Is Puerto Vallarta safe? What's the crime rate in general in Puerto Vallarta?
Ron Morgan - Ron Morgan Properties
Puerto Vallarta is safer than any city in the United States with a population of 200,000 or more people. I came from Midland, Texas, which has a population of around 100,000 people. Midland probably has double the crime rate of what Puerto Vallarta would have; both violent crimes and crimes against property.
However, these comparisons would not be appropriate because Midland Texas is in the middle of West Texas oil country with an oil economy base and...
Puerto Vallarta is safer than any city in the United States with a population of 200,000 or more people. I came from Midland, Texas, which has a population of around 100,000 people. Midland probably has double the crime rate of what Puerto Vallarta would have; both violent crimes and crimes against property.
However, these comparisons would not be appropriate because Midland Texas is in the middle of West Texas oil country with an oil economy base and Puerto Vallarta has a tourist economy base.
There is always a lot of press and media on the drug bases in Mexico, which is driven by the American economy. You have those issues that will never change in our lifetime. However, it's been more controlled and quieter here in the last 10 years.
It's not quite as sensational having someone murdered in Juarez, Mexico as having 60 people murdered in Chicago over the weekend.
I feel much safer in Puerto Vallarta. I don't take my key out of the car and I don't lock my house.
(Condo pool at Punta Negro, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, pictured.)
Robert Irvin - The Oaks Tamarindo Condominiums-- Costa Rica
The best reason to retire overseas is to improve and change your lifestyle.
Instead of the question, “What are the best reasons to retire overseas?”, the question should be, “What is the best reason to stay where you are, and retire where you’ve worked all your life?” Did you choose that location because you wanted to spend your entire life there? Now that you’re retired, you have freedom. When you have freedom, you should exercise it, and...
The best reason to retire overseas is to improve and change your lifestyle.
Instead of the question, “What are the best reasons to retire overseas?”, the question should be, “What is the best reason to stay where you are, and retire where you’ve worked all your life?” Did you choose that location because you wanted to spend your entire life there? Now that you’re retired, you have freedom. When you have freedom, you should exercise it, and that should take you to new places, new people, new experiences and a new life, but you can always return to your old life.
For me, the question is not why you should retire overseas, it’s why you shouldn’t retire overseas. I have had a foot in two countries (the US and Costa Rica) for many years, and it’s the best of all possible lifestyles because when you get tired of the weather in one place or if you want a change of scenery, you can go somewhere else. When you have two homes, you can go from one to the other.
One of the most successful retirees I know is my friend Gunther who comes to Costa Rica from Spain every spring. He’s originally from Switzerland and also has a home in Santa Fe, but he lives in Spain because he’s been married to a Spaniard. Gunther just makes a big circle from Switzerland to Spain to Costa Rica to Santa Fe and back. I can’t think of a better way to live. It’s just a question of your tolerance for airplanes as to whether you choose two or three places to live.
(Beach near The Oaks Tamarindo Condominiums, Costa Rica, pictured.)
What's the crime rate in general in Boquete, Panama?
Wee-Yiong Fung - Prestige Panama Realty
The crime rate in Boquete is fairly low. You won't hear about a lot of crimes because it rarely happens in Boquete. Crimes, such as murders or rape are unusual in Boquete. We get more news on car crashes than somebody getting killed in Boquete.
You will hear crimes of theft and burglary, like someone breaking into a house and taking the TV or someone leaving their bike outside and somebody taking it, but nothing...
The crime rate in Boquete is fairly low. You won't hear about a lot of crimes because it rarely happens in Boquete. Crimes, such as murders or rape are unusual in Boquete. We get more news on car crashes than somebody getting killed in Boquete.
You will hear crimes of theft and burglary, like someone breaking into a house and taking the TV or someone leaving their bike outside and somebody taking it, but nothing major.
Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant
On account of there being so many new mobile companies in Portugal, there is a lot of competition, so you can get a bundle including Internet, television, mobile phones, television, and depending on how many foreign calls you want, you can pay anything from €32 up to €78 (about $35 / £23 to $85 / £56).
And there are many very good people here who will do installation and setup. There’s excellent support for that here in...
On account of there being so many new mobile companies in Portugal, there is a lot of competition, so you can get a bundle including Internet, television, mobile phones, television, and depending on how many foreign calls you want, you can pay anything from €32 up to €78 (about $35 / £23 to $85 / £56).
And there are many very good people here who will do installation and setup. There’s excellent support for that here in Portugal.
(A scene from Os Nossos Dias, a Portuguese telenovela, pictured. )
How are Americans in Granada, Nicaragua treated? How are expats in Granada, Nicaragua treated generally?
Janice Gallagher - Granada Property Services
The question about how Americans and other expats are treated in Granada Nicaragua is always a funny question to me because I have lived out of the United States for so long. But, in reality, the Nicaraguan people, especially in Granada because of the tourist industry, treat all foreigners with respect. They are so willing to help and to communicate with you. They are the first to come to your defense if someone treats you badly and the first to make excuses for you in the event you...
The question about how Americans and other expats are treated in Granada Nicaragua is always a funny question to me because I have lived out of the United States for so long. But, in reality, the Nicaraguan people, especially in Granada because of the tourist industry, treat all foreigners with respect. They are so willing to help and to communicate with you. They are the first to come to your defense if someone treats you badly and the first to make excuses for you in the event you do something truly stupid like tell everyone you are "pregnant" when you meant to use the word for "embarrassed".
Your employees will invite you to their children's birthday parties or their wedding, keeping a very special seat for you right at the front with the family. They are proud and honest people on the whole and will become a part of your life, a part of your family.
Now, not to say that you won't run into that one surly taxi driver that runs the stop sign, cuts you off at the intersection and when you honk at him, he screams at you "This is my country, I can do what I want!". I just never understand that.
There are many kids running around Belize who call me “aunt.” I love to see these kids in their little bicycles and tricycles and watch them in the park. It is such a fun place for kids because it is wide open space. They could fall but you don’t feel like they are going to hurt themselves in any major way. There is always a play field or an open space to go. Kids play football or soccer. There is always something going on. You will see school buses back and forth...
There are many kids running around Belize who call me “aunt.” I love to see these kids in their little bicycles and tricycles and watch them in the park. It is such a fun place for kids because it is wide open space. They could fall but you don’t feel like they are going to hurt themselves in any major way. There is always a play field or an open space to go. Kids play football or soccer. There is always something going on. You will see school buses back and forth with kids all wearing their uniforms. It’s great. I love to see the kids in Belize.
Belize is a nice place to raise kids because of the morals. The church is a big part of the society in Belize whether they are Catholic, Baptists, Anglicans, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc. There is always a place for you and your family in Belize to raise your kids.
In Belize, there is less exposure to outside influences. Kids in Belize do not stay up at night watching television because they would be more outdoors. In Belmopan, for example, the lifestyle is good. The kids are out at 10 o’clock and having a good time.
Expat’s kids and Belizean kids all mixt together. They go to school together. They speak English together and become friends together. Children do not see differences; they just base friendship on kindness. That is what children see.
(Belize children exploring the rocks along the beach, pictured.)
As we left the tropical splendor of the Ajijic area and drove generally east, it didn’t take long to be surrounded by farmland. Gently rolling hills dotted with trees reminiscent of Northern California chaparral lightly embraced vast, shallow valleys covered mainly with immense cornfields.
Consistent with a recurring theme for much of our road trip through Mexico, what we encountered on our drive from Ajijic through the Central Mexican Highlands was...
Sometimes when you read about a country, many times you only find the "tourist" attractions. But I want to introduce a little bit of history about Panamá that is not mentioned in many books or tour guides.
Recently, in a popular newspaper in Panamá, the "La Estrella de Panamá" there was an article about a very particular history that was, until now, little known, but nonetheless, is a magnificent piece of a glorious past.
I just want to bring up some information that very few visiting Panamá are aware of.
If you are a visitor, for the first 30 days, you are 100% covered with medical services, totally free of charge. This is a courtesy service provided by the Tourism Department.
This free coverage includes home (hotel) visits, hospital, or whatever you need to get better, and doctors speak English.