Category: Articles

There are a few things everybody “knows” about the Nordic countries, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland: taxes are high, cost of living is expensive, the winters can be brutal… Yet, according to multiple surveys and studies, citizens in these places are among the happiest in the world. Perhaps happiness isn’t the right word. Researchers… Read more

One of my favorite meals in the world happens to be at a Thai restaurant overlooking the beach and the Caribbean in Tulum, on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. To be sure, I love my local street tacos as well. But, yes, Thai food in Mexico. The growth of worldwide transportation networks, ease of travel, and increased… Read more

For many folks, owning a cheap fixer-upper overseas is the dream… …a cottage in the French countryside…a home in an Italian hill town…or a hacienda in one of Latin America’s great colonial cities. However, before you jump in headfirst, keep in mind that the low cost of an old building is often the first indicator… Read more

The Romans called the Mediterranean “Mare Nostrum” (“Our Sea”). And it’s no wonder why. At its height, the Roman Empire encircled it. This vast waterway enabled trade, the interaction of diverse cultures, and the exchange of ideas for millennia. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Western Civilization as we know it today would look… Read more

Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. But rather than a steamy tropical beach, you want cool weather…crisp, clean air…peace and quiet…and panoramic views of natural beauty. A place where the nearest town to buy your groceries or have a meal out is a small village…and limited access makes it hard to… Read more

I often get people asking me for international real estate recommendations… “Should I buy in Belize?” “Do you have any thoughts on purchasing property in Cuenca, Spain?” Before you start asking those questions, you need to ask yourself a much more important one: What kind of investor are you? Knowing the answer to this will… Read more

Narrow, cobblestoned streets lined with brightly colored facades…quaint plazas and leafy parks…soaring churches and cathedrals…shaded courtyards complete with tinkling fountains and grand statues of past heroes… It’s touches like these that have attracted people to live in Latin America’s colonial towns and cities. These “inner city” historic districts were once neglected, as local people with… Read more

Language does not have to be an obstacle to traveling or living anywhere in the world. But sometimes it can be nice to converse in your native tongue. A long colonial legacy in the so-called West Indies by the British means that there are several islands in the Caribbean where English is commonly spoken or… Read more

With nearly 20 years of scouting experience under my belt, I thought I knew how to recognize a tourist. But in Tulum, on the Riviere Maya (where I spent some time recently), you never can be sure. That couple who were sunbathing on the beach are now logged into their laptops, fielding Zoom calls and… Read more

Without the cholera epidemic in the 19th century, the city of Cannes on the French Riviera would not exist. At least not as the epitome of glitz and glamour it is today. In 1834, a British Lord Chancellor and his daughter were on their way to Nice, a part of Italy at the time, and… Read more

For lots of people, the pull of big city life is strong. They’re drawn by the plethora of arts and culture, fine dining…the feeling of being in the center of the action and on the cutting edge. And they draw energy from the frenetic pace of a major metropolis. Due to high demand for housing… Read more