhouses and sold them. Beautiful wooden floors. House payment was $350/month and we rented out a bedroom for extra income. Del Ray was just starting to rise from the ashes of squalor because it was close to DC, Pentagon and Crystal City. Location, location, location. I checked Zillow: my old digs registers $418,000. What a hoot!

Yep! It is insane isnt it? And those are ROW HOUSES for those prices!!! I almost can't wait to move down to St. Pete. I was FLOORED by how inexpensive the home prices and rental prices are down there. I love Del Ray, but having lived in the DC area all my life I am ready to go and ready to live somewhere that is not so incredibly is expensive, and somewhere where I can feed my palm addiction. LOL!

Glad your family is ok and had no damage! Speaking of severe weather, we now have TWO active tornado warnings within 25 or so miles of here as we speak! What a WILD weather day.

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Meg, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, your family really needs to be paying attention to the news, weather, and hopefully they have a weather radio. I tornadic (radar indicated) severe thunderstorm is moving south out of frederick and howard counties and into MoCo MD. Possible areas in MoCo affected by the tornado include Gaithersburg, and Rockville, within the next 30 mins or so if this storm holds together. Im saying a little prayer and crossing my fingers for you, and for my friends parents who have a farm in Mt. Airy MD. This has turned into a VERY dangerous situation.... PM me if you need to, but make sure your family is aware first!

[peachy]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

Have you been to Del Ray recently? It has become quite the sheik "place to be" now, and is a rather upscale neighborhood. You cant find a single family detached home here now for under 1/2 million dollars. Even in the terrible market, the home prices here are still through the roof, and those prices are for very small homes. Million dollar homes are common in Del Ray now.

Sorry for taking your thread off topic. I hope your family came through with no damage because I'm seeing severe damage in MoCo on the news right now. Keep us posted!

My husband called a few minutes ago. My son was home and said everything was fine - just a bad thunderstorm. When we bought our first house in Warwick Village in 1975 it was $36,500 and we borrowed the $1,000 downpayment from my brother-in-law. It had been a rental community for 25 years but the owners lost their tax shelter, so renovated the rowhouses and sold them. Beautiful wooden floors. House payment was $350/month and we rented out a bedroom for extra income. Del Ray was just starting to rise from the ashes of squalor because it was close to DC, Pentagon and Crystal City. Location, location, location. I checked Zillow: my old digs registers $418,000. What a hoot!

Yep! It is insane isnt it? And those are ROW HOUSES for those prices!!! I almost can't wait to move down to St. Pete. I was FLOORED by how inexpensive the home prices and rental prices are down there. I love Del Ray, but having lived in the DC area all my life I am ready to go and ready to live somewhere that is not so incredibly is expensive, and somewhere where I can feed my palm addiction. LOL!

Glad your family is ok and had no damage! Speaking of severe weather, we now have TWO active tornado warnings within 25 or so miles of here as we speak! What a WILD weather day.

$418,000 for a renovated row (or terrace as they called here) house in a major city is an absolute bargain. One you wouldnt get here. One in Sydney, reasonable location.....$1.5 million upward. Rotten location in bad area...$850,000 minimum. Melbourne $950,000 minimum reasonable area, $600,000 upward for a really tiny terrace in a rotten location. My old house in Melbourne, sold when I moved up here, is now worth $3million. You bet all ya body parts I got nowhere near that kind of money for it 20 years ago.

Peachy

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Ditto what Jeff in Costa Rica said. I have not been to that aquarium in years either, but always loved it, especially the rain forest part of it. Thanks for sharing the photos!

Have you been to Del Ray recently? It has become quite the sheik "place to be" now, and is a rather upscale neighborhood. You cant find a single family detached home here now for under 1/2 million dollars. Even in the terrible market, the home prices here are still through the roof, and those prices are for very small homes. Million dollar homes are common in Del Ray now.

Sorry for taking your thread off topic. I hope your family came through with no damage because I'm seeing severe damage in MoCo on the news right now. Keep us posted!

My husband called a few minutes ago. My son was home and said everything was fine - just a bad thunderstorm. When we bought our first house in Warwick Village in 1975 it was $36,500 and we borrowed the $1,000 downpayment from my brother-in-law. It had been a rental community for 25 years but the owners lost their tax shelter, so renovated the rowhouses and sold them. Beautiful wooden floors. House payment was $350/month and we rented out a bedroom for extra income. Del Ray was just starting to rise from the ashes of squalor because it was close to DC, Pentagon and Crystal City. Location, location, location. I checked Zillow: my old digs registers $418,000. What a hoot!

Yep! It is insane isnt it? And those are ROW HOUSES for those prices!!! I almost can't wait to move down to St. Pete. I was FLOORED by how inexpensive the home prices and rental prices are down there. I love Del Ray, but having lived in the DC area all my life I am ready to go and ready to live somewhere that is not so incredibly is expensive, and somewhere where I can feed my palm addiction. LOL!

Glad your family is ok and had no damage! Speaking of severe weather, we now have TWO active tornado warnings within 25 or so miles of here as we speak! What a WILD weather day.

$418,000 for a renovated row (or terrace as they called here) house in a major city is an absolute bargain. One you wouldnt get here. One in Sydney, reasonable location.....$1.5 million upward. Rotten location in bad area...$850,000 minimum. Melbourne $950,000 minimum reasonable area, $600,000 upward for a really tiny terrace in a rotten location. My old house in Melbourne, sold when I moved up here, is now worth $3million. You bet all ya body parts I got nowhere near that kind of money for it 20 years ago.

Peachy

Sounds expensive! But are we talking US dollars vs Aussie dollars? Whats 1 mil Aussie = in USD? I honestly dont know.

[PalmatierMeg]

Ken, I'm sure Peachy means Aus. $, which at the moment is: US $1 = approx. AU $1.12. So, US 418,00 circa 1950 brick rowhouse = AU $468,160. Peachy, those are still some steep prices.

[peachy]

It would be impossible for me to buy a house in Melbourne or Sydney now Meg. Even your basic 3 bed, 1 bath, brick way way out in the burbs, let alone the inner city beachside suburbs I always lived in. Brisbane isnt really much cheaper but you get much less for your money. Average houses here are wooden things on stumps with outside laundries. The house next door to mine sold earlier this year for $380,000, a small thing built in 1950, and untouched, apart from paint ever since. No garden or improvements outside. At least I got my house hollowed out and completely redesigned inside 3 years ago, put in a solid slab driveway, added a deck, put a lift on the back of the place, and turned a bedroom into a decent size bathroom. It's also centrally heated and airconditioned now. And of course it has a garden (of sorts) If the house next door to me had been in a suburb closer to the city you could have doubled the price paid for it. When I first moved here it was a very bad part of town with a shocking reputation. I was too afraid to go out much and I dont scare easily. Luckily someone in power learnt about urban renewal and a few years ago they started prettying up the place and promoting it as an investment suburb, so the rougher types were eventually priced out of the market and these days its a safe and pleasant area with prices going up all the time. We are getting more and more amenities too, unheard of here a few years ago. Macdonalds just opened up a new 24 hour outlet a couple of minutes away, and tonight when I had the munchies at 3 am I was able to go and get something to eat. In Melbourne and Sydney you have been able to do this as long as I have been alive but in Brisbane these are a very new thing but catching on fast, going by the fact I had to wait in a bloody long queue tonight. A friend of mine in the USA just bought a lovely big modern house with a gigantic yard and pool for $149,000 in Alabama, so I may have to change countries if I ever want to get a better place. South Africa is still the place to be for cheap houses but you have to live behind razor wire on secure estates to be safe so I guess you only get what you pay for.

Peachy

[PalmsZA]

Cheap you say Peach!?

Ok you right! Down here in Durbs you can pick up a nice house with 2000m2 of sub-tropical splendour for R1.5 mill. 15km from town(not that many work there now).

We have learnt to outsmart the criminals (locally called skhebengas) by not having an alarm, security gates and razor wire. That way they reckon you have nothing left to steal!

Cheers

[PalmsZA]

Oh R1.5 mill is about 200 000 US.

[Cindy Adair]

If we're comparing prices especially in places palms like best, think of western Puerto Rico. We were told that lovely rural property without a view of the ocean would run only $3000 to $7000 per acre. We bought our 7 acre farm 3 years ago with hundreds of heliconia species, fruit trees, palms etc. plus a fully furnished, albeit modest house and apartment (2 kitchens, 2 baths, 4 bedrooms total for LESS than any old townhouse in Virginia even far from the beach with no yard... We thought the original asking price was a typo and that they meant 10 times more. My guess is that now prices are even lower! I realize I'm WAY off the original topic about the Baltimore aquarium-sorry!

[Walt]

If we're comparing prices especially in places palms like best, think of western Puerto Rico. We were told that lovely rural property without a view of the ocean would run only $3000 to $7000 per acre. We bought our 7 acre farm 3 years ago with hundreds of heliconia species, fruit trees, palms etc. plus a fully furnished, albeit modest house and apartment (2 kitchens, 2 baths, 4 bedrooms total for LESS than any old townhouse in Virginia even far from the beach with no yard... We thought the original asking price was a typo and that they meant 10 times more. My guess is that now prices are even lower! I realize I'm WAY off the original topic about the Baltimore aquarium-sorry!

About a month ago I was online looking at properties in PR. I found most properties (lot and home) to be fairly pricey compared to where I live. Plus, the architecture of many of the homes I didn't particularly care for, and the square footage was only around 1,100 or so.

That being said, however, I did find two rather interesting properties, one in Anasco, the other in Villalba. One property had an ocean view, the other a mountain view. Both had very nice open floor plan homes with several bedrooms and two baths (plus one had a nice outside shower on the deck).

One home was on more than 3 acres, the other more than 4 acres. The asking price for these properties were in the $220K to $230K range. I showed these properties (there were tons of color photos) to my wife (she liked the properties) and told her that one day I could consider living down there. I'm retired but she still works, so moving would be out of the question at this time -- if ever. So many, many considerations and details. Further, I've been to PR numerous times and it's hot and humid year round there. I kind of like the break from the heat I get here in the winter.

[Cindy Adair]

If we're comparing prices especially in places palms like best, think of western Puerto Rico. We were told that lovely rural property without a view of the ocean would run only $3000 to $7000 per acre. We bought our 7 acre farm 3 years ago with hundreds of heliconia species, fruit trees, palms etc. plus a fully furnished, albeit modest house and apartment (2 kitchens, 2 baths, 4 bedrooms total for LESS than any old townhouse in Virginia even far from the beach with no yard... We thought the original asking price was a typo and that they meant 10 times more. My guess is that now prices are even lower! I realize I'm WAY off the original topic about the Baltimore aquarium-sorry!

About a month ago I was online looking at properties in PR. I found most properties (lot and home) to be fairly pricey compared to where I live. Plus, the architecture of many of the homes I didn't particularly care for, and the square footage was only around 1,100 or so.

That being said, however, I did find two rather interesting properties, one in Anasco, the other in Villalba. One property had an ocean view, the other a mountain view. Both had very nice open floor plan homes with several bedrooms and two baths (plus one had a nice outside shower on the deck).

One home was on more than 3 acres, the other more than 4 acres. The asking price for these properties were in the $220K to $230K range. I showed these properties (there were tons of color photos) to my wife (she liked the properties) and told her that one day I could consider living down there. I'm retired but she still works, so moving would be out of the question at this time -- if ever. So many, many considerations and details. Further, I've been to PR numerous times and it's hot and humid year round there. I kind of like the break from the heat I get here in the winter.

Maybe we just got really lucky! Sounds like the properties you looked at had more photogenic homes so maybe that's part of the reason they cost so much more.We are rural enough that mail is a P.O. box only and UPS doesn't deliver to us either. It does get into the sixties at night in the winter and stays below 90 in the summer with such nice breezes that I don't notice the humidity. It's MUCH more pleasant than the really hot and sticky summers in Virginia Beach. We can get to a city (Mayaguez) with a traditional mall, Walgreens, Home Depot, Sams club, etc. in about 30 minutes though. There are some areas of PR that are too urban (San Juan) or too hot (Guanica area)or probably too expensive (Rincon near the beach)for us and certainly Florida is a lovely place to live as well. I just don't think the clove,chocolate and nutmeg trees would want to leave PR. I see many Se Vende (FOR SALE) signs on farms that seem nice but don't know the asking prices of course.No poisonous snakes is also a plus.If your wife ever decides to retire and you want to see more of PR, PM me.

[Walt]

If we're comparing prices especially in places palms like best, think of western Puerto Rico. We were told that lovely rural property without a view of the ocean would run only $3000 to $7000 per acre. We bought our 7 acre farm 3 years ago with hundreds of heliconia species, fruit trees, palms etc. plus a fully furnished, albeit modest house and apartment (2 kitchens, 2 baths, 4 bedrooms total for LESS than any old townhouse in Virginia even far from the beach with no yard... We thought the original asking price was a typo and that they meant 10 times more. My guess is that now prices are even lower! I realize I'm WAY off the original topic about the Baltimore aquarium-sorry!

About a month ago I was online looking at properties in PR. I found most properties (lot and home) to be fairly pricey compared to where I live. Plus, the architecture of many of the homes I didn't particularly care for, and the square footage was only around 1,100 or so.

That being said, however, I did find two rather interesting properties, one in Anasco, the other in Villalba. One property had an ocean view, the other a mountain view. Both had very nice open floor plan homes with several bedrooms and two baths (plus one had a nice outside shower on the deck).

One home was on more than 3 acres, the other more than 4 acres. The asking price for these properties were in the $220K to $230K range. I showed these properties (there were tons of color photos) to my wife (she liked the properties) and told her that one day I could consider living down there. I'm retired but she still works, so moving would be out of the question at this time -- if ever. So many, many considerations and details. Further, I've been to PR numerous times and it's hot and humid year round there. I kind of like the break from the heat I get here in the winter.

Maybe we just got really lucky! Sounds like the properties you looked at had more photogenic homes so maybe that's part of the reason they cost so much more.We are rural enough that mail is a P.O. box only and UPS doesn't deliver to us either. It does get into the sixties at night in the winter and stays below 90 in the summer with such nice breezes that I don't notice the humidity. It's MUCH more pleasant than the really hot and sticky summers in Virginia Beach. We can get to a city (Mayaguez) with a traditional mall, Walgreens, Home Depot, Sams club, etc. in about 30 minutes though. There are some areas of PR that are too urban (San Juan) or too hot (Guanica area)or probably too expensive (Rincon near the beach)for us and certainly Florida is a lovely place to live as well. I just don't think the clove,chocolate and nutmeg trees would want to leave PR. I see many Se Vende (FOR SALE) signs on farms that seem nice but don't know the asking prices of course.No poisonous snakes is also a plus.If your wife ever decides to retire and you want to see more of PR, PM me.

No, I believe you got the deal you said, and it was probably a typical price for the location. Yes, in San Juan and other high density locations, home prices and lots are at a premium -- exactly the locations I have absolutely no interest in living. I, as well as my wife, like a more secluded, rural type of setting/area.

We have somewhat achieved that setting here in Florida (I need to update this album and plan to do so this fall):

http://outdoors.webshots.com/slideshow/57087290EjlNlQ

I went online (last month) trying to learn more about the cost of living, taxes, etc., in PR. I see property taxes are relatively low. I did note, as you said, shopping malls and other amenities, almost like here in the states.

I'm in no way serious at this point about relocating to PR, but for some reason started to entertain the idea after the coldest winter I've had in the past 12 years I've lived here. We moved here in December of 1997 after I took an early retirement (I worked in D.C. and we lived in Howard County, Md.) I'm orginally from Hyattsville, Md. My parents (in their 80s) also live here, moving down here 2-1/2 years ago from Germantown, Md. I was just telling my wife that when my parents eventually pass, I really wouldn't have anything holding me here, but want to be here for them until the end.

In any event, I may PM you as I would like to get just general information about living in PR. I would never, ever even consider such a move without doing my homework and evaluating and accessing all the details and considerations. A move from Florida to PR would certainly be more challenging than my move to Florida from Maryland, that's for sure!

[Tulio]

Walt,

Next time you look at properties in PR check out Aibonito and Orocovis. These towns are high in the mountains (approx. 2500 ft). Temperatures and humidity are lower than the towns on the coast.

[peachy]

Sorry Meg...still in hijacking mode...

Dennis, you can take the girl out of Africa but not Africa out of the girl. My first act performed when I moved here, before I even unpacked, was to get wrought iron triple lock security doors and iron bars on all the windows. The neighbours were giving the house quite funny looks. 3 years later after they had all been robbed, all the houses on the street have bars, grilles and security doors. I nearly moved to JHB 3 years ago. Saw a house in the Sandton district, massive home, one hectare, pool, servants quarters, landscaped and the whole house and grounds with full wheelchair access all for 4million rand. Secure estate too !! Only the awful JHB climate put me off or I would have been firmly esconced in that big pink mansion right now. In Zim we only had the grilles and security doors and a prickly hedge around the boundary, never needed the extremes we saw down south. Oh we also had a few st bernards as pets, darling old sausages they were, but evildoers would never come near a place with big dogs anyhow. Even in shabby old Qld, 1.5 mil. rand would only get you a small vacant lot in a not no nice location. BTW, I thought you had to live in one of the dorps before they thought you poor enough not to rob.

Peachy

[Walt]

Walt,

Next time you look at properties in PR check out Aibonito and Orocovis. These towns are high in the mountains (approx. 2500 ft). Temperatures and humidity are lower than the towns on the coast.

Yes, I did some research on Puerto Rico's climate and saw where interior elevation areas run a little cooler than the coastal areas. Also, I went all over the interior using Google Earth. GE doesn't have street view yet, but they do have lots of photos taken in and around most towns and neighborhoods and other interesting spots (including Aibonito and Orocovis).