The transportation in Puerto Vallarta is very good, so you wouldn’t really need a car. Buses even go to the north. If you wanted to go take a day trip, you can take the bus. An hour to the north is Nayarit, and a bus ride to Nayarit would cost about US $5. Around town, they have plenty of regular buses, and each ride costs about $0.30 - $0.40. Taxis in Puerto Vallarta are cheap. If you’re in downtown going from one place to another, it usually costs about $3. I do own a...
The transportation in Puerto Vallarta is very good, so you wouldn’t really need a car. Buses even go to the north. If you wanted to go take a day trip, you can take the bus. An hour to the north is Nayarit, and a bus ride to Nayarit would cost about US $5. Around town, they have plenty of regular buses, and each ride costs about $0.30 - $0.40. Taxis in Puerto Vallarta are cheap. If you’re in downtown going from one place to another, it usually costs about $3. I do own a car, but just because I need it for my business.
(Truck with Post-it notes all over it, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, pictured.)
Are there exotic birds in and around Nicaragua? Where can I go bird watching in and around Nicaragua?
Lourdes Townshend
Latin América is well-known for its diversity of fauna and flora, prime forests, and large territories set aside as ecological reserves.
Some examples of this phenomenon are the Amazon River in Brazil, and the “Tapón del Darién” (Cork of Darén) in the Isthmus of Panamá, among many others. All of them have exceptional species of exotic birds, a delightful adventure for any visitor.
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Latin América is well-known for its diversity of fauna and flora, prime forests, and large territories set aside as ecological reserves.
Some examples of this phenomenon are the Amazon River in Brazil, and the “Tapón del Darién” (Cork of Darén) in the Isthmus of Panamá, among many others. All of them have exceptional species of exotic birds, a delightful adventure for any visitor.
Nicaragua is the refugee for thousands of these birds. Year after year, it becomes the center of hundreds of birds that leaves their natural habitat for part of the year to emigrate to Nicaragua, leaving behind cold winters. The official statistics is that more than 705 species live permanently in Nicaragua.
The “Ministerio del Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (MARENA), which is the official government entity in charge of these issues, has been working hard to elaborate specific plans to manage the environmental migration, and, like other places, new species arrive to the territory every year, as climate has the tendency to change due the sun changes.
Nicaragua has over 10 interesting places with bird species, of which the most important are:
Lago Apanás (Apanás Lake)
Río Jigüina (Jigüina River)
Cerro El Gobiado (El Gobiado Hill; city of Jinotega)
The last known information given by ALAS (Alianza para las Aves Silvestres) is that the total quantity of species of birds in Nicaragua is 708; which 505 are permanent residents, 25 migrate and are part-time residents and probably 130 migrate. These quantities would be shown to vary on a daily basis, if more extensive studies were made.
Unfortunately, some rivers that are of great importance for these birds has been contaminated lately, but Nicaragua has a plan to reforest many places in order to help the environment.
The main resource for feeding birds in the Apanás Lake is lettuce.
How much does it cost for a housekeeper or maid in Ambergris Caye?
Matthew Hoy - Pelican Properties
The cost to get a housekeeper or a maid in Ambergris Caye depends on how frequently you would like to have the service. If you are looking to have someone work for you weekly, a fairly average price is about US $25 for three hours’ worth of work.
Three hours is the average amount of time spent for cleaning but it could also depend on the size of the home and the amount of work that you will delegate to the housekeeper. If you are getting the...
The cost to get a housekeeper or a maid in Ambergris Caye depends on how frequently you would like to have the service. If you are looking to have someone work for you weekly, a fairly average price is about US $25 for three hours’ worth of work.
Three hours is the average amount of time spent for cleaning but it could also depend on the size of the home and the amount of work that you will delegate to the housekeeper. If you are getting the housekeeper to work for you more frequently, you can negotiate an even more cost effective way of having your house taken care of on a weekly or a monthly basis. Generally, if you would like your house taken care of more frequently, you could pay around $12.50 on a per cleaning basis and the housekeeper will come to you house at the days when you want them to come and do the cleaning. You could even arrange for two people to do the cleaning for you for the same amount.
Generally speaking if someone has a villa, the owners build a caretaker cottage and hire a housekeeper who will live on the property full time or they will have someone check in on the property on a very frequent basis. There are also a certain number of companies that handle those types of services for homeowners. Typically, the housekeeper lives in the villa for free and that is a tradeoff. So the housekeepers will not make a lot of money but they do get a free place to live. They do house cleaning, grounds cleaning, security, etc. Their compensation depends on the arrangement that they agree with the homeowner but generally, they live in the villa for free and if the owner wants to give them something in addition to that, it can happen but otherwise, it is not expected.
(Villa in a resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)
How are the stores and shops in El Valle de Anton, Panama? How's the shopping in El Valle de Anton, Panama?
Bill Brunner
There are several places in El Valle de Anton to shop for food. There is a newly built shopping complex here in El Valle that is anchored by a supermarket chain that carries most of the stuff you need. So grocery-wise you can go to this shopping complex or to the Chinese stores. On the other hand, fresh produce is available at the open-air market. Hardware and building materials are also available in El Valle through three Chinese stores, one of which is just recently built.
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There are several places in El Valle de Anton to shop for food. There is a newly built shopping complex here in El Valle that is anchored by a supermarket chain that carries most of the stuff you need. So grocery-wise you can go to this shopping complex or to the Chinese stores. On the other hand, fresh produce is available at the open-air market. Hardware and building materials are also available in El Valle through three Chinese stores, one of which is just recently built.
Now having said that, everything appears more expensive in El Valle than it is in Coronado (the closest larger town, less than an hour away by car), so if you are buying lots of items, you’re better of going to Coronado, where there are four hardware stores. Another option is to go to Panama City (about two hours away by car), if you are going to buy building materials of any quantity.
Clothing, furniture, decor and others things are available in Coronado in a wide variety of stores… but not in El Valle. You are not going to find any boutique stores in El Valle yet, although, there are a number of empty spaces in that newly built shopping complex, and maybe somebody will put one in there in the future.
Can I use my Medicare outside the US, and if not, what are my alternatives?
Tabitha Paddock - Greenback Expat Tax Services
Unfortunately, in most cases Medicare benefits do not apply to medical care provided outside the US. I would suggest you assess your healthcare needs, and the medical costs in the country you will be retiring in. Depending on which country you plan on retiring in, you may have a public health care system available to you. You should also look into the availability and cost of a private health insurance plan for medical expenses incurred in other countries.
Usually, once you...
Unfortunately, in most cases Medicare benefits do not apply to medical care provided outside the US. I would suggest you assess your healthcare needs, and the medical costs in the country you will be retiring in. Depending on which country you plan on retiring in, you may have a public health care system available to you. You should also look into the availability and cost of a private health insurance plan for medical expenses incurred in other countries.
Usually, once you have moved to a foreign country, you're no longer eligible for Medicare benefits (although Medicare does cover residents of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands).
However, if you come back to the US, you will still receive Medicare Part A benefits. (Anyone who qualifies for Social Security, and is 65 or older qualifies under Part A.)
What electrical current or voltage is used in Portugal? Will my electrical appliances work in Portugal?
Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant
The voltage here in Portugal is the same as you have in the States, and unlike England where you have 3 plugs. You can take the hair drier you use in the US and plug it right into the wall in Portugal and it will work, whereas, if you take your hair drier from the US to Portugal, you will need an adapter.
Previously if you put a washing machine on and a hair dryer everything would blow up because the homes couldn’t accommodate too much of an...
The voltage here in Portugal is the same as you have in the States, and unlike England where you have 3 plugs. You can take the hair drier you use in the US and plug it right into the wall in Portugal and it will work, whereas, if you take your hair drier from the US to Portugal, you will need an adapter.
Previously if you put a washing machine on and a hair dryer everything would blow up because the homes couldn’t accommodate too much of an electrical demand. Now it’s not like that because the electrical boards have been updated.
It’s taken a while for money to be in Portugal. Things that you have now are a lot more top range and sophisticated than it used to be.
(Old style wood burning stove in a Portuguese kitchen, 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")
Are you unhappy with your life? Miserable at work? Don't like the area you live in?
Or maybe you are yearning for adventure, excitement and new challenges?
The reasons for deciding to migrate abroad are many and varied, but generally they will fall somewhere along the spectrum of two broad classes - push or pull.
Push
Throughout history people have migrated to new places because of difficult or intolerable situations in...
Yesterday, Holy Saturday, Mary and I went to the church to ask God for the peace of the world and ask for our union. It was a very beautiful and emotional Mass of 3 hours with songs and candles.
Then, after Mass, we went to see the new coastal belt. We have no words to describe our excitement at seeing Panama growing this most beautiful day. The belt goes from the Old Town (Casco Viejo) to the Bridge of the Americas. It has playgrounds, skating parks,...