What are the best things to do in and around Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico?
Cathie Smith LoCicero - Cathie Smith Insurance
The best thing for me to do in Los Cabos – La Paz is to kick back and relax because my life is very hectic in the United States.
The most famous thing to do and the number one thing that brought people to Los Cabos and La Paz in the first place is the sport fishing. You could fish for everything; either you want to catch something to put on the table for dinner or join the big marlin tournaments that they have in Los Cabos. I think the biggest...
The best thing for me to do in Los Cabos – La Paz is to kick back and relax because my life is very hectic in the United States.
The most famous thing to do and the number one thing that brought people to Los Cabos and La Paz in the first place is the sport fishing. You could fish for everything; either you want to catch something to put on the table for dinner or join the big marlin tournaments that they have in Los Cabos. I think the biggest marlin tournament in the world, the Bisbee, is in Los Cabos, which is held every October. Fishing is what brought the Americans and the Canadians to Los Cabos back in the day.
Now, Los Cabos – La Paz have some of the most beautiful golf courses designed by some of the most famous golf course designers like Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones. There's a new golf course designed by Tiger Woods. There are a couple of small golf courses that are affordable for average people, but you could be paying US $250 to $300 a day to play on them because they're spectacular golf courses. Some people go to Los Cabos – La Paz just for that.
When I fly in, I like to see what kind of carriers and bags they have for these golf clubs. There are some spectacular pieces of luggage there.
A lot of people like to go walking and hiking in the desert. There are also the traditional things that you do when you go to sports areas like sky diving. There are airplanes in Los Cabos that take you up to jump out the airplanes. You can go on the wave runners, parasailing, and rent ATVs. You can also go down to the beach and do just about anything. Now they've got ziplining, too.
I always tell people, "If you're going to Los Cabos and La Paz and you're going to do these adventurous things, make sure that you have added extreme sports coverage in your travel insurance," because people don't think about that when they travel. If you get hurt during one of these activities and you don't have it added on to your travel insurance, you're not covered and they're always going to make you sign a liability waiver. When you're going to do these fun, adventurous things, you're going to sign a piece of paper before you get started, which says that the tour company is not responsible if you get hurt.
I'm an insurance agent, but I'm also a mom and a grandmother, so I'm giving this advice to make sure you're always protected with insurance when you want to do these fun things.
(Fishing tournament, Cabos San Lucas, Mexico, pictured.)
Is it safe to drink the water in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?
Eugenio Cortez - Hacienda & Ecolodge Morgan´s Rock
It is safe to drink water right out of the taps in San Juan Del Sur but still bottled water is recommended for expats. Locals do not have problems drinking water right out of the taps in San Juan Del Sur but most expats stick with bottled water. You can buy a big container of water, which costs about 25 Cordobas or about US $1 and that will be enough water that you can use for drinking and cooking for about a week.
Water is inexpensive so maybe as a matter...
It is safe to drink water right out of the taps in San Juan Del Sur but still bottled water is recommended for expats. Locals do not have problems drinking water right out of the taps in San Juan Del Sur but most expats stick with bottled water. You can buy a big container of water, which costs about 25 Cordobas or about US $1 and that will be enough water that you can use for drinking and cooking for about a week.
Water is inexpensive so maybe as a matter of personal choice, expats do buy bottled water but that does not necessarily mean that drinking water from the tap is unsafe. Most of the time, expats order bottled water in restaurants. Then, they order ice to put on their water. The ice is made from tap water and they are fine with that.
If it is your first time coming to San Juan Del Sur, you could drink bottled water but you could gradually adjust into drinking local tap water and nothing bad could happen to your health.
I live in Toledo, often cited as the "Forgotten District" because it is not as developed as the rest of the country.
My cost of living is (BZD)*:
$200 / month rent
$25 / month electric
$20 / month water
$30 / month propane
$55 / month Internet (slowest speed but can watch videos, do video chat and download movies/music)
Estimates:
$200 / month cigarettes
$50 / month...
I live in Toledo, often cited as the "Forgotten District" because it is not as developed as the rest of the country.
My cost of living is (BZD)*:
$200 / month rent
$25 / month electric
$20 / month water
$30 / month propane
$55 / month Internet (slowest speed but can watch videos, do video chat and download movies/music)
Estimates:
$200 / month cigarettes
$50 / month dog/cat food
$300 / month food
$200 / month misc.
I live a simple lifestyle. If I wanted to, I could live for far less. My house is a concrete house that I rent that was vacant for awhile so it needs repairs but it's low-maintenance and if I need something done, I can do it.
The real thing to consider is what kind of lifestyle you want. If you want a lifestyle that you can get in the US for cheap, Belize is a great option. If you want a completely different lifestyle, well that's what I have. It's simple, fresh, organic, honest and authentic.
And I love it.
*Editor's note: "BZD" stands for "Belizean dollar", which is pegged at 2 BZD to 1 US dollar. To convert the prices above to US dollars, divide by 2.
I would challenge most Americans to find a town the size of Boqete with this many restaurants, cafes, bistros, and menu selections. While we don't have any fast food places, you can get pizza to go or take out from almost any place in town. There is always David (the closest bigger city) for the typical American Fast food: TGI Friday's, McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway and others are just a 45 minute drive from Boquete.
Some of the...
I would challenge most Americans to find a town the size of Boqete with this many restaurants, cafes, bistros, and menu selections. While we don't have any fast food places, you can get pizza to go or take out from almost any place in town. There is always David (the closest bigger city) for the typical American Fast food: TGI Friday's, McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway and others are just a 45 minute drive from Boquete.
Some of the upscale hotels in Boquete offer charming settings. Beautiful tables, plenty of ambience and the food is usually quite good. Some of the nicer restaurants here have comfortable, clean and attractive dining rooms that invite you to linger after dinner for conversation, coffee or an after dinner drink.
We have enjoyed many different cafes and restaurants in Boquete and today we enjoyed some modestly priced but very flavorful Italian food for lunch at the San Francisco Plaza in Alto Boquete. Papa Rico's Little Italy offers a diverse menu selection and some very delicious breakfasts, lunch and dinner favorites. They are open from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm.
Other places we have enjoyed are: The Baru, Macchu Pichu, The Bistro,Amigos, Sugar and Spice, and so many more that I can't remember the names or in some cases I can't spell them! There is a German restaurant in the same San Francisco Plaza as the Italian Cafe. They have the most wonderful German menu, and cakes to die for!
This photo is of the German restaurant in San Francisco Plaza. There are some very good menu selections here. Also they a brunch on Saturdays.
The following picture is of the porch area at La Risca's in Los Molinas about 15 minutes from Boquete on the Highway to David. This beautiful restaurant offers a view of the deep river canyon, the Baru Volcano, and the hotel is quite beautiful and decorated very tastefully. The food is always good and that have a bar with a breathtaking view of the canyon. These are some of the places we have enjoyed. There are many more we have yet to enjoy.
What should I be most concerned about regarding retiring abroad?
By Edgington
Learning about permanent residency, and obtaining permission to stay in the country. Rules change all the time. Don't assume anything. Regardless of the cost, a good legal counselor is a must. Also, make sure the documents you'll need are in order before you leave home. It can be an expensive trip back to acquire them. Plus, understand the rules in place about those documents. How long are they good for? Is a notary seal sufficient, or do they need an apostille? How many copies, and...
Learning about permanent residency, and obtaining permission to stay in the country. Rules change all the time. Don't assume anything. Regardless of the cost, a good legal counselor is a must. Also, make sure the documents you'll need are in order before you leave home. It can be an expensive trip back to acquire them. Plus, understand the rules in place about those documents. How long are they good for? Is a notary seal sufficient, or do they need an apostille? How many copies, and does the country need originals? Bottom line: don't ever assume anything. Check with those who've been there, so you know the right questions to ask. Assumptions get very expensive.
BE Medellin
(Flower festival in Medellin, Columbia, pictured.)
There are several specialty furniture stores in the Algarve. There are also furniture stores in the big malls but what you could also do in Algarve is order furniture from the northern part of Portugal, which is one of the best-known areas for the manufacture of furniture using local woods.
There is place in the north of Portugal called Paços de Ferreira, which is essentially the furniture capital of Portugal. Often, people who want furniture made...
There are several specialty furniture stores in the Algarve. There are also furniture stores in the big malls but what you could also do in Algarve is order furniture from the northern part of Portugal, which is one of the best-known areas for the manufacture of furniture using local woods.
There is place in the north of Portugal called Paços de Ferreira, which is essentially the furniture capital of Portugal. Often, people who want furniture made from certain types of woods would have pieces made to order from Paços de Ferreira and have them shipped down to the Algarve.
We have a good amount of quality furniture in Portugal. The quality is very good and the pricing is incredibly great compared to international standards. If I were in Latin America and getting some local hardwood made by a local person, I am pretty certain that I could get it cheaper there but if you were moving to a country and wanted local handmade furniture out of cherry or oak, you would find the price and quality very good here in Portugal.
If you want ready-made furniture from popular brands, we do have IKEA, which is being built near Loulé, so for all those who want a modern, Northern European look, they can go to IKEA. At the moment, the closest IKEA would be in Spain, in Seville or in Lisbon, which is the capital of Portugal. Aside from furniture, you would also find stores that sell rugs, carpets, and accessory stores. There is one accessory store that we like going to because it is high end but not excessively expensive. It’s called A Loja Gato Preto, which literally translates to “the shop of the black cat”. They have some very nice home décor pieces.
(Hampshire dressing table available at the Furniture Store, an English company with an outlet in the Algarve, Portugal, pictured.)
A fine mist began to fall in San Miguel de Allende on a cool November morning as we maneuvered our fully packed, big white van on a familiar cobblestone road in Los Labradores, up to the smiling guards we had come to know by name. The gate was raised and through it we went, returning our protectors' well wishes and hearty waves in kind. Onto the highway, we turned east, to places we had never been.
One of the first things to catch my eye when we arrived in Panama was the indigenous Indian women's brightly colored dresses. They make them and many are sold at the side of the Pan-American Highway under thatched roof huts. From infant to adult sizes the colored dresses float in the wind at the small vendor's places. On the women everyday you find yourself counting the different colors you see as you walk around town or pass the villages long the highways. Blue, green,...
Panamá has always been a country with warm and friendly people who welcome all nationalities. It has also been a place of transit since the 15th century, when visitors came with gold from Perú to Spain. Later, with the construction of the Panamá Canal (considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World), workers from all the world wanted to be part of this great mega-project.