Posts tagged Outdoor Markets
South of the Border – 12 Reasons to Retire in Mexico
Sep 27th
You’ve heard the buzz. Millions of Americans and Canadians nearing retirement age are looking south. Mexico draws thousands of foreign retirees every year. And those numbers will explode as more baby boomers hit the magical number to let them quit working and start living.
Here’s a list, in no special order, of 12 things that might have you saying “Hasta la vista” to home and heading south of the border.
1. Quality of Life: Intangible and hard to put a value on, this is the one thing most expatriates cite first when asked why they retired to Mexico. It’s a combination of several of the other reasons listed below–the people, the culture, the pace, the cost, even the food.
2. Weather: Mexico’s a big country, with a wide range of weather conditions. What you won’t do there is shovel snow and chip ice off your windshield. In retirement havens like San Miguel de Allende, Ajijic, and Cuernavaca, the weather is close to perfect all the year. Spring-like conditions are the norm. You’ll live outdoors more, dining al fresco, chatting with friends on a park bench. For foreign retirees tired of mufflers and snow-blowers, this can be a major reason to retire in Mexico.
3. Cost of Living: Many parts of Mexico, especially those that appeal most to American and Canadian expatriates like San Miguel de Allende, are not as cheap as they used to be. But housing costs are still far lower than a comparable community up north. Property taxes are laughably low. Rentals are very reasonable. Shopping the outdoor markets is a joy, and you get much more for your money. Overall, you can count on about a 25% lower cost of living than you’d pay for a comparable lifestyle back home.
4. Domestic Help: Before moving to Mexico, I never thought I’d begin a sentence with “My maid….” In Mexico, I can. Since wages are still low, most foreign retirees can afford household help, at least part time. A maid, a cook, a gardener… all are within reach.
5. Modern Infrastructure: If you still think Mexico’s a third-world country full of hovels with no running water, you’ll be amazed to find modern cities with everything you need to live comfortably and to stay in touch with family back home–or even run a business long distance. Reliable high-speed internet and phone connections, cable TV (with major US programming where expats congregate), excellent health care–there’s no need to give up the modern conveniences you’re used to.
6. Easier Pace: The mañana complex is not entirely myth. There never seems to be a reason to hurry in Mexico. Once you adapt to this slower pace, you’ll wonder why you were in such a hurry all those years. Your body begins to relax; your mind slows down. You have time to literally “smell the flowers,” (which are everywhere in Mexico!) There always seems to be time to chat with a friend, linger over a cafe con leche, choose the perfect papaya from the pile.
7. Culture: Mexico has a long, rich history and a complex culture. In San Miguel de Allende, you’ll constantly be asking “What fiesta is it today?” The color, the fireworks, music, dances, the people’s love of a good party will soon enter your soul. In places like San Miguel, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, and Mexico City you have access to world-class cultural activities: ballet, symphony, a fabulous chamber music festival, art galleries, theater presentations in English and Spanish, film festivals, lectures, art classes, writing classes, yoga classes…. well, you get the idea.
8. The People: Mexicans are a warm and welcoming people. Hospitality is a way of life. “Mi casa es su casa” is not just a phrase on a wall plaque here. It’s their reality. They also have a great sense of humor and will even be patient with your attempts to speak their language. The Mexicans’ love of color, of music and dancing and parties will spill onto you. And the sooner you learn to speak some Spanish, the more welcome you will be… and the richer your experience of living among them.
9. Sense of Community: Maybe it’s because people tend to spend more time in public, but you’ll quickly develop a strong sense of community. It’s easy to make friends. The volunteer opportunities in most Mexican towns also give you a chance to give back, to make a difference–another fulfilling tie to the community.
10. Communication: Though you should be trying to learn Spanish, you’ll find where northern retirees congregate, English is fairly wide-spoken. The people you interact with on a daily basis are more likely to speak it. Waiters, businesspeople, government officials, even taxi drivers will be trying hard to communicate with you.
11. Beautiful Location: Mexico is a diverse and beautiful country. The central plateau offers mountains and lakes, high desert and prairie. The coasts has exquisite beaches. The south has jungles and ancient ruins. Everywhere you go in Mexico, there is beautiful scenery to enjoy and enrich you. And you’re never far from an airport, a superhighway, or a deluxe inter-city bus to get you there or take you home again.
12. Safety: Despite what you may have seen on the news, most of Mexico is very safe for foreigners. In towns like Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Ajijic, crime rates are extremely low compared to similar towns up north. People feel safe walking the streets. You’ll be more relaxed as you realize you’re less likely to be a victim of a crime than you were back home.
Perhaps you, too, should consider retiring in Mexico. After a lifetime of nose-to-the-grindstone, which tends to limit one’s view, retirement is a time to spread your wings, to learn new things, start a new hobby, make new friends from different backgrounds. Mexico is a great launching field for that. You’ll be learning a new language, discovering a new culture, maybe learning to paint or make jewelry or play golf. And you’ll be surrounded by others with a great spirit of adventure, not afraid to take on new tests.
Are you up for the challenge?
Managua, the Capital of Nicaragua and Unique American City
Sep 16th
Orientation
The capital of Nicaragua has a lot to offer the interested traveler. So long as you don’t expect everything or anything to go exactly as you planned. It is the central hub for all flights and bus destinations. The city is one of perpetual summer and the heat does take some getting used to. There are few remaining colonial buildings or downtown buildings as most of that was destroyed in the big earthquake of 1972.
The city is easy to get lost in but you can always ask which the lake is to find North. The shore of Lake Managua forms the northern boundary of the city and in giving directions the people say “towards the lake” instead of North. The outdoor markets, bus stations, modern commercial centers and shopping malls are the major landmarks along with the lake. In the middle of the city, there is a hill with a lagoon in it, the Tiscapa Lagoon, which has wonderful views of the city and surroundings.
Managua has its share of street crime and it is advised not to carry too much cash on you anywhere you travel in Nicaragua. Don’t be surprised or stunned to see a lot of trash around, poor children begging at traffic lights, cows in traffic, etc.
Activities
The nightlife is quite active in Managua. So go ahead and head for any of the more popular night clubs in town and check out the Nicaraguan cuisine. There are also a couple of casinos complete with round the clock gambling. You can play poker or use the gaming machines.
To really experience the city you need to visit one of the many markets. The Mercado Oriental is the largest market in Central America. In 2008 there were a few serious fires destroying parts of this market but reconstruction and renovation is under way. The Mercado Huembes is smaller but a little nicer and is not so overwhelming.
Special attractions
If you are lucky enough to be visiting during the Semana Santa (Easter Week), have fun. Most locals head to nearby beach party extravaganzas. Make sure that you take adequate precautions and don’t do anything fool hardy that you might regret at a later date. That said, the dancing is amazing and you should get some of the locals to teach you those Latin American dances. There are many other festivals and countless occasions for dancing.
If you are the kind who gets a kick from seeing geological phenomena like volcanic craters then you are in luck. Given the proximity of the city to the low lying and swampy regions which showcase eroded volcanoes craters, it is a simple task to organize an outing to the sites.
Some prehistoric footprints said to be more than 6000 years old made by 12 individuals are showcased at Huellas de Acahualinca. They were discovered in 1874 by quarry workers who found them buried under volcanic material. All footprints lead in one direction making archeologists believe that it was a migration. These are located on the southern shore of Lake Managua.
The Monumental Area
Budget cuts have ensured that all of Nicaraguan culture is easily viewed in one main museum building. The Palacio Nacional de la Cultural has the Hall of Natural History on the first floor. The second floor has the National Library and the National Archives housed together. A small art gallery on the first floor also showcases some local artisans and artists. There are also occasional events, like book and cultural fairs, in the “Plaza of the Revolution” or “Plaza de la Revolución” that is in front of the National Palace.
Rubén Darío National Theater is the place to visit if you are interested in the music, visual art and theatre of Nicaragua. Named after the famous Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío it overlooks Lake Managua. It is an important centre for the national performing arts. It is also one of the few buildings that survived the major earthquake of 1972.
The Cathedral of Santiago was built in 1929, but it needed reconstruction after the damage it faced in the 1972 earthquake. There is a new cathedral that was built (in a modern style that looks like an upside-down egg crate) to replace the older one but it is not as impressive as the shell of the old one that it replaced. The new cathedral is located next to the Metrocentro shopping mall.
