How much does it cost to go to the movies in Panama?
Col Davis Stevenson RET
Movies are relatively inexpensive in Panama. If you are a retiree (Pensionado) you can receive a discount on he ticket. All that you must do is show your pensionado ID and you will receive the discount.
Movies are relatively inexpensive in Panama. If you are a retiree (Pensionado) you can receive a discount on he ticket. All that you must do is show your pensionado ID and you will receive the discount.
Typically for most Americans, Canadians and Europeans, the best reasons to retire involve having a less expensive lifestyle, and to do something different. They happen to be older, they want to see new things, to be able to experience new things, and they’re excited to be part of an adventure. Sometimes these two reasons come together in the same person.
Moving overseas is an adventure. Whenever you move anywhere new, you’re learning new...
Typically for most Americans, Canadians and Europeans, the best reasons to retire involve having a less expensive lifestyle, and to do something different. They happen to be older, they want to see new things, to be able to experience new things, and they’re excited to be part of an adventure. Sometimes these two reasons come together in the same person.
Moving overseas is an adventure. Whenever you move anywhere new, you’re learning new things. As far as the cost of living is concerned, I tell people that it is up to you. You can live inexpensively here in Panama, but if you want, you can also spend too much money. It really, really depends on the individual. If you have to have some sort of special food that has to be frozen or flown in from the United States, it’s going to be expensive. As an example, ice cream, brought down from the US. We have plenty of it here but I don’t buy it. I buy local ice cream or ice cream from neighboring countries because it’s good and it’s a lot cheaper.
A lot of how much of an adventure you’re going to have and how inexpensively you live really depends on your willingness to try new things and look around. For example, we have a lot of agricultural places to buy fruits and vegetables that are much cheaper than the big supermarkets in the city, but you have to find them and go visit them in order to take advantage of those lower prices. If you don’t want to do that and you just want to go to the supermarket, your experience will be just like in the US, and you’re going to pay higher prices.
Is the electricity reliable in Algarve? Are there blackouts or brownouts in Algarve?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
The Algarve has hardly any blackouts or brownouts. We have a very, very reliable power source. In a typical year, we will have zero blackouts or brownouts.
(Night lights at the pool and restaurant at Algarve Senior Living, Portugal, pictured.)
The Algarve has hardly any blackouts or brownouts. We have a very, very reliable power source. In a typical year, we will have zero blackouts or brownouts.
(Night lights at the pool and restaurant at Algarve Senior Living, Portugal, pictured.)
Belize is cheap if you live like a Belizean, as much as possible, i.e., forget the smoked salmon, imported wines and deli treats. That is not to say that you should eat rice and beans every day, but do stick to local products, and shop at the open-air markets. (To the right I'm pictured holding a Belizean delicacy treat, the flor de izote, which, in addition to being beautiful, is delicious.)
Funny experience I had whilst visiting...
Belize is cheap if you live like a Belizean, as much as possible, i.e., forget the smoked salmon, imported wines and deli treats. That is not to say that you should eat rice and beans every day, but do stick to local products, and shop at the open-air markets. (To the right I'm pictured holding a Belizean delicacy treat, the flor de izote, which, in addition to being beautiful, is delicious.)
Funny experience I had whilst visiting family in the US and Europe recently: shopping at whole food stores to get healthy produce and products there can get expensive, but here in Belize it is the other way around. The expensive stuff is the junk food, such as a bag of chips, imported chocolate bars and candy. It is better in Belize to stick to nutrient rich plantain chips, cassava chips and pork rinds (nutrient rich???!!... still love 'em) that are home-made and can be found at the market or with street vendors.
Electricity in Belize is expensive: US 21 cents for 1-kilowatt hour of current. To give you an idea of how that compares, the average in the US is about 12.5 cents, with the highest in the US in Connecticut and New York at around 18 cents. Hence, AC in the whole home in Belize is a luxury and usually reserved for bedrooms only. As for the rest of the house, we do a lot of "porch living", where one catches the breeze and which will include a hammock for a siesta time or just hanging out.
Gas is also expensive...a gallon of regular unleaded gas is around US $5.00, but local transportation such as buses and taxis are very cheap.
So, in a nutshell: enjoy the country's bountiful fresh, tropical fruits, exotic veggies and the daily staple of rice and bean with stew chicken.
Be one with nature, whether in the rainforest jungle or on the beach, with plenty of "outdoor living."
What's the best way to choose a real estate agent in Nicaragua?
Tuey Murdock - Title Coordination Services (TCS)
The best way to choose a real estate agent in Nicaragua is to ask expats who live in Nicaragua for their suggestions. In some areas of Nicaragua there are many agents to choose from and many who speak English. There are other parts of Nicaragua where there may only be one agent who specializes in that area and English speaking agents may be in short supply.
Once you have located an agent, ask questions as to how long he has been in the area, what...
The best way to choose a real estate agent in Nicaragua is to ask expats who live in Nicaragua for their suggestions. In some areas of Nicaragua there are many agents to choose from and many who speak English. There are other parts of Nicaragua where there may only be one agent who specializes in that area and English speaking agents may be in short supply.
Once you have located an agent, ask questions as to how long he has been in the area, what her qualifications are to be an agent and will he show you properties listed by other agents or only those listed by him or her company.
Another way to choose a real estate agent is to select one that is affiliated with an international real estate agency- like ReMax, Coldwell Banker and Century 21. These international agencies have completed due diligence on the local agent and agency before granting them the license to use the name. However, there are high quality local agencies that should not be overlooked. They often have more contacts locally and can offer customized service.
Jet Metier has noticed there are three things you can do after reading a person’s reason for moving to Panama. You can 1) learn from them; 2) laugh with them; or 3) interview them to learn and laugh some more with them.
Giselle Otero lives in a world in which she hears operatic airs from humpback whales and smells the “life-giving bitterness” of the flowers that lent their essence to coffee beans. In this interview, Giselle shares with...
Barro Colorado… bird watching and scientific research center.
The 1,560 hectare (3,854 acres; a little over 6 square miles) island of Barro Colorado is situated in the man-made Gatun Lake, in the middle of the Panama Canal. This island is the primary site of the Smithsonian Institute for the study of tropical forests. The Smithsonian also has additional land adjacent, which, together with Barro Colorado island totals...