How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico?
Pepe Acosta - Ventanas Hotel and Residences
Mosquitoes, bugs, and insects are more common in during the rainy season, but it is not a problem for us here in Cabo. The rainy season is not very long in Baja California Sur and is during the months of August and September, but more common in September.
Baja California Sur is a desert that gets very little rain so because it's so dry all the time, there are not very many insects.
(View of the desert from the rooftop...
Mosquitoes, bugs, and insects are more common in during the rainy season, but it is not a problem for us here in Cabo. The rainy season is not very long in Baja California Sur and is during the months of August and September, but more common in September.
Baja California Sur is a desert that gets very little rain so because it's so dry all the time, there are not very many insects.
(View of the desert from the rooftop pool at Ventanas Hotel & Residences, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pictured.)
Can I see beautiful flowers, plants and trees in or around Algarve?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
You will find lots of beautiful plants and trees in the Algarve. One example is the carob, which is the same fruit that exists in the Caribbean. (The name of the region “Caribbean” comes from the word “carob”.) The carob bean in the Caribbean is longer and flatter, so the carob bean in Portugal is a shorter version of the Caribbean version of the carob. It’s kind of a scimitar-shaped bean around 15 centimeters long. Most of it is green and when it...
You will find lots of beautiful plants and trees in the Algarve. One example is the carob, which is the same fruit that exists in the Caribbean. (The name of the region “Caribbean” comes from the word “carob”.) The carob bean in the Caribbean is longer and flatter, so the carob bean in Portugal is a shorter version of the Caribbean version of the carob. It’s kind of a scimitar-shaped bean around 15 centimeters long. Most of it is green and when it ripens it becomes brownish or dark reddish. It’s a very interesting product because it can be used in a number of things. It has an enzyme that is used in the pharmaceutical industry and as an additive for the drinks industry. It is also used as a substitute for chocolate in producing a sort of cocoa-tasting product used in the making cakes. Portugal is the third largest European and North African producer and exporter of the carob plant. There is quite a lot of tradition in Portugal linking back to the land.
The best time of the year to come and see flowering plants in Algarve is just after the rains, around autumn and again in the spring. We have a flowering area in the western Algarve called the Costa Vicentina, which is a natural reserve of many square kilometers with very little construction. Costa Vicentina has millions of very pretty wild flowers. You will see myriad colors. It is a wonderful place to go to for walkers, cyclists, ramblers, or even if you are just driving through.
In the mountains, in traditional areas like Alte, Salir, and Monchique, these are places that because of their height, elevation, and humidity tend to get a lot of flowering plants. Algarve is generally quite consistent with the rest of Portugal but it has a very dry climate. We don’t have much rain or cloudy days. The type of shrubs that exist here are small-leaved plants because these plants tend to do well in less humidity because the evaporation from the leave surface is lower, so they tend to survive better in dry climates. Many of these shrubs are very pretty. Portugal also has the olive tree, which blooms and is fantastic. We also have the almond tree, which is very famous. Probably Japan is the most famous for its almond and orange blossoms but Portugal has beautiful pink, lilac, and white almonds. We also have citrus trees like the orange trees, and a range of other flowering plants, which are very pretty.
Among the most famous local plants in the Algarve are the carob plant, the orange, almond, olive, and the fig tree. These are the traditional fruits of the Algarve and they all flower in a different way, which is very pretty. I have all these trees in my own garden.
What does it cost for a vacation rental in Nicaragua?
Carlos Roman Gutierrez Solis - Casa Granada Properties
The cost to rent a vacation house in Granada is US $500 to $800 per week. These houses are furnished, include all utilities, and a maid who comes in to clean the house. Some companies may charge extra for the maid.
For $500 a week, you get a very nicely finished colonial house with a lot of details, furnished, and with amenities such as the Internet, water heaters, swimming pool, and a garden. This is a two or three-bedroom house in a good private location.
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The cost to rent a vacation house in Granada is US $500 to $800 per week. These houses are furnished, include all utilities, and a maid who comes in to clean the house. Some companies may charge extra for the maid.
For $500 a week, you get a very nicely finished colonial house with a lot of details, furnished, and with amenities such as the Internet, water heaters, swimming pool, and a garden. This is a two or three-bedroom house in a good private location.
For $700 a week, you get a three-bedroom house.
For $800 a week, you can get a very nice three to four-bedroom house with a big swimming pool.
When searching for a house through Airbnb, make sure to review all the different options because the market and the offerings for vacation houses are growing. You can find good deals with Airbnb.
The prices of vacation houses will be a little less in Managua. Rivas and San Juan del Sur are more expensive. Granada is the middle ground for cost of vacation houses.
What are the best opportunities to do volunteer and charity work in Panama?
John Gilbert - PanamaKeys
There are huge opportunities to do volunteer and charity work in Panama, which is desperately needed. I invite you to come down and I’ll take you out. Come down and I’ll show you the many different ministry opportunities in Panama, both religious and non-religious.
A lot of the ministry opportunities in Panama focus on the poorest of the poor not having adequate housing. A group of people will come in and totally reconstruct a house from...
There are huge opportunities to do volunteer and charity work in Panama, which is desperately needed. I invite you to come down and I’ll take you out. Come down and I’ll show you the many different ministry opportunities in Panama, both religious and non-religious.
A lot of the ministry opportunities in Panama focus on the poorest of the poor not having adequate housing. A group of people will come in and totally reconstruct a house from the ground up, or let’s say that a couple has become older and they need wheelchair access in their home that they simply can’t provide for. We’ll come in and pour ramps for them to get in their homes more easily.
In Belize, you can either use US dollars or Belize dollars but since you are living in Belize it is easiest to just switch your thinking to Belize. The Belize dollar is the official currency and it is pegged at $2 Belize to US $1.
However, you cannot always plan on getting a $2 to $1 exchange rate as the banks won’t give you that. The banks will give you about $1.98 Belize for a US dollar and you have to pay BZ $2.175 for one US dollar. So...
In Belize, you can either use US dollars or Belize dollars but since you are living in Belize it is easiest to just switch your thinking to Belize. The Belize dollar is the official currency and it is pegged at $2 Belize to US $1.
However, you cannot always plan on getting a $2 to $1 exchange rate as the banks won’t give you that. The banks will give you about $1.98 Belize for a US dollar and you have to pay BZ $2.175 for one US dollar. So in other words, you’re going to pay the bank 2 points either way.
That is why most people do not use the bank; they use the money exchangers. Let’s say I have $10,000 and I want to exchange it, so I transfer the money from my US checking to the money exchanger's US checking account. Then I go to the money exchanger in Belize and he not only gives me $2 BZ for $1 US but they will give you more than 2 for 1 depending on how badly they need the US currency. The reason is because the businesses that are here have to order inventory from the States. They cannot do that with Belize dollars and they cannot keep taking a loss to buy US dollars. So all of the expats with US dollars develop a relationship with one of the local business and begin to exchange money with them.
Fluctuation from 2 to 1 hasn’t happened since we have been here. The currency exchange is pegged at $2BZ to $1US. I have exchanged my dollars at a rate as much as .0205 so I am making a good amount of money if that business is desperate for US cash. On $10,000.US with a 0.0205 I would make $205 BZ above the 2 for 1 exchange.
(Welcome sign for Red Bank Village, Stann Creek, Belize, pictured.)
I have just read Tyson's story about how you need to bring chains and dogs and machetes and guns to Belize and I'm just trying to work out which Belize he is referring to.
I have lived in the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena for almost 30 years and I have never been robbed, burgled, assaulted, mugged, hassled, or whatever - never ever. I don't have a gun and have never felt the need to buy one.
This is not a story about how Mexico celebrates its Día de los Muertos ritual, or how Americans come here to retire... then forget to die. The other day I came across the black-and-white details of how and where US citizens meet their maker in foreign lands. You see, the US State Department is required by law to report non-natural deaths by US citizens in foreign countries.
Anyone who’s explored beyond the comforts of Western Europe knows...
Only a little over and hour drive from Boquete there is a beautiful beach with something for everyone. Los Olas is also known as Playa La Barqueta. Here you will find dark volcanic sands, public access to the beach and a quaint bar that offers cold beers and beverages in cool shade with good views of the ocean. You can dine on fresh fish and seafood in the small cafe next door to the open air bar. This open air bar is a cool place to get a...
Mosquitoes, bugs, and insects are more common in during the rainy season, but it is not a problem for us here in Cabo. The rainy season is not very long in Baja California Sur and is during the months of August and September, but more common in September. 
You will find lots of beautiful plants and trees in the Algarve. One example is the carob, which is the same fruit that exists in the Caribbean. (The name of the region “Caribbean” comes from the word “carob”.) The carob bean in the Caribbean is longer and flatter, so the carob bean in Portugal is a shorter version of the Caribbean version of the carob. It’s kind of a scimitar-shaped bean around 15 centimeters long. Most of it is green and when it...
The cost to rent a vacation house in Granada is US $500 to $800 per week. These houses are furnished, include all utilities, and a maid who comes in to clean the house. Some companies may charge extra for the maid. 
There are huge opportunities to do volunteer and charity work in Panama, which is desperately needed. I invite you to come down and I’ll take you out. Come down and I’ll show you the many different ministry opportunities in Panama, both religious and non-religious. .JPG)
In Belize, you can either use US dollars or Belize dollars but since you are living in Belize it is easiest to just switch your thinking to Belize. The Belize dollar is the official currency and it is pegged at $2 Belize to US $1. 
I have just read Tyson's story about how you need to bring chains and dogs and machetes and guns to Belize and I'm just trying to work out which Belize he is referring to. .JPG)
Only a little over and hour drive from Boquete there is a beautiful beach with something for everyone. Los Olas is also known as Playa La Barqueta. Here you will find dark volcanic sands, public access to the beach and a quaint bar that offers cold beers and beverages in cool shade with good views of the ocean. You can dine on fresh fish and seafood in the small cafe next door to the open air bar. This open air bar is a cool place to get a...
