What’s the cost for home or apartment renter’s insurance in Mexico?
Andre Bellon - Bellon Insurance Agents
The cost of an apartment renters’ insurance in Mexico depends on the things that you have in the apartment. For example, if you have really expensive pieces of furniture, insurance is going to cost you a little bit more. The average renters’ insurance in Mexico is around 5,000 pesos ($250) yearly.
(Lodge furniture made in Mexico, pictured.)
The cost of an apartment renters’ insurance in Mexico depends on the things that you have in the apartment. For example, if you have really expensive pieces of furniture, insurance is going to cost you a little bit more. The average renters’ insurance in Mexico is around 5,000 pesos ($250) yearly.
What's it like to drive in Boquete, Chiriqui Province?
Manzar Lari - Casa de Montaña
How can I say this politely and politically correct way?... It’s hell.
It’s actually very difficult to drive here because people don’t drive the way you would imagine. It’s either people drive too slow or too fast and very erratically. The roads overall are pretty good in David and Boquete but the way people drive and the way people don’t pay attention to things can be unnerving if you’re not used to it.
...
How can I say this politely and politically correct way?... It’s hell.
It’s actually very difficult to drive here because people don’t drive the way you would imagine. It’s either people drive too slow or too fast and very erratically. The roads overall are pretty good in David and Boquete but the way people drive and the way people don’t pay attention to things can be unnerving if you’re not used to it.
Related to that, I would recommend for people to get a good insurance person. In case you’re in an accident you will need all the support from the insurance person and making sure that if the car is repairable to get it repaired in timely fashion, because, here, there’s a mañana mentality. Mañana essentially means” not today.” So without a good insurance agent, the repair people just keep pushing it off and it would be harder to get things wrapped up. A lot of patience is needed here in getting things done whether it has to do with claims for insurance, getting your car fixed, or anything like that.
How much do restaurants cost in Cayo, Belize, including San Ignacio and Belmopan?
Hannah Weber - Vanilla Hills Lodge
The cost to eat at restaurants here in Cayo has a wide range. You can have barbecue chicken at the roadside for $5 Belize (US $2.50). We like eating at the roadside restaurants, which are pretty much the only fast food option that we have here in Cayo. They serve meals with corn tortilla or wheat tortilla with either barbecue chicken or pork. Each of them has their own secret recipe for the sauce. You will find some eateries that are very busy and you will find some where there is...
The cost to eat at restaurants here in Cayo has a wide range. You can have barbecue chicken at the roadside for $5 Belize (US $2.50). We like eating at the roadside restaurants, which are pretty much the only fast food option that we have here in Cayo. They serve meals with corn tortilla or wheat tortilla with either barbecue chicken or pork. Each of them has their own secret recipe for the sauce. You will find some eateries that are very busy and you will find some where there is barely anybody there. But we love it and every once in a while we treat ourselves to a roadside barbecue chicken. Drinks are not included so you have to pay extra for that.
If you go to one of the nicer restaurants, you will pay around $20 Belize (US $10) for a salad and some chicken.
When we came to Cayo five years ago, there were hardly any fancy restaurants here. They just came around two years ago. An example is Guava Limb, which was named the best restaurant in Belize by the Belize Tourism Board last year. It is my favorite restaurant. It opened around two years ago and belongs to the owner of Chaa Creek Lodge. It used to be a residential home but was converted into a nice little restaurant. Their prices are around $20 Belize (US $10) but there are days when they have a special, which is priced differently. They have a nice organic selection and they also cater to vegetarians and vegans. Guava Limb is a nice place to relax and dine. It is not only for expats or tourists, as a lot of Belizeans come to eat there.
They have different chefs, who are very creative and they do something very special every day, so it seems like there is a competition amongst the chefs. They use fresh ingredients. Sometimes they use fish, tenderloin, etc. The price for the special is between $25 and $30 Belize (US $12.50 and $15).
The prices at the restaurants in Cayo are very reasonable compared to the restaurants on the coast, especially in San Pedro, in Ambergris Caye, which is a tourist destination.
(Pork chops with cherry glaze at Guava Limb Cafe, San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize, pictured.)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a second passport?
Jay Butler - Asset Protection Services of America
There are several key advantages to holding a second passport (or dual citizenship) which include, but are not limited to, the ability to:
Leave the country in the event of civil unrest;
Travel internationally with greater anonymity to nations which are not hospitable toward your (home) country;
Open certain types of offshore bank accounts and investment funds;
Reduce or eliminate various forms of taxation;
Further protect...
There are several key advantages to holding a second passport (or dual citizenship) which include, but are not limited to, the ability to:
Leave the country in the event of civil unrest;
Travel internationally with greater anonymity to nations which are not hospitable toward your (home) country;
Open certain types of offshore bank accounts and investment funds;
Reduce or eliminate various forms of taxation;
Further protect assets, including precious metals and real property;
Securely hold ownership to offshore instruments;
Permanently live and work in the foreign country wherein the dual citizenship is held.
The are few (if any) disadvantages to having a second passport, shy of the negative media publicity toward individuals who are 'prepared' for difficult times ahead. You will want to be attentive to various tax consequences as holding citizenship in one jurisdiction may not preclude you from owing taxes in another jurisdiction, however there are Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAA) to help mitigate this.
How much does it cost to get landline phone service in Portugal?
Ana Ferraz
The cost for landline phone service in Portugal is about €10 to €20 (US $10.75 to $21.70 or £7.21 to £14.42), which would give you unlimited calls within Portugal.
During weekends, you would also get free calls from 9 PM to 9 AM to any place in Europe. Outside those times, you would have to pay for calls that you make to Europe.
(Telephone booth in Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)
The cost for landline phone service in Portugal is about €10 to €20 (US $10.75 to $21.70 or £7.21 to £14.42), which would give you unlimited calls within Portugal.
During weekends, you would also get free calls from 9 PM to 9 AM to any place in Europe. Outside those times, you would have to pay for calls that you make to Europe.
Nicaragua has a very active political environment that is characteristic of the culture. The Nicaraguan people are passionate about politics.
There are a series of parties in Nicaragua that have discussions and debates. For the outsider, it may seem that there is conflict but in the end, most of the policies and laws that are passed are done in consensus and in a very conducive environment. People work together.
The main...
Nicaragua has a very active political environment that is characteristic of the culture. The Nicaraguan people are passionate about politics.
There are a series of parties in Nicaragua that have discussions and debates. For the outsider, it may seem that there is conflict but in the end, most of the policies and laws that are passed are done in consensus and in a very conducive environment. People work together.
The main proof that our politics are working in Nicaragua is that business is booming as is Nicaragua’s economic performance. Even if politicians argue heatedly on a topic, once the decision has been made and laws have been passed in a consensual way, there are good results.
What happens when you mix two years of shamanic work, 12 peacocks, zero chickens, 42 animals on two acres, five cats, five dogs, two biological children, six adopted children, a 10 day fact finding tour, a move with 10 animals, two teenagers, one best friend from high school and four containers, 10 minutes to be in the jungle (12 without seeing a snake), and five House Hunter’s International, with one caring, remarkable woman? Read on, and find out, as Jet Metier...
My husband pulled our high-top white van with the dogs in the backseat into the Pemex, the ubiquitous gas stations of Baja California, Mexico. We were returning to the outskirts of La Paz, a busy little town that fronts a bay and is held in by the mountains. He spoke in Spanglish to the attendant about the price of gas as the van was serviced. I sat inside, drowsy from a day of walking along soft surf. From my side of the van, I watched a woman approach the car to the right of me....
“Bless me, Father. It has been ten years since my last confession. Leastwise, that was when I committed the ‘sin’ of my exodus from Philadelphia, PA to the Promised Land of Belize. You see, Father, that little coastal country hanging below Mexico laid before me a sensual temptation. With the strength of the mythical Sirens, it lured me with its enchantingly sweet ‘singing’ about sunny days and more-for-the-money lifestyle.