Like the U.S.,Belize's roads are given in miles, and gas is sold by the gallon. The gas stations were re-branded in 2012 in our country as Puma and Uno.
Unlike other countries in our region where shaking down a tourist in a rental car is a small industry, in Belize you will usually not be pulled over for phony traffic offenses, and if you are stopped at a checkpoint, which often happens, it is rare but not unheard that you will be asked for a bribe. The...
Like the U.S.,Belize's roads are given in miles, and gas is sold by the gallon. The gas stations were re-branded in 2012 in our country as Puma and Uno.
Unlike other countries in our region where shaking down a tourist in a rental car is a small industry, in Belize you will usually not be pulled over for phony traffic offenses, and if you are stopped at a checkpoint, which often happens, it is rare but not unheard that you will be asked for a bribe. The police will invariable ask for your driver's license and check your windshield to see the license sticker. This is more pre-text to strike up a conversation to determined if you are transporting drugs or doing something illegal.
Driving at night is not recommended by me because there are a few people on the roads still after dark going home on bicycles and some are walking, it is very hard to see them because the streets are not marked fully and its hard to see the potholes and topes- that is Spanish for sleeping policemen.
The vehicle I would recommend for you to drive in Belize are the large four wheel drive, such as an Isuzu Trooper, Toyota 4runner, Jeep Cherokee or Ford Explorer. The reason for that is that they offer a smoother ride on the roads and the large tanks helps so that you don't always have to stop to put in gas.
(Toyota 4x4 off-road in the Flowers Bank area of Belize District, Belize, pictured.)
Where do the expats in Portugal meet? Where are the Portugal expat communities?
Ana Ferraz
Most of the expat communities in Portugal are in Cascais, just west of Lisbon proper.
Cascais is a well-known retirement destination for the English people because of the connection that we have with England in the last century. Portugal is the oldest ally of England. We had a Portuguese Queen who married and English King. It is also popular for expats because of the golf courses. There are quite a lot of English clubs in Cascais such as the Rotary Club,...
Most of the expat communities in Portugal are in Cascais, just west of Lisbon proper.
Cascais is a well-known retirement destination for the English people because of the connection that we have with England in the last century. Portugal is the oldest ally of England. We had a Portuguese Queen who married and English King. It is also popular for expats because of the golf courses. There are quite a lot of English clubs in Cascais such as the Rotary Club, the Women’s Institute Club, etc. They even have a daily newspaper that is in English. There is also one in the Algarve as well, which is called The Portuguese News.
We have three English high schools in Cascais: Saint Julian’s, Saint Dominic’s, and the international school. These are all big schools so you would see that there is really a big expat community here. My daughter went to St. Dominic’s. The schools here start from primary and finish up and then they leave for the universities.
Another reason Cascais is a top choice for expat communities because it is very near to the airport and it has always catered to expats very well. Cascais has a beautiful landscape and a very nice weather. It’s a beautiful town by the coast. It used to be a fishing village, which has now turned into a tourist town. It’s a very appealing and very nice. It is also about 20 kilometers directly west of Lisbon, which is the capital of Portugal.
There are also lots of expats in the Algarve, the majority of whom are also English. The reasons include the golf courses, the beaches, the weather, etc.
The main expat communities of Portugal are Cascais, Sintra, and the Algarve.
(Shops with English signs, Sintra, Portugal, pictured.)
Can I still vote in US elections if I live in Nicaragua?
Carla Fjeld - Ola Verde SA
Absolutely you can vote while you are abroad, including in Nicaragua. There are on-line sites for obtaining an absentee ballot from the USA--Democrats and Republicans both have sites to which you can go and easily register as an absentee voter and obtain the absentee ballot.
Absolutely you can vote while you are abroad, including in Nicaragua. There are on-line sites for obtaining an absentee ballot from the USA--Democrats and Republicans both have sites to which you can go and easily register as an absentee voter and obtain the absentee ballot.
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.)
Wow! You have just finished reading a local paper and you have seen 14 different 'Realtors' advertised!
How do you know which one to choose? Do you go for the one with the biggest ad ("they must be successful, right?") or the one with the nicest looking ad, or the one that has pictures of the Realtors? ("I like the look of those people. They look honest and trustworthy")
I recently got my car towed by the police! What I found out on that fateful day has been a real eye opener that I have decided to share, as many people, including me, will not be aware of these facts…
Firstly, you must have your original driving license with you every time you drive, whether this is your Panamanian driving license or whatever original driver’s license for whatever country you are from.
Panama's new international beach airport named Scarlett Martinez and located in the general Coronado Panama area received its very first international flight from Toronto Canada this morning! The Sunwing charter flight arrived right on time, packed with happy vacationing Canadians seeking to escape from the northland cold to the warm & sunny Panamanian Pacific Ocean Beaches.
Weekly Sunwing charter flights are scheduled for each...