How are the restaurants in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Jerry Smith, MD
I’m very proud of this. We have international cuisine in Ajijic and Chapala because there are so many old retirees who don't want to cook and it is so cheap. The people go out so much that there are more restaurants per capita here than anywhere in Mexico, which I think is amazing.
In Ajijic there are very few Mexican restaurants, although there are some very small ones that are mostly frequented by the Mexican locals and I guess some of the...
I’m very proud of this. We have international cuisine in Ajijic and Chapala because there are so many old retirees who don't want to cook and it is so cheap. The people go out so much that there are more restaurants per capita here than anywhere in Mexico, which I think is amazing.
In Ajijic there are very few Mexican restaurants, although there are some very small ones that are mostly frequented by the Mexican locals and I guess some of the visitors from Guadalajara. This place loads up on Saturday and Sunday with Guadalajarans, who want to get out of the city. It’s very busy here on the weekend.
We have practically every kind of restaurant here. We have one or two Indian restaurants, two Thai restaurants, one or two sushi places, etc. We have a great Argentinean steakhouse where a 12-ounce rib eye cooked over wood costs about 250 pesos (US $14) and that would include two side dishes. It’s the most popular place in Ajijic.
At least once a week we all go to lunch after golf. We stop at a fried chicken place that has the best southern fried chicken. I would never want to go back to the States for southern fried chicken because this place is so good. Also, for two drumsticks and a side of coleslaw, it’s 50 pesos (US $3).
It used to be that you couldn’t get a decent pizza here. I remember the first time our kids came down to visit us they wanted a sausage pizza so we ordered one. It was a piece of dough with catsup on it and some cut up weenies. It was just horrible. Pizza was one of the things we used to miss and the first thing we’d get when we traveled back to the States. But now they have pizza joints all over the place. There’s a Domino’s 10 blocks from my house.
(Logo for Mi Pueblo Pizza, Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
How many Americans, Canadians, and other expats live in Belize?
Boris Mannsfeld - Boris Mannsfeld & Associates
I do not have the exact number of Canadians and other expats who live in Belize but I would say 60% of the expat population are Americans, 35% Canadian, and 5% are from elsewhere.
Lately though, people are saying that the whole population is 50/50 now. That is 50% expats and foreigners, and 50% locals. In total, Belize just has 350,000 people now.
I do not have the exact number of Canadians and other expats who live in Belize but I would say 60% of the expat population are Americans, 35% Canadian, and 5% are from elsewhere.
Lately though, people are saying that the whole population is 50/50 now. That is 50% expats and foreigners, and 50% locals. In total, Belize just has 350,000 people now.
What are the least-expensive countries in which to obtain dual citizenship?
Jay Butler - Asset Protection Services of America
There are only six (6) countries in the world which currently offer "economic citizenship" programs, which are:
The Commonwealth of Dominica ($100,000+)
The Dominican Republic ($200,000+)
St Kitts and Nevis ($250,000+)
New Zealand ($1,300,000+)
Ireland ($1,500,000+)
Austria ($3,000,000+)
Numerous countries offer citizenship by "naturalization" including, but not limited to, Costa Rica,...
There are only six (6) countries in the world which currently offer "economic citizenship" programs, which are:
The Commonwealth of Dominica ($100,000+)
The Dominican Republic ($200,000+)
St Kitts and Nevis ($250,000+)
New Zealand ($1,300,000+)
Ireland ($1,500,000+)
Austria ($3,000,000+)
Numerous countries offer citizenship by "naturalization" including, but not limited to, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama and Paraguay.
So, to best answer the question "What are the least expensive countries in which to obtain dual citizenship?" the answer would rely heavily on whether you have the financial means to afford an 'economic citizenship' program or the time to wait for a 'naturalization' program to come to fruition. Generally speaking, economic citizenship programs make second passports available within 3 to 12 months while naturalization programs can take 5 to 7 years.
If the case is the former, then the Commonwealth of Dominica offers visa-free access to 76 countries with a charitable contribution starting at $100,000 for individuals and $175,000 for married couples.
The Dominican Republic offers visa-free access to 40 countries with a $200,000 business investment which "furthers the overall economic value of the Dominican Republic".
And St Kitts and Nevis offers access to over 125 countries through either a charitable contribution to the SIDF (Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation) which runs $250,000 for an individual and begins at $300,000 for married couples, or through the purchase of real property (the minimum investment is $400,000) with government fees running $50,000 for the head of household, $25,000 for the spouse, and an additional $25,000 or $50,000 per child depending on their age.
If the case is the latter, then prices and residency or visitation requirements can vary dramatically. Although your options are more abundant for 'naturalization' programs so too is the demand for you to thoroughly do your research before making a decision. Unfortunately the length of this article will not permit for a comprehensive answer to the least expensive countries in which to obtain dual citizenship by way of naturalization. I would suggest speaking at length to someone qualified to get more details if interested.
Regardless of which jurisdiction best meets your needs, you must be pointed to the specific underlying legal foundation upon which the dual citizenship program is being made available to the public. Meaning, if you are not provided with a section from the constitution, a constitutional amendment or piece of current legislation validating the program then you are likely to become involved in a scam.
Be leery of anyone who tries to sell you a second passport based on adoption, the death of a citizen, or 'special activities' such as an involvement in the film industry, etc. The use of a fraudulent passport is a serious international crime and punishable with long prison sentences in most every participating country.
Lastly, whomever you choose to provide your dual citizenship services, the actual work should be performed by legal counsel on-the-ground in the country wherein you are seeking your second citizenship. Under no circumstances whatsoever should you consider attempting to procure a second passport without competent and reliable legal counsel.
I can speak about the real estate market. When I first came here 8 ½ years ago, the real estate market was booming, but that was before the world economy crashed. As of now, things are really picking up again. We have increasing activity and increasing sales.
9 ½ years ago, there weren’t any banks in San Juan del Sur. 8 ½ years ago, there was one bank. Now, there are six banks here. One bank has two locations and one bank...
I can speak about the real estate market. When I first came here 8 ½ years ago, the real estate market was booming, but that was before the world economy crashed. As of now, things are really picking up again. We have increasing activity and increasing sales.
9 ½ years ago, there weren’t any banks in San Juan del Sur. 8 ½ years ago, there was one bank. Now, there are six banks here. One bank has two locations and one bank moved to a bigger location. You know things are going well if the banks are moving in and expanding.
How's the adventure travel and activities in and around Panama?
Lourdes Townshend
Panamá´s adventure is very well known, in part recently because of TV shows that have chosen Panamá as the location in which to film programs like "Survivor" and others, due the beauty of Panamá´s environment, mountains, beaches, plants and flowers.
Mountain biking, water rafting, hiking and surfing are very popular.
The waves in Coronado, Panamá and...
Panamá´s adventure is very well known, in part recently because of TV shows that have chosen Panamá as the location in which to film programs like "Survivor" and others, due the beauty of Panamá´s environment, mountains, beaches, plants and flowers.
Mountain biking, water rafting, hiking and surfing are very popular.
The waves in Coronado, Panamá and Gorgona are especially good for surfing, with surfers from all over the world coming for international competitions here.
Panamá has several national parks, with the "Volcán Barú" being one of the most important ones. Thousands of visitors come here to see the famous "Quetzales" (a bird), and for scientific projects.
Other places known for great beauty and adventure in Panamá are the isle of Coiba, Cerro Colorado, Bahía Piña (in the province of Darién), Golfo las Perlas (in the Pacific Ocean), and Bocas del Toro province, which has many exotic isles and resorts.
The province of Chiriquí is especially well suited for water rafting, due the many rivers that cross this region.
El Valle de Antón is also another good place to enjoy outdoors activities and lots of adventure.
One piece of advice, though, is if you want to take part in adventure travel, always go with a local guide. Mountains and forests in Panamá can be tricky and very isolated.
The government's Authority of Tourism can guide you with proper information on licensed guided tour agencies, that offer all kinds of packages at different prices. You can also contact the private Chamber of Commerce, or the local Chamber of Tourism for further information.
Of course, nobody leaves the country of Panamá without visiting the Panamá Canal, which is in the city of Panamá, or city of Panamá itself, which is an impressive cosmopolitan city, combining the old and modern world.
How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Algarve?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
The mosquitoes and other insects are not that bad here in Algarve. We are not Florida and we are not Central America. Anyone who is accustomed to living in those places would find Algarve to be a welcomed relief. We clearly do get some flies and mosquitoes in the summer but they are not at the epidemic level. Some houses here have pools so sometimes mosquitoes breed in the water and we have to swat them away but it’s not a big deal. People here often get wax candles that have a...
The mosquitoes and other insects are not that bad here in Algarve. We are not Florida and we are not Central America. Anyone who is accustomed to living in those places would find Algarve to be a welcomed relief. We clearly do get some flies and mosquitoes in the summer but they are not at the epidemic level. Some houses here have pools so sometimes mosquitoes breed in the water and we have to swat them away but it’s not a big deal. People here often get wax candles that have a scent that repels mosquitoes. These candles are easily available at the department stores or hardware stores and cost between €1 (US $1.10 or £ 0.75) and €5 ($5.50 or £ 3.69) depending on the size of the content. It’s a very efficient way of getting rid of mosquitoes.
Inside houses, you can also have electric, plug-in mosquito repellant units, but overall, there is no need to use mosquito repellant all the time here in the Algarve. To date, there has not been any outbreaks of any kind of diseases which are brought about by mosquitoes, such as malaria or dengue.
(Medieval castle, Castelo de Alcoutim on the San Marcos River, Algarve, Portugal, pictured. )
Given that our planned drive from Puebla to Orizaba was only a little more than three hours, that our combination Puebla hotel / restaurant / fraccionamiento was so pleasant, and that the restaurant had an all you can eat Mexican buffet breakfast, we saw no compelling reason to refuse the beautifully arranged food we found so temptingly arranged before us. Even in this upscale restaurant with impeccable service and sophisticated ambiance, they allowed us to dine...
The week before Christmas five of us guys decided we'd take a road trip and head to the south part of the country and do some fishing. Several of us had been there before and hooked some good sized tarpon, but the size and the ferocity of the fish caused us never to land one. We took a three hour drive south of Managua, and then an hour and a half panga ride (similar to a john boat) east on the Rio San...
To take a line from his own newsletter, Nica Nuggets, for and about the expats of Granada, Nicaragua, Darrell Bushnell is as busy as a one-legged rooster in a three-story hen house. Jet Metier talks to the man who mesmerizes her with his tales of his life in the land of fresh water sharks and steaming volcanoes.
Jet Metier: How are you Darrell? How are Amy and the dogs? I like to think of you starting the morning doing something wonderful and unique...
I’m very proud of this. We have international cuisine in Ajijic and Chapala because there are so many old retirees who don't want to cook and it is so cheap. The people go out so much that there are more restaurants per capita here than anywhere in Mexico, which I think is amazing. .jpg)
If the case is the former, then the Commonwealth of Dominica offers visa-free access to 76 countries with a charitable contribution starting at $100,000 for individuals and $175,000 for married couples. 
And St Kitts and Nevis offers access to over 125 countries through either a charitable contribution to the SIDF (Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation) which runs $250,000 for an individual and begins at $300,000 for married couples, or through the purchase of real property (the minimum investment is $400,000) with government fees running $50,000 for the head of household, $25,000 for the spouse, and an additional $25,000 or $50,000 per child depending on their age. 
The mosquitoes and other insects are not that bad here in Algarve. We are not Florida and we are not Central America. Anyone who is accustomed to living in those places would find Algarve to be a welcomed relief. We clearly do get some flies and mosquitoes in the summer but they are not at the epidemic level. Some houses here have pools so sometimes mosquitoes breed in the water and we have to swat them away but it’s not a big deal. People here often get wax candles that have a....jpg)
Given that our planned drive from Puebla to Orizaba was only a little more than three hours, that our combination Puebla hotel / restaurant / fraccionamiento was so pleasant, and that the restaurant had an all you can eat Mexican buffet breakfast, we saw no compelling reason to refuse the beautifully arranged food we found so temptingly arranged before us. Even in this upscale restaurant with impeccable service and sophisticated ambiance, they allowed us to dine...