Thanks to tourism and foreigners coming here, our economy is doing very, very well in Chapala and Ajijic. I say that because if you travel the strip between Chapala and Ajijic, you will find new businesses every week. Whether it’s a furniture store, a dentist, a doctor, or whatever, there are businesses opening all the time and that has not happened within the last 20 years until the last 5 years. There is a demand. So we’re doing the supplying.
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Thanks to tourism and foreigners coming here, our economy is doing very, very well in Chapala and Ajijic. I say that because if you travel the strip between Chapala and Ajijic, you will find new businesses every week. Whether it’s a furniture store, a dentist, a doctor, or whatever, there are businesses opening all the time and that has not happened within the last 20 years until the last 5 years. There is a demand. So we’re doing the supplying.
Mexican tourism is principally on the weekends and the holidays. Up until school gets back in session, we have a lot of people here. There are a lot of people from Guadalajara who own homes in Ajijic and who take advantage of those homes during the holidays and during the school vacations. Then, there is the round effect of Americans and Canadians injecting money in the economy.
(Authors Diane Pearl and Anna Elena Berlin promoting their self- help books, Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
We have some lovely furniture stores here in Ambergris Caye. One of the most popular stores here is Hummingbird, which makes some wonderful and beautiful furniture. Hummingbird has some retail stores, so you can just walk in and choose from the beautiful furniture they have on display. They make beautiful sofa beds, tables, and chairs. They make a lot of outdoor furniture, but they also make some soft furnishings. They are a more expensive brand, but that is what people here in Ambergris...
We have some lovely furniture stores here in Ambergris Caye. One of the most popular stores here is Hummingbird, which makes some wonderful and beautiful furniture. Hummingbird has some retail stores, so you can just walk in and choose from the beautiful furniture they have on display. They make beautiful sofa beds, tables, and chairs. They make a lot of outdoor furniture, but they also make some soft furnishings. They are a more expensive brand, but that is what people here in Ambergris Caye are looking for. In the developments, if homeowners are not having a container load brought in, they would have Hummingbird make their furniture for them. If you are looking for soft furnishings, sofa beds, or pull-out beds, Hummingbird is the best place to go.
We also have some local furniture makers like Graniel’s, which is a family that has been making woodwork furniture here in Ambergris Caye for many years. I actually just had some new desks delivered here from them. They are beautifully made. We have about three or four furniture makers who take bulk orders, but they can tailor-make them for you. Some of my friends had just purchased a condo unit and they told me that they wanted some furniture made for them, so I told them that I’ll take them to Mr. Graniel and he will make the furniture just for them, and they did. They have some lovely designs at Graniel’s. If you need some desks or some cabinets made, you can have them tailor-made for you by Graniel’s. They come over and fit them, and make them especially for you. They are very busy because most people go to Graniel’s to have their furniture made for them. One of the desks that we had made by Graniel’s was made of the local wood here in Belize and it cost us about $1,000 Belize or US $500, but every job is different. They will give you a quote depending on the type of wood that you would like the furniture to be made out of.
It is also possible to have your furniture imported from the US or France, for example. It would be expensive, but most of the people who do that, take advantage of the QRP program, which allows qualified residents to ship in a container full of their goods to Belize tax-free. You still have to pay for the shipping cost, but there are shipping companies that will work with you on that. The persons who are facilitating your QRP status for you will also be able to give you an idea of a couple of companies to use. Height Shipping is one of them, but there is also a barge that comes over from the mainland.
There are also several stores in Belize City. Mirab has a furniture store where you can go and just buy furniture. They have chairs and everything that you would normally want. They import their furniture. We also have Courts and you can buy furniture there, too. I know Grand Baymen, which is a company that we work with here in Ambergris Caye, has a development that we offer financing on, and when they first occupied the building, they had container-loads of things that were all bought from the States. But now they go around and buy everything from the local distributors like Mirab or from the hardware stores for their water heaters or other big things like that. They order them through local companies.
The local companies would have a better relationship with the shipping companies than you would as an individual, and they just bring the goods in with their next container.
You have to make sure that when you are planning and building your home, that you always allow for delays such as rain and customs, because nothing comes quickly here in Belize.
We are still in a Third World Country, but I would like to call it a Two and a half World Country, where it is a bit of manana mentality in some areas. It just happens, and you just have to be okay with it because being upset does not make things work any quicker. You just have to sit back, have a pinacolada, and say, “Oh well, I am still sitting on my plastic chairs today, but my new furniture might be here tomorrow.”
And if it does not arrive tomorrow, go ahead and sit on someone else’s sofa and have lunch at their house!
What is the cost for health insurance in Portugal and how does it work?
Ana Ferraz
A reasonable private health insurance plan in Portugal would cost you between €40 to €60 (US $43.40 to $65.10 or £29 to £44) a month. If you go to a doctor, a regular consultation would cost you around €30 to €40 (US $33 to $44 or £22 to £29) after insurance. This cost is for people who are basically in good health and middle-aged. A full comprehensive insurance plan is about €60 (US $65 or £44) a month. €60 is the minimum. ...
A reasonable private health insurance plan in Portugal would cost you between €40 to €60 (US $43.40 to $65.10 or £29 to £44) a month. If you go to a doctor, a regular consultation would cost you around €30 to €40 (US $33 to $44 or £22 to £29) after insurance. This cost is for people who are basically in good health and middle-aged. A full comprehensive insurance plan is about €60 (US $65 or £44) a month. €60 is the minimum.
The cost of your insurance goes up depending on the clauses that you want to incorporate. For example, some insurance policies do not cover you abroad. A friend of mine pays €120 (US $130 or £87) for health insurance because he travels a lot and he wants to be fully covered when he is traveling in Europe.
The cost of your insurance really depends on how far you want to go. If you just reside in Portugal and you just want basic insurance, the minimum you can get is about €60. There is no deductible. The insurance covers you from the first euro.
(The monastery courtyard of Mosteiro dos Jerónimos Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)
How much of your personal items you should move to Panama depends on how much sentimental value the items have for you, but not everyone does that. We have friends who bring containers down of everything they had in Canada or the US, while my wife and I gave a lot of our items to our kids and sent most of the other stuff to auction and bought brand new down here. The alternative for us to bring it with me would have cost well over $10,000 to ship a container.
...
How much of your personal items you should move to Panama depends on how much sentimental value the items have for you, but not everyone does that. We have friends who bring containers down of everything they had in Canada or the US, while my wife and I gave a lot of our items to our kids and sent most of the other stuff to auction and bought brand new down here. The alternative for us to bring it with me would have cost well over $10,000 to ship a container.
Another consideration is if you are living in Panama full time or part time. The more time you spend here, the more important it may be to you to have your sentimental items with you.
(Containers waiting at the dock of the Panama Canal, Panama, pictured.)
If I buy a house in Nicaragua, do I need to hire an attorney?
Frank Martínez
It is recommended that you hire an attorney when buying a house in Nicaragua because he will take you through the entire process. He makes sure that the property has a very solid and legal background going back 30 years or more. He makes sure that it is registered property and you won’t have any issues with the previous owners. He also makes sure that your interest is protected.
(Overlooking San Juan del Sur in...
It is recommended that you hire an attorney when buying a house in Nicaragua because he will take you through the entire process. He makes sure that the property has a very solid and legal background going back 30 years or more. He makes sure that it is registered property and you won’t have any issues with the previous owners. He also makes sure that your interest is protected.
(Overlooking San Juan del Sur in Residencial Malibu, Nicaragua, pictured.)
What are the best places in the world to retire? The answer to this question will obviously be different for each individual, so I'll just give you my own answer - make of it what you will.
For now, I have chosen to spend my time in beautiful Bocas del Toro on the sunny Caribbean coast of Panama. Take a look at the picture on the right, which shows Starfish Beach, a short bus or boat ride from Bocas Town. That might give you some suggestion as to why you...
What are the best places in the world to retire? The answer to this question will obviously be different for each individual, so I'll just give you my own answer - make of it what you will.
For now, I have chosen to spend my time in beautiful Bocas del Toro on the sunny Caribbean coast of Panama. Take a look at the picture on the right, which shows Starfish Beach, a short bus or boat ride from Bocas Town. That might give you some suggestion as to why you might consider Bocas as a possible retirement location.
I'm not sure that I can actually classify myself as retired, but I haven't done a stroke of paid work for anybody else for over five years now, and that's how I'd like it to stay. I'm a writer, and I wrote my second book right here in paradise. Now that certainly beats some writing in some chilly flat in wintry London, fingers gloved to keep them warm.
Bocas del Toro offers a cheap alternative to the rat-race, a place where the cost of living can be very low, but the quality of life disproportionately high.
The best things about living here?
1). The people - both the expat community and the local populace are wonderful people to spend time with. This place seems to draw interesting, and sometimes slightly eccentric people.
2). The weather - it can rain quite a bit, which is a good thing if you are off-grid and rely on rainwater collection. But when the sun comes out, which it does often, and there is no wind, the lagoon is so beautiful.
3). Wonderful restaurants - away from town, down in the lagoons there are some hidden gems which offer wonderful social scenes, awesome views and great food.
4). Dolphins - I live just outside Dolphin Bay, and when out and about in the boat it is rare not to see at least a couple of dolphins. They always brighten your day.
5). Swimming and snorkelling - I can do both right from my dock.
6). Clothing choice - one of my favourite things is that here the temperature is pretty constant. When you get up in a morning there is no clothing dilemmas:
"Will I take a jacket?"
"What shoes should I wear?"
You can be pretty sure that shorts, t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops cover all occasions.
I could go on, but instead I'll just suggest that you really need to come and take a look at this special place for yourself.
I hear you are Belize bound. Maybe I can help. No, packing plates wasn’t what I had in mind. Sorry. Be of good cheer, though, that your porcelain will remain safely out of my CLUMSY hands.
Now then, let’s consider some handy things you may want to toss in that last box before you tape the top. First, have you included a goodly number of chains among your household items? You look at me wildly. Take it easy, now. I am not...
From an interview in July, 2016 by Chuck Bolotin, Best Places' VP. Business Development:
Chuck: Bill, you are a real legend and pioneer here in the La Ventana area, which we should let everyone know is a little seaside village about 40 miles southeast of La Paz. Everybody knows “Mr. Bill.” Please let our visitors know your story in the area.
Bill: My story starts in 1982. I had been to Mexico and I wanted to open a wind surfing school. I looked around all...
This little bird is a baby Panama Flycatcher. Mum and dad moved in above the light fitting in my kitchen in April 2012. I live on a little Caribbean island just off the coast of Panama in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro. This short tale is taken from my new book "Paradise Delayed", which is sub-titled "The pitfalls and pleasures (mainly the pitfalls) of Caribbean island life in the beautiful archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama". Life can be challenging and frustrating at times here,...
Thanks to tourism and foreigners coming here, our economy is doing very, very well in Chapala and Ajijic. I say that because if you travel the strip between Chapala and Ajijic, you will find new businesses every week. Whether it’s a furniture store, a dentist, a doctor, or whatever, there are businesses opening all the time and that has not happened within the last 20 years until the last 5 years. There is a demand. So we’re doing the supplying. 
We have some lovely furniture stores here in Ambergris Caye. One of the most popular stores here is Hummingbird, which makes some wonderful and beautiful furniture. Hummingbird has some retail stores, so you can just walk in and choose from the beautiful furniture they have on display. They make beautiful sofa beds, tables, and chairs. They make a lot of outdoor furniture, but they also make some soft furnishings. They are a more expensive brand, but that is what people here in Ambergris...
You have to make sure that when you are planning and building your home, that you always allow for delays such as rain and customs, because nothing comes quickly here in Belize. 
A reasonable private health insurance plan in Portugal would cost you between €40 to €60 (US $43.40 to $65.10 or £29 to £44) a month. If you go to a doctor, a regular consultation would cost you around €30 to €40 (US $33 to $44 or £22 to £29) after insurance. This cost is for people who are basically in good health and middle-aged. A full comprehensive insurance plan is about €60 (US $65 or £44) a month. €60 is the minimum.
How much of your personal items you should move to Panama depends on how much sentimental value the items have for you, but not everyone does that. We have friends who bring containers down of everything they had in Canada or the US, while my wife and I gave a lot of our items to our kids and sent most of the other stuff to auction and bought brand new down here. The alternative for us to bring it with me would have cost well over $10,000 to ship a container. 
I hear you are Belize bound. Maybe I can help. No, packing plates wasn’t what I had in mind. Sorry. Be of good cheer, though, that your porcelain will remain safely out of my CLUMSY hands.
From an interview in July, 2016 by Chuck Bolotin, Best Places' VP. Business Development:
This little bird is a baby Panama Flycatcher. Mum and dad moved in above the light fitting in my kitchen in April 2012. I live on a little Caribbean island just off the coast of Panama in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro. This short tale is taken from my new book "Paradise Delayed", which is sub-titled "The pitfalls and pleasures (mainly the pitfalls) of Caribbean island life in the beautiful archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama". Life can be challenging and frustrating at times here,...
