Can I see beautiful flowers, plants and trees in Mexico?
Gary Coles - Paradise For Gringos
Many people have been enticed to move to Mexico after discovering its exquisite culture, history, and natural beauty. As you gaze in every direction, the bewitching flowers, plants, and trees will delight your senses. Especially if we come from northern reaches, we become captivated by the beauty and richness of Mexico.
Flowers have always been at the center of life in...
Many people have been enticed to move to Mexico after discovering its exquisite culture, history, and natural beauty. As you gaze in every direction, the bewitching flowers, plants, and trees will delight your senses. Especially if we come from northern reaches, we become captivated by the beauty and richness of Mexico.
Flowers have always been at the center of life in Mexico. Today, you see flowers in almost every yard, in courtyards, on balconies, and in the homes and businesses. Flowers are central to the fiestas and festivals (and there are a lot of fiestas and festivals).
The ancient cultures had the same love of flowers. Many of the Gods and Goddesses are associated with flowers and some of them were even said to have been born from flowers. Quetzalcoatl and a few of the other Gods and Goddesses only accepted flowers and fruits on their altars. Instead of the human and animal sacrifices.
Mexico is the original home for many of the most exotic flowers in the world. They include dahlias, poppies, sunflowers, orchids, poinsettias. These flowers and many more were here when the Spanish first arrived.
The dahlia is the national flower of Mexico. The stunningly beautiful passion flower was used by the Aztecs to treat insomnia. They also loved two of my favorite flowers, the Morning Glory and the exotic Birds of Paradise.
Some of the more popular flowers include the Poinsettia, Laelia Orchids, Mexican Hat Flower, Mexican Marigold, Black Dahlia, Plumeria, Pitaya (Dragon Fruit Flower), Mexican Lady's Slipper, Mexican Poppy, Mexican Sunflower, Yucca Flower, Mexican Cosmos (Mexican Aster), Prickly Pear Flower, Mexican Gladiolus, Pineapple Sage (Tangerine Sage), Mexican Honeysuckle, Shaving Brush Tree, and the Belize Sage (Misty Mountain Sage).
And what about the trees? Mexico is an extremely biologically diverse country with tropical rain forests, cloud forests, jungles, mangrove swamps, vast deserts, and alpine ecosystems. You will find thousands of different plants and trees in each of the biological regions.
The cactus is usually the first plant associated with Mexico and there are more than a thousand varieties. Some of them are even common ingredients in Mexican foods.
The blue agave (century plant) is a succulent (however, it is not a cactus) and is the source of tequila, mescal, and sisal.
The trees come in all varieties, sizes and shapes, The national tree is the cypress. The cypress trees were even planted by the Aztecs in gardens and along paths. One massive cypress, The Arbol del Tule (The Tule Tree) is famous for being one of the oldest living things on earth. It is also known for having the thickest trunk with a diameter of 42 meters (137.8 feet).
Others Mexican trees include mahogany, guava, deciduous trees, pines, eucalyptus, coffee, and chilies. The avocado was even cultivated by the Mayans.
Mexico is truly a treasure house of beautiful and useful flowers, plants and trees.
There is a recent video from the Panamá Tourist Bureau that shows a girl in shorts, horseback riding through the city. There is nothing more far from the truth. If you look at the video, it is all about Enrique Iglesias, and nothing about Panamá. The Indian there looks like he is from Australia, and so on.
Real people in Panamá have common sense and do not have their horses around the city. Panamá is a very modern cosmopolitan...
There is a recent video from the Panamá Tourist Bureau that shows a girl in shorts, horseback riding through the city. There is nothing more far from the truth. If you look at the video, it is all about Enrique Iglesias, and nothing about Panamá. The Indian there looks like he is from Australia, and so on.
Real people in Panamá have common sense and do not have their horses around the city. Panamá is a very modern cosmopolitan city that left behind old customs, like when the gold was carried in horses from South América into Panamá, on their way to Spain and other countries in Europe.
But Panamá is unique regarding horses and horseback riding. We do have excellent equestrian clubs, with the most sophisticated horses, and during the year, some of them have international shows, as well as participating in local parades.
But talking about the ordinary visitor, or local riding horses, there is a peculiar situation. Almost every small country house, mainly in the “interior” (which is the countryside), has a horse either as means of transportation or for fun. Some bigger farms use their horses for the family when they go for vacation.
And the bottom line is, if a local or visitor wants to ride a horse just for an hour, with the children, or in group, they have available gentle horses that locals have just for that purpose, or for their personal use, that they will let you ride for free. That´s the way they are… warm and friendly people, who are not suspicious at all that you would do something with the horse. They just want you to enjoy.
Sometimes they rent it by the hour, or half hour for maybe $2, $3 or $5, depending how long you want to go. And most of the time, the owner (a farmer) will go with the child by their side, taking care of them. The thing is very different if you want to ride a horse at one of the clubs. But if you are like me, an adult… I suggest you do like I do…. let the owner go by me. No doubt about it.
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.)
What's the dress code in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua? What clothes do they wear in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?
Blue van Doorninck - Rancho Chilamate Horseback Adventures & Guest Ranch
Because San Juan Del Sur is a surf town, the dress code is casual beachwear, but I think sometimes people forget that Nicaragua is a very Christian community and people should not be wearing their bikinis to the town, but should cover up.
There are not a lot of opportunities for dressing anywhere near formal in San Juan Del Sur.
The North Americans find it quite warm here in San Juan Del Sur so, they wear beach casual such as a shawl over a bathing suit,...
Because San Juan Del Sur is a surf town, the dress code is casual beachwear, but I think sometimes people forget that Nicaragua is a very Christian community and people should not be wearing their bikinis to the town, but should cover up.
There are not a lot of opportunities for dressing anywhere near formal in San Juan Del Sur.
The North Americans find it quite warm here in San Juan Del Sur so, they wear beach casual such as a shawl over a bathing suit, shorts and flip-flops. Their clothing choices is something to deal with the fact that it is ho, whereas the locals and the older women often wear skirts and blouses and, the local men in the surf industry wear pants and shirts.
There is almost no dress code, in a sense, because you can pretty much wear whatever you want anywhere you go. There is no place in San Juan Del Sur that will not accommodate you because you are not dressed to a certain standard.
Therefore, people feel comfortable in whatever they wear. It is only the locals that might feel uncomfortable if they see someone who is not well covered up so it is better to be a little more modest than you would be otherwise in order to make everyone else feel a little more comfortable.
How much do restaurants cost in Placencia, Belize?
Paul Smith - Placencia Mini Storage
Our favorite restaurant that serves local food is called Sweet Mama's. It is just south of Seine Bight. You can get a nice meal for $10 or $12 bz (US $5 - $6). However, you can also get 5 star restaurant meals here, too. For example ,we just had our 5 year anniversary dinner at the Turtle Inn Resort. It was Indonesian tapas queasiness. That was hands down the best meal I have ever had in my life and it cost $100 bz / person (US $50). I can't even imagine a better dinning experience...
Our favorite restaurant that serves local food is called Sweet Mama's. It is just south of Seine Bight. You can get a nice meal for $10 or $12 bz (US $5 - $6). However, you can also get 5 star restaurant meals here, too. For example ,we just had our 5 year anniversary dinner at the Turtle Inn Resort. It was Indonesian tapas queasiness. That was hands down the best meal I have ever had in my life and it cost $100 bz / person (US $50). I can't even imagine a better dinning experience then that was.
(The anniversary couple, Paul and Celeste Smith, owners of Placencia Mini Storage, Stann Creek, Placencia, Belize.)
In general, how does the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) affect me if I move overseas?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
FATCA (or the HIRE Act) requires US citizens to file a new form on their tax returns called the 8938. It is a disclosure form of all foreign financial assets, and includes everything but property held in your own name and gold held in your own name. All other financial assets, trusts, companies, LLC's, stocks, partnerships, etc., must be disclosed on this form.
FATCA (or the HIRE Act) requires US citizens to file a new form on their tax returns called the 8938. It is a disclosure form of all foreign financial assets, and includes everything but property held in your own name and gold held in your own name. All other financial assets, trusts, companies, LLC's, stocks, partnerships, etc., must be disclosed on this form.
Two bodies of water surround most of the peninsula of Baja California. On the eastern side is the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California), while the western side faces the more familiar Pacific Ocean. These watery expanses merge at what looks like the large, natural arch you've seen pictures of at Baja’s southern tip, Cabo San Lucas, about 750 miles roughly south of the US-Mexican border. At its widest, the peninsula measures about 85 miles from side...
Based on the hundreds of expats we've interviewed and the more than one thousand who participated in our studies, if you are like them, there is more than an 80% chance you could reduce your stress by moving abroad. As proof, first we'll provide the results from a survey we conducted about living in Panama, Belize and Nicaragua, in which we asked expats "What is your level of stress in your home abroad?":
“Bless me, Father. It has been ten years since my last confession. Leastwise, that was when I committed the ‘sin’ of my exodus from Philadelphia, PA to the Promised Land of Belize. You see, Father, that little coastal country hanging below Mexico laid before me a sensual temptation. With the strength of the mythical Sirens, it lured me with its enchantingly sweet ‘singing’ about sunny days and more-for-the-money lifestyle.
Many people have been enticed to move to Mexico after discovering its exquisite culture, history, and natural beauty. As you gaze in every direction, the bewitching flowers, plants, and trees will delight your senses. Especially if we come from northern reaches, we become captivated by the beauty and richness of Mexico.
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There is a recent video from the Panamá Tourist Bureau that shows a girl in shorts, horseback riding through the city. There is nothing more far from the truth. If you look at the video, it is all about Enrique Iglesias, and nothing about Panamá. The Indian there looks like he is from Australia, and so on.
Most of the expat communities in Portugal are in Cascais, just west of Lisbon proper. .JPG)
Our favorite restaurant that serves local food is called Sweet Mama's. It is just south of Seine Bight. You can get a nice meal for $10 or $12 bz (US $5 - $6). However, you can also get 5 star restaurant meals here, too. For example ,we just had our 5 year anniversary dinner at the Turtle Inn Resort. It was Indonesian tapas queasiness. That was hands down the best meal I have ever had in my life and it cost $100 bz / person (US $50). I can't even imagine a better dinning experience...
to file a new form on their tax returns called the 8938. It is a disclosure form of all foreign financial assets, and includes everything but property held in your own name and gold held in your own name. All other financial assets, trusts, companies, LLC's, stocks, partnerships, etc., must be disclosed on this form. .jpg)
Two bodies of water surround most of the peninsula of Baja California. On the eastern side is the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California), while the western side faces the more familiar Pacific Ocean. These watery expanses merge at what looks like the large, natural arch you've seen pictures of at Baja’s southern tip, Cabo San Lucas, about 750 miles roughly south of the US-Mexican border. At its widest, the peninsula measures about 85 miles from side...
Would you like to reduce your stress? 
Bless me, Father. It has been ten years since my last confession. Leastwise, that was when I committed the ‘sin’ of my exodus from Philadelphia, PA to the Promised Land of Belize. You see, Father, that little coastal country hanging below Mexico laid before me a sensual temptation. With the strength of the mythical Sirens, it lured me with its enchantingly sweet ‘singing’ about sunny days and more-for-the-money lifestyle.