A Break From The Real World
Feb. 2, 2009
Panama City, Panama
PLUS:
- Predicting The Weather...Panama Versus Mexico...
- Sunday Morning Pleasures On The Causeway...
- Buy To Build For As Little As US$3,000 In Master-planned Resort
Community In San Felipe...
AND:
- Thinking Small--Little Countries With Big Upsides...
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Discover the world's #1 retirement haven...top offshore
haven...and most user-friendly tax haven.
Panama also hides the smartest beach, river, and mountain property
buys anywhere on the planet today.
Come...see for yourself how to stretch your retirement dollars...how
to pay zero tax...and where to invest for serious upside in this
little country that is enjoying continued growth and prosperity,
worldwide financial meltdown notwithstanding.
If you're wondering how you're ever going to be able to afford to
retire...or where in the world you can invest smart amidst the current
global market chaos...Panama is the answer.
It's also a beautiful land blessed with an abundance of wildlife and
two long coastlines.
Discover the upsides and advantages of Living and Investing in
Panama here.
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Dear Overseas Opportunity Letter Reader,
"I'm traveling in the far south of the country with friends Roger and
Naree," writes intrepid Correspondent Paul Terhorst in his final
dispatch from Laos.
"Our last stop was an island (Don Khon) in the Mekong River. The Laos
call this area 'four thousand islands,' although some of the islands
are just clumps of dirt.
"From one part of our island we could see Cambodia
over on the right bank. Going farther south, there's Vietnam,
with the Mekong delta and Saigon. But Cambodia, Vietnam, and, indeed,
civilization itself seemed far away. The people on our island continue
to live as they have for centuries, growing rice and catching fish,
without roads or even electricity.
"These days some of the guest houses have generators that provide
electricity for guests between 6 and 10 p.m. But that's the extent of
modern convenience.
"In the 1920s, the French built a railroad and bridges on these
islands in an effort to get around rapids in the Mekong. These days,
the rapids--the guidebook calls them waterfalls--make for a pleasant
tourist outing. We saw the old train tracks and an old locomotive,
courtesy of the French, and old bamboo footbridges. The French even
fought a battle with the Thais here, or near here, over some disputed
border or other. I'm fuzzy on the details, but the French won and the
borders have been fixed ever since.
"These days, our island has a new concrete bridge connecting us with
Don Det, the next island father north. Don Det has a reputation of
catering to kids, while our island caters to adults. I met a young
traveler who was staying on Don Det and asked him about the famous
parties there, carrying on until all hours.
"He replied, 'How much carrying on can you do when they cut the
electricity at 10 o'clock? All the bars and restaurants close, except
one, and there isn't much to do there without light, without music.'
"One day walking in the jungle I tripped and cut my foot. Neither
Roger nor I had any disinfectant, and there were no pharmacies on the
islands. When we got back to the village, we saw a building with two
red crosses over the gate. We took it for a hospital and went in.
'Anybody home?'...
"The hospital (let's call it that) was deserted. In the first room, we
saw four wooden bed frames, without mattresses, sheets, or pillows. A
second room had records and other paperwork piled up, covered with
dust, and beyond was a lab without any equipment.
"Finally, in the rear, we came to a counter and reception area. On the
counter were four or five medicines. Roger picked up a bottle and
showed it to me: Betadine.
"Perfect. I squirted some Betadine disinfectant on the small cut on my
foot. I handed it to Roger, as he, too, had some scratches.
"Just then, the attendant came in and saw us. 'Self service,' Roger
said.
"She smiled and asked if we wanted cotton or bandages. I said, yes,
please, and she rattled around in some drawers for a while before
shaking her head sadly.
"I said, 'That's all right, thanks.'
"She smiled again, and we left, possibly the only patients of the day.
"I stayed at the Somphamit Guest House, US$5 a night. Cheap enough,
although, remember, this was without electricity and, consequently,
without hot water. My room had a balcony with hammock, suitable for
watching the river go by.
"Roger and Naree stayed at the Souksanh Guest House, farther down the
path, same price, similar hammock and balcony. Both guest houses offer
the same thing: pure relaxation.
"This is the place to come when you want to give your mind a break
from the real world.
"We generally ate our meals at Roger and Naree's guest house. We liked
the food, and the beer was cold (hard to come by without electricity),
but the cooks were exceptionally slow. On our last night, Naree
finally went back into the kitchen to speed things up. Soon food came
flying out. First several dishes for the guy at the next table, then
for Roger and me. Finally, Naree showed up and joined us.
"'Fantastic,' I said. 'How did you get them to hurry?'
"'I didn't,' Naree said, as she grabbed some sticky rice. 'I cooked
this stuff myself.'
"Early next morning it was time to leave. Roger came over to get me,
and I told him my landlady had disappeared. In fact, since I'd checked
in, I hadn't seen anyone except other guests. Who could I pay? Roger
speaks the local language. He talked to the neighbors, who in turn
pointed to another neighbor. Roger chatted with this last woman, and
she pointed to her chest with her index finger.
"'You can pay her,' Roger translated. I did, and we were off.
"On the boat to the mainland, I saw three 10-year-old girls wearing
school uniforms paddling a canoe to school in town. Once at the bus
station, Roger and Naree headed south, to Cambodia and Angkor Wat. I
headed north, back to Pakse. From there I got a bus across the river
and back into Thailand. I changed buses and rode 'home' to Chiang Mai,
where Vicki was waiting."
Kathleen Peddicord
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-----------------
"I crossed the border into Mexicali," writes new
Correspondent Dan Millington, "and began my two-hour drive south along
the Sea of Cortez to San Felipe. My mission? To visit
El Dorado Ranch just north of San Felipe town.
"When I last visited, 15 years ago, there was a trailer that
represented a sales office and a small palapa eatery.
"Things have changed. What was barren desert is now a master-planned,
eco-friendly resort community. Mostly Americans have arrived in large
numbers, bought property, (lots start at US$30,000), built their dream
homes or bought condos, and settled down for a comfortable, affordable
retirement.
"On the grounds are two restaurants, a community pool, a championship
18-hole golf course, all overlooking the glistening Sea of Cortez. For
more information:
www.eldoradoranch.com or
www.laventanadelmar.com."
"I wonder why there aren't more people here?" asked my young marketing
manager Harry.
I'd been wondering the same thing myself. This bright and clear Sunday
morning, we had this stretch of Panama City's Causeway
nearly to ourselves. On one side, views of forest-covered islands and
the Bridge of the Americas...on the other, across the bay, the towers
and high-rises of central Panama City.
"I guess not many people realize how nice it is over here," I offered.
The long, flat Causeway, lined with palm trees and park benches, is an
ideal place for an early-morning bike ride, we discovered. Two shops
offer bicycle rentals (US$2 to US$4 an hour, depending on the size of
the bicycle). Along the way are restaurants and kiosks. At the far
end, weekend mornings, a small flea market.
Workmen were out, even Sunday morning, sweeping up litter. The entire
stretch was remarkably clean and tidy.
"Can we come over here every Sunday?" Jack wanted to know.
"No problem," I replied, as I challenged him and Harry to a race back
to the car.
"My husband and I have been living in Mexico for a
number of years. We are considering a move to Panama
in large part because of two new businesses we are setting up.
"The timing of your May
Live & Invest in Panama Conference is good for us, but
what about the temperature? May is steamy in most of Mexico.
"I am particularly interested in the area outside David.
We have Panamanian friends there. I have had enough of living in
American-style communities in a new country. We have lived in many
parts of Mexico.
"I am also interested in Casco Viejo. I am looking at
the possibility of purchasing there with the intention of restoring
for the purpose of renting or resale. (I have experience in that
field.)
"Also, are there rental properties within a half-hour to
three-quarters-of-an-hour drive from Panama City? I would prefer this
property to be at an altitude that would provide a somewhat cooler
climate than the city.
"We must have high-speed Internet and dependable phone service. This
has been a challenge in Mexico, and it is at the top of our search
list."
-- Wendy L., Canada
May is the beginning of the rainy season in Panama, so it is possible
that the humidity could be high...though it's never as hot or humid in
Panama as it is in some regions of Mexico.
Also, "rainy season" doesn't mean rain all day in this part of the
world. Typically, showers fall for a couple of hours, then the skies
clear and the sun returns.
Our experts, contacts, and friends will be speaking in detail about
both David (the city you fly to from Panama City to get to Boquete in
the mountains) and Casco Viejo (the World Heritage Site old town where
the French hung their hats during their attempt to build a canal
across this isthmus) at the May conference.
The two places I can think of in the mountains within 45 minutes or so
of the city, where the temperatures would be a bit cooler, are
Altos de Maria and Cerro Azul. Again, we'll
be able to tell you more when we see you in May.
Meantime, if you'd like to begin researching available rentals in
either of these places (or, indeed, purchases in Casco Viejo or
David), contact local real estate professional Giulia Gonzalez by
e-mail:
Panama@LiveAndInvestOverseas.com
"Have you ever considered Uruguay? It is supposed to
be one of the most literate countries in the world.
"Small countries should 'work' best. Bermuda is a
prime example. What a great country. Only 70,000 people. However, the
restrictions on moving there make the prospect very difficult.
"Have you considered Belize? It is another small
country and English-speaking. I considered moving to Belize back in
the 1960s."
-- Jon A., United States
Yes...and yes.
Uruguay:
And Belize:
Clean Living In Healthy Belize
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