Best Places In The World To Retire

We do have poisonous snakes here in Belize. The fer-de-lance is one of the most poisonous snakes and we have that here in Belize. Snakebites are really rare, however. You have to be deep in the jungle to encounter a snake. You will not find snakes where people live since snakes tend to stay in the jungle. If you do go to the jungle, you might see a snake or a jaguar, but we have not had any occurrences where they come out and attack people because the snakes and jaguars are scared of...

We do have poisonous snakes here in Belize. The fer-de-lance is one of the most poisonous snakes and we have that here in Belize. Snakebites are really rare, however. You have to be deep in the jungle to encounter a snake. You will not find snakes where people live since snakes tend to stay in the jungle. If you do go to the jungle, you might see a snake or a jaguar, but we have not had any occurrences where they come out and attack people because the snakes and jaguars are scared of people. 

 

I have been living in Belize for 25 years and I hike a lot so I have seen a fer-de-lance in the jungle. They do not trouble you if you do not trouble them. Just keep walking. A friend of mine did the Victoria Peak climb. He went on a hike and went to swim in the river, and on his way back from the river, there was a fer-de-lance that bit him. He had to be airlifted so he could get the anti-venom.

 

We do have good medical aid for people who get bitten by snakes here in Belize so they could airlift you and get you the anti-venom.

 

But even if we do have poisonous snakes here, they won’t stop you from hiking. There are a lot of people here who go hiking all the time and have never seen a snake. A few people have seen snakes but they are snakes that are not venomous, such as tree snakes.

 

Belize has luscious jungles so the vegetation is thick and green and there are lots of animals. I have seen a jaguar before as well. It just ran away. They stay away from people as much as they can so they run. You are strange to their habitat so they run away. When we go hiking, we go with a group of people. I do not recommend going into the thick jungle all by yourself. 

 

In the more populated areas, such as places where expats live, you wouldn’t find these dangerous animals. They are usually in the jungles. You will hardly ever find snakes in populated areas. Belize has a big jungle so the snakes do not have to go to the city.

 

(Group of students on spring break hiking in Belize, pictured.)

The best places in the world to retire are places abroad where you want to live. These are places that you have an interest in, and places that you love and want to absorb the culture of. These are places where you enjoy and like the people and the way of life. These are the most important things to consider in choosing where you want to retire. 
 
For example, one of the things that we love so much about Brazil is the way of life. At 9 o’clock at night, you...

The best places in the world to retire are places abroad where you want to live. These are places that you have an interest in, and places that you love and want to absorb the culture of. These are places where you enjoy and like the people and the way of life. These are the most important things to consider in choosing where you want to retire. 
 
For example, one of the things that we love so much about Brazil is the way of life. At 9 o’clock at night, you don’t see people sitting at home and watching TV shows. In Brazil, at 9 o’clock in the evening, people still walk up and down the streets, visiting neighbors and sitting outside of the cafés while having a coffee or a beer. Also at night, kids are still out playing. These are the activities in Brazil seven nights a week. 
 
People in Brazil are still active, out doing things at night. This is one of the things that made me fall in love with Brazil. 
 
When living abroad, you have to like the lifestyle of the people living in that country, or you’re not going to like living there. It’s different for everyone- one way of life may appeal to me but may not appeal to other people. 
 
Brazil is louder; there’s more noise in Brazil than there is in the US. In Italy and other similar countries in Europe, the people are loud, exuberant, fun and outgoing. If your idea of living abroad in retirement is being in a safe, gate-guarded community with lawns, there are many places that would be great for that. On the other hand, if your idea of living abroad is to watch people and be around exciting culture and activities, then places like Brazil or Italy will appeal to you. 
 
Another factor in choosing the best place in the world to retire is your age, health, and general ability and desire to move around. Some things may be better for younger and single people, while other things may be better for people who are older. For example, if you’re older and are living in an area that is known for beautiful beaches and resorts, you may not be able to take advantage of those amenities or enjoy the lifestyle there if you don’t have the health for it. In this case, you may enjoy another location better. However, this is not always the case.  There are plenty of people in their 70’s and 80’s who could probably beat me at hiking on a good day.  

 

(Retirees dancing in the streets of Merida, Mexico, pictured.)

Technically, Panama has a republican democratic government and it is very, very stable. We had a history of political instability when we had two dictators in the past but after Noriega was removed, capitalism took over and the form of democracy that we have now got ingrained.

People vote for the president. There are at least five political parties every time there is an election and there is democracy where people exercise their right to vote.

Whenever there is a change from...

Technically, Panama has a republican democratic government and it is very, very stable. We had a history of political instability when we had two dictators in the past but after Noriega was removed, capitalism took over and the form of democracy that we have now got ingrained.

People vote for the president. There are at least five political parties every time there is an election and there is democracy where people exercise their right to vote.

Whenever there is a change from one political party to the next, the nation goes along with it.  The government does not stall. There is continuity from one administration to the next.  Democracy is very ingrained in the people of Panama. It is part of the culture, so we have a very stable system.

Panama is very business friendly. We are all about getting foreign capital to come to the country, so in order to encourage that, the stable political climate is part of it. There are so many political parties here that I can’t tell one from the other, but no matter who is in office, everything works fine.

What changes after an election, though, is the cabinet. We just got a new president in August so, in typical fashion, when the new president took office the people from the prior administration in the last five years all lost their jobs. All the ministers of all the different ministries now are new people. So we have a whole new cast of characters running the government in the next five years. Apart from that change, everything is stable.

 

(Mireya Moscoso, Panama's first female president, pictured.)

Food costs in the Algarve are cheap compared to most other countries in Europe. Here there is an abundance of locally grown fruit and vegetables, fresh fish and good quality meat. Many of the products are produced or farmed locally and sold in the towns’ markets, which are friendly and delightful to shop in. This means that the fresh food is not only cheaper, it lasts longer and is more environmentally friendly. It is noticeable that all my guests who come from outside Portugal...

Food costs in the Algarve are cheap compared to most other countries in Europe. Here there is an abundance of locally grown fruit and vegetables, fresh fish and good quality meat. Many of the products are produced or farmed locally and sold in the towns’ markets, which are friendly and delightful to shop in. This means that the fresh food is not only cheaper, it lasts longer and is more environmentally friendly. It is noticeable that all my guests who come from outside Portugal comment on the amazing taste and flavor of the food, something that as a foodie I enjoy immensely but have come to take for granted.
 
A loaf of Portuguese white bread costs around €0.80c (about 90 US cents or .6 British pounds), a liter of milk (a quart) cost €0.90c (about one US dollar or .7 British pounds), sliced cheese is around €3.00 per pound (about US $3.40 or 2.3 British pounds), smoked ham is €4.00 per pound (about US $4.50 or 3 British pounds) and free range chicken is around €1.50 a pound (about US $1.70 or 1.2 British pounds). Beer and wine are also produced locally so it is possible to buy a good quality bottle of wine (red or white) in the supermarket for under €5.00 (about US $6.80 or under 4 British pounds).

 

(Portuguese seafood dish, pictured.)