How's the hiking and camping in and around Yucatan: Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Merida, etc.?
Iona Chamberlin - Hacienda San Pedro Nohpat
There aren’t really facilities for camping in and around Yucatan. We have a piece of land by the Ruin of Uxmál so we go hiking and camping from it. It’s our own piece of property, so for us, it’s very interesting because there are Mayan ruins and indigenous plants all over the place. We can hike near our property, and we’ve been all over to lots of ruins and areas, and have certainly gone and walked to cenotes. We camp a lot on our land.
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There aren’t really facilities for camping in and around Yucatan. We have a piece of land by the Ruin of Uxmál so we go hiking and camping from it. It’s our own piece of property, so for us, it’s very interesting because there are Mayan ruins and indigenous plants all over the place. We can hike near our property, and we’ve been all over to lots of ruins and areas, and have certainly gone and walked to cenotes. We camp a lot on our land.
Most of the locals go to the beach or have a beach house, and that’s just their idea of a day out. Many people here live a camping lifestyle because they live in the country. They might live in a mud house, and to them that’s camping. Where they build a fire every night and cook their tortillas, that’s camping. That’s just their life.
Expats do a lot of hiking, but I don’t think they go camping. Everybody gets here, likes their bed and their air conditioning. They don’t want to be bothered by mosquitoes, and hauling water or food. Many expats have a house in Merida and a house at the beach because they like the city life and they want to see the ocean.
(Temple and ancient buildings at Uxmal, Yucatan, Mexico, pictured.)
How long will I have to wait for a doctor's appointment in Volcan and Cerro Punta, Chiriqui Province, Panama?
John Gilbert - PanamaKeys
You don’t have to wait a long time for a doctor’s appointment here in Volcán. For example, I was in an accident last week to where I required stitches, and it was time to have my stitches pulled out of my face yesterday. I went in to a local clinic here in Volcán and told the doctors and nurses that I needed to have my stitches removed. I waited for about eight minutes, and ten minutes after that, my stitches were out and I was on my way home. My doctor’s...
You don’t have to wait a long time for a doctor’s appointment here in Volcán. For example, I was in an accident last week to where I required stitches, and it was time to have my stitches pulled out of my face yesterday. I went in to a local clinic here in Volcán and told the doctors and nurses that I needed to have my stitches removed. I waited for about eight minutes, and ten minutes after that, my stitches were out and I was on my way home. My doctor’s visit cost a total of $6.
We don’t make appointments with doctors unless we need to see a specialist for some reason. For example, when my wife needed to see a neurologist, we had to make an appointment for that, and when I needed to see an ophthalmologist, we also had to make an appointment for that. For a routine checkup, you can just walk in.
(Ad for Clinca en Volcan, Volcan, Panama, pictured.)
What’s the crime rate against Americans, British, and other expats in Portugal?
Duncan MacGregor - Duncan MacGregor Accounting
The crime rate in Portugal is probably the lowest in the world. Whatever crime exists in Portugal is mostly petty crime or drug-related. Some guy would break the window of a car to take a bag or whatever valuable thing he could find, for example, or some guys would break into a house and go after the TV of a Hi-Fi system. Most of the crimes here are non-violent crimes and more of petty crimes.
I live in Cascais (a high end area about 30 minutes west...
The crime rate in Portugal is probably the lowest in the world. Whatever crime exists in Portugal is mostly petty crime or drug-related. Some guy would break the window of a car to take a bag or whatever valuable thing he could find, for example, or some guys would break into a house and go after the TV of a Hi-Fi system. Most of the crimes here are non-violent crimes and more of petty crimes.
I live in Cascais (a high end area about 30 minutes west of Lisbon) and I do not worry at all about my safety here. This is one of the safest places in the world I’ve been in. I think read once that Portugal was in the Top 10 in safety, taking several factors into account such as police population, army population, etc.
It is very difficult to get a gun here in Portugal. The process to get a gun in Portugal is not as fast as it is in the UK, for example. We read and see horrific murders and shootings in the US and all we can say is, “Thank God we don’t live in a country like that.”
(Tile plague on Avenida Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales in Cascais, Portugal, pictured.)
Can I use my Medicare outside the US, and if not, what are my alternatives?
By Edgington
The short answer is no, you cannot use Medicare here in Colombia. The long answer is beyond the scope of a response. International health care policies are a good option, but, as always, the fine print is your friend. For instance, many international policies will not insure you within a certain number of miles of your 'home address,' so don't let that codicil bite you. In our case, with a home address (for now) in Ohio, we can't use our policy within 100 miles of Columbus, so we...
The short answer is no, you cannot use Medicare here in Colombia. The long answer is beyond the scope of a response. International health care policies are a good option, but, as always, the fine print is your friend. For instance, many international policies will not insure you within a certain number of miles of your 'home address,' so don't let that codicil bite you. In our case, with a home address (for now) in Ohio, we can't use our policy within 100 miles of Columbus, so we must acquire an additional policy within that range (I know, it's nuts) or risk going uninsured.
The really good news about all this is that many health care systems abroad are much, much cheaper than that found in the U.S., for example, while retaining the quality found there--or exceeding it. My wife needed a full panel dental x-ray when we arrived in Medellin, and she received it in one hour, with no appointment, for about $6.00 US. (You read that right, no need to wipe your glasses.) No co-pay. No insurance interaction.
So one answer to the question is to acquire emergency or major medical coverage only, and pay out of pocket for the rest. Not exactly an answer to the original question about Medicare use, but an elaboration on options. Another item to consider is Tricare, if the retiree is eligible for military retirement bennies. Tricare can be used (I'm told) by paying for the expenses, then submitting paperwork to Tricare for reimbursement. Disclosure: I've not gone this route. I've only been told it's possible, so good luck.
(Photo: Medellin River, Christmas 2004. Credit: By Aliman5040 - taken by Alejandra Zapata (my cousin), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikipedia.)
Can I see beautiful flowers, plants and trees in or around Granada, Nicaragua?
Esmerelda Vargas - Schuvar Tours
You can see a lot of beautiful views of vegetation in Granada, Nicaragua, but in the lake. When you go to the isletas (“small islands”) on the lake, you will see a lot of natural trees but not too many flowers. There are a lot of beautiful plants and trees on the isletas. You can also see monkeys and birds there. You will see more green than flowers.
There are some flowers, plants, and trees in the city as well, but not a...
You can see a lot of beautiful views of vegetation in Granada, Nicaragua, but in the lake. When you go to the isletas (“small islands”) on the lake, you will see a lot of natural trees but not too many flowers. There are a lot of beautiful plants and trees on the isletas. You can also see monkeys and birds there. You will see more green than flowers.
There are some flowers, plants, and trees in the city as well, but not a lot.
(Kayaking on one of the small islands in Lake Nicaragua near Granada, pictured.)
Belize has a very diverse culture. It is a country that is very open-minded and where everybody can do his own thing. That is true for almost everything such as tradition or religion.
There is no original Belizean culture because Belize is a small place left over from colonial times where people from all over the world went. We have a lot of Mexicans, Hispanic groups, Guatemalans and Mayans. We also have African groups who came to the Caribbean from...
Belize has a very diverse culture. It is a country that is very open-minded and where everybody can do his own thing. That is true for almost everything such as tradition or religion.
There is no original Belizean culture because Belize is a small place left over from colonial times where people from all over the world went. We have a lot of Mexicans, Hispanic groups, Guatemalans and Mayans. We also have African groups who came to the Caribbean from the times of the slavery, when the colonials brought the Africans to the Caribbean to work on the plantations. Belize also has a big Asian population. (Ancient Mayan compass, pictured.)
In the period of less than half a day, our senses and emotions had experienced quite a workout. In the morning, we were on a ferry in the Sea of Cortez, headed towards Mazatlan. In Mazatlan, we were treated to an entirely new concept: jungle in an urban setting. From there, we had found the toll road, breezed through green and wooded highland farmland, and then gradually descended into a profusion of jungle, not only on the sides of the road, but overhead, as we glided...
Here in Guatemala they call themselves Guatemaltecos (Guatemalteca for women) and not Guatemalans. But both are understood. When I came to live here it was a plan for two years, to put this young indigenous woman through her career program and then return to California. I had decided I was DONE with relationships and would never marry again. I tell my guests now I never say never. I also had never even thought about building my own home in a foreign country. But how young is he, this...
Gonzalo de la Guardia is leaving a video legacy for his grandchildren of their Saturday outings together discovering the meaningful places and communities in Panama. In Jet Metier’s talk with Gonzalo, or “Allo” as his grandchildren call him, she learns the other side of being an expat from Panama and how Panama is center to larger movements in the world.
Jet Metier: Hello, Gonzalo. I was inspired by the video you posted on our site in the...
There aren’t really facilities for camping in and around Yucatan. We have a piece of land by the Ruin of Uxmál so we go hiking and camping from it. It’s our own piece of property, so for us, it’s very interesting because there are Mayan ruins and indigenous plants all over the place. We can hike near our property, and we’ve been all over to lots of ruins and areas, and have certainly gone and walked to cenotes. We camp a lot on our land. 
You don’t have to wait a long time for a doctor’s appointment here in Volcán. For example, I was in an accident last week to where I required stitches, and it was time to have my stitches pulled out of my face yesterday. I went in to a local clinic here in Volcán and told the doctors and nurses that I needed to have my stitches removed. I waited for about eight minutes, and ten minutes after that, my stitches were out and I was on my way home. My doctor’s...
The crime rate in Portugal is probably the lowest in the world. Whatever crime exists in Portugal is mostly petty crime or drug-related. Some guy would break the window of a car to take a bag or whatever valuable thing he could find, for example, or some guys would break into a house and go after the TV of a Hi-Fi system. Most of the crimes here are non-violent crimes and more of petty crimes. 
The short answer is no, you cannot use Medicare here in Colombia. The long answer is beyond the scope of a response. International health care policies are a good option, but, as always, the fine print is your friend. For instance, many international policies will not insure you within a certain number of miles of your 'home address,' so don't let that codicil bite you. In our case, with a home address (for now) in Ohio, we can't use our policy within 100 miles of Columbus, so we...
You can see a lot of beautiful views of vegetation in Granada, Nicaragua, but in the lake. When you go to the isletas (“small islands”) on the lake, you will see a lot of natural trees but not too many flowers. There are a lot of beautiful plants and trees on the isletas. You can also see monkeys and birds there. You will see more green than flowers. 
Belize has a very diverse culture. It is a country that is very open-minded and where everybody can do his own thing. That is true for almost everything such as tradition or religion. 
In the period of less than half a day, our senses and emotions had experienced quite a workout. In the morning, we were on a ferry in the Sea of Cortez, headed towards Mazatlan. In Mazatlan, we were treated to an entirely new concept: jungle in an urban setting. From there, we had found the toll road, breezed through green and wooded highland farmland, and then gradually descended into a profusion of jungle, not only on the sides of the road, but overhead, as we glided...