1Lifetime Society CommuniquéNovember 2018

In This Issue• Barranco: Lima’s Bohemian Center ......................................5

• Exploring the Spirit Houses of Thailand ...............................6

• Ask the Expert: Driving South of the Border ........................7

• Panama: A Paradise for Retirees ............................................8

Lifetime Society

One of the great traditions of the past is the Grand Tour.

Back in the day—the 17th and 18th centuries—it was a rite of passage for young, upper-class Northern European men. They’d hit the road with a trunk full of formal wear and a knowledgeable chaperone and spend several months to several years touring and studying in Rome, Vienna, Paris, Heidelberg, and other great centers of European art and history.

This was considered an indispensable part of a young man’s education. At the time, the Grand Tour was the only way to see some of the Western world’s greatest masterpieces of painting, sculpture, and architecture and to hear some of its most influential music.

Along the way, they would work on language skills while mountain climbing, sailing, studying painting or fencing or astronomy or botany all over Europe. And upon returning, they would write and publish

their experiences, since an important part of the Grand Tour was returning to enlighten and entertain those who weren’t fortunate enough to be able to take such a tour themselves.

Railroads and steamships eventually made the Grand Tour faster and more affordable for young ladies and gentlemen of more modest means. And fortunately for us, this trend has continued. These days you don’t have to be wealthy or of noble descent to take your own “Grand Tour,” although we’d propose that it still should be considered an educational experience.

Our own Grand Tour was instigated by a Christmas gift last year…a “scratch off” world map. It’s a dull black and tan poster, but if you’ve visited a country you can scratch it off to reveal a vivid color underneath. Even though we consider ourselves world travelers and have visited nearly every country in the western hemisphere and some of Asia, that map challenged us. We realized that there was a large swath of Europe we had missed. And so the planning began.

Our goal was to see as many of the European capitals as we could in a little more than a month. And we wanted to spend a reasonable amount of time in each location…long enough to see the primary tourist sites as well as get a feel for the actual character of the city itself.

But first, we’d spend two weeks in Ireland, one of our all-time favorite countries. It’s a place where, after only a few visits, we feel

COMMUNIQUÉNovember 2018 | Volume 10, No. 7 | www.InternationalLiving.com

OPPORTUNITY ✦ PROSPERITY ✦ ADVENTURE

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From a Scratch-Off Map, a Grand European Tour is BornBy Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher

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completely at home…a fact we put down to the Irish themselves. Almost without exception, we have found them to have music in their blood and convivial conversation on their lips. A proper Irish pub is a most comfortable and welcoming place. And the island itself…the green fields, rock-ribbed hills, windswept shores, stunning lakes, and deep wooded valleys…are enough to explain why the entire country seems inhabited by bards, poets, and storytellers.

This includes Belfast in Northern Ireland. We arrived by train from Dublin and were immediately impressed. Belfast is emerging from its history of the “Troubles” like a butterfly from a cocoon…a friendly, bustling city that feels bigger than it is thanks to so many great places to eat, see, and visit.

A Black Taxi tour of the city’s once-strictly segregated sections took us to view the walls still standing between Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods, and murals to heroes, martyrs, even 17th century kings. Memory is long here, but the city is taking advantage of the recent peace settlement to become a must-see destination and a qualified stop on a modern Grand Tour.

Across the Irish Sea, our visit to Edinburgh, Scotland started with a big plate of haggis at a restaurant across from the apartment we rented. This fortified us for the coming days touring Edinburgh Castle, St. George’s Cathedral, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. A fun highlight was Mary King’s Close, a “rediscovered” alleyway of tenement houses located beneath the new buildings now occupying the city’s famous Royal Mile.

A short flight from Edinburgh took us

to Berlin and our full-service hotel near the Brandenburg Gate in what now qualifies as the city center. Of course, Berlin was for years divided into four sectors, and sections of the Berlin Wall still stand as memorials to a long, brutal, and deadly division after World War II. Today Berlin is an economic, political, and cultural powerhouse that has incorporated its divided past into its resilient personality.

The train from Berlin to Prague in the Czech Republic follows the Elbe River much of the way, and the scenery along the river valley, including wooded valleys complete with summer homes and hunting lodges, is magnificent. Prague itself is a marvel. It was capital of the kingdom of Bohemia, the residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, and a city favored by the Habsburgs of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a result, the magnificent architecture includes brilliant examples from the Romanesque, Gothic,

Renaissance, and Baroque periods. More than 8.5 million tourists visit Prague

each year, and its colorful history is certainly one reason for that. But we think it also has something to do with the beer. Czechs drink more beer per capita than anyone else in the world, and not that we’re experts it may be because the Czechs have the best beer in the world. Along with the schnitzel, which rivals Berlin’s, and the goulash, which is unrivaled, fresh Czech beer makes Prague, for us, one of the most important capital cities in Europe.

Beautiful, immaculate Vienna, Austria’s capital, consistently ranks as one of the top two or three most livable cities in the world…it is urbane, sophisticated, steeped in history, and dripping with culture. The capital of the

“Is there anyone alive who could not love Rome?”

Published by International Living Publishing Ltd., Woodlock House, Carrick Road, Portlaw, Co. Waterford. Lifetime Society Communiqué, © Copyright 2018 by International Living Publishing Ltd., is published every two months for registered members of International Living’s Lifetime Society. Membership in the Lifetime Society costs $495. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of International Living’s Publisher. Copies of this newsletter are not available on newsstands but are furnished directly to Lifetime Society members only. International Living’s Lifetime Society presents information and research believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. There are many dangers associated with international travel and investment, and readers should investigate any opportunity fully before committing to it. MEMBERS: Please send your comments and queries to International Living’s Lifetime Society, Woodlock House, Carrick Road, Portlaw,Waterford, Ireland; tel. (353)51-309-402; fax (353)51-304-561; e-mail: Lifetime@InternationalLiving.com.

3Lifetime Society CommuniquéNovember 2018

Austro-Hungarian Empire, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Mahler, and a host of other musical luminaries all lived or worked here, as did Sigmund Freud.

We saw the Lipizzaner Stallions being walked to their arena for a workout, lunched in the shadow of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, toured the famous Albertina Museum (featuring a magnificent Claude Monet exhibition) and visited Belvedere Palace to feast our eyes on the iconic oil painting, The Kiss, by native son Gustav Klimt.

Another day was spent at Schonbrunn Palace, home of the royal Hapsburgs, built to rival the opulence of Versailles. And lest you think all this culture rendered us snooty, know that Sunday afternoon found us in Prater Park in the midst of its most boisterous beer hall glory—akin to the biggest, loudest, most inebriated wedding reception ever—with men in lederhosen and women in fraulien frocks. Yes, our schnitzel and beer tour continued…

Our arrival in Italy found us connecting with friends in the small Alban Hills town of Frascatti, about 30 minutes south of Rome. Notable for its 16th-century villas built by popes, cardinals, and Roman nobles and sprawling vineyards, this is where we made the switch from beer to wine.

After two days of eating and drinking our way around Frascatti, we headed for the Eternal City of Rome, our history-buff friends in tow. Is there anyone alive who could not love Rome, or not be familiar with at least some of its story?

From our apartment in the heart of the Camp de’Fiori neighborhood, we were surrounded by 28 centuries of history…the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column, the Circus Maximus, the Arch of Constantine, the Trevi Fountain—all were within walking

distance, as was Vatican City, the state within a state and a magnificent work of art and architecture in its own right…where else can you find a ceiling painted by Michelangelo?

Evenings were spent winding our way through alleys too small for cars to find hidden plazas where we could dine beneath the stars. In one of these, we languished over wine in the exact spot—the Theater of Pompey—where Julius Caesar met his untimely demise.

The final stop of our modern Grand Tour was Barcelona…not a national capital city

today, but in the past a capital and major port of the Kingdom of Aragon. And it very well could be a national capital in the future as an active Catalan separatist movement attempts to peel Catalonia, for which Barcelona is the crown jewel, away from Spanish rule.

A city of deep history and an agreeable climate, Barcelona enjoys a bustling economy and a thriving tourism industry

thanks to its location on the Mediterranean Sea. From our hotel near the historic city center, we walked the famous La Rambla, a shady pedestrian boulevard that divides Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and the Raval neighborhood, both of which feature narrow streets and alleys loaded with shops, taverns, and tapas restaurants.

No visit to Barcelona is complete without a visit to the astounding architecture-on-acid Sagrada Familia church, designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. Under construction since 1882, it’s earmarked for possible completion in 2030, more than 100 years after Gaudi’s death. “My client,” he famously said, referring to God, “is not in a hurry.”

Our modern Grand Tour lasted only five-and-a-half weeks, but it achieved much the same purpose as historic Grand Tours were designed to do. We returned with a bit of firsthand experience of some of Europe’s most

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How We Did It…Tips For Your Own Grand TourWe decided in advance that we would spend at least three to five days in each location. And

that this wouldn’t be a budget trip. We’re too old to travel like backpackers, and we wouldn’t want to in any case. That said, we did pull out a few money-saving tricks that positively impacted the bottom line on this “trip of a lifetime.”

When to Go: Europe gets scads of tourists during summer months. So we decided to avoid the crowds and travel during the lower-cost Fall shoulder season. In anticipation of brisk temperatures we decided to start our travels in the more northern countries of Ireland and Scotland, traveling first eastward to Germany, and then progressively southward to warmer climates through the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, and then west to Spain. Leaving the U.S. in mid-September, we flew into Dublin. Our return flight had us departing Europe from Barcelona in late October.

Getting from Place to Place: Thanks to its many budget airlines, travel within Europe is affordable. But with airline travel more frustrating than ever overall, we wanted to travel by train as often as possible. It’s a great way to see the scenic countryside. If travel time was less than eight hours by train, we decided, we’d opt for that. Otherwise, we’d fly. On flights as low as $39, we flew from Belfast to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to Berlin with easyJet and from Vienna to Rome and Rome to Barcelona with Vueling Airlines. To avoid baggage fees, we traveled with carry-on luggage only. We did, however, splurge by paying the small extra fee to choose our own seats—those with extra legroom, priority boarding, and a two-carry-on allowance.

Getting Around in the Cities: We generally relied on public transportation (subways and buses) to get from airports or train stations to our accommodation. And we chose accommodation that was centrally located, within walking distance of most attractions we wanted to see. Only twice did we opt for a private transfer…to and from Rome to the town of Frascatti, and for that we called on Uber.

Accommodation: We alternated between hotels and short-term apartment rentals that we arranged through Kayak.com, AirBnB.com, and HomeAway.com. We tried to stick to an average $150-a-night range, but we splurged on a luxury hotel in Barcelona. Through American Express’s Fine Hotels and Resorts program, we got some nice perks there. We only chose apartments with washers and dryers in place as we were traveling with a limited amount of clothing. And we only stayed in hotels with free breakfast, the most important meal of the day if you’re doing lots of walking and sightseeing.

Sightseeing: As mentioned, in each location we stayed close to the sights we wanted to see most. We occasionally took the hop-on/hop off buses that offer a great way to get a general overview of the city. To decide on exactly what we wanted to see, the most popular tours, and so on, we read local blogs and used TripAdvisor.com. We availed of the free walking tours that most cities offered. At paid venues we always asked for senior discounts. Whenever possible, we purchased advance tickets online that helped us avoid long entrance lines.

vital and historic culture.There are only two problems with that.

First, we now know how much more of Europe and its historic capitals remain for us to explore. We’ve had a taste that leaves us wanting much, much more. Second…that

scratch-off map. After our Grand Tour, we’ve now been able to reveal much more of its color. But three big areas that cover much of the world—Russia, Antarctica, and Africa—remain unscratched.

Let the planning begin.

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It’s a one-hour f light to Lima, Peru’s capital, from our home on the north coast of the country, and it makes for a great weekend

getaway. There is always something new to discover within the sprawling city’s 43 districts. One well worth visiting (and one of our favorites) is Barranco. Historically, it was home to some of Peru’s and Latin America’s finest artists and writers and is still viewed as Lima’s bohemian center. With its walls of street art, bright and colorful buildings, art galleries, and some of the best bars and restaurants in the city, it is also home to many expats.

The most interesting and relaxing way to approach Barranco is via the malecon. This scenic cliff-top coastal walkway stretches for six miles from the neighboring upscale district of Miraflores, offering panoramic vistas of the beaches below. Joggers, skaters, and cyclists make good use of the path at all hours of the day. In the numerous green spaces along the way, there are plenty of comfortable places to sit to enjoy the spectacular views.

The pathway emerges at the Plaza Chabuca Granda, a small park named after one of Peru’s famous composers of the past. The flower and tree laden park is overlooked by the crumbling bright yellow 18th century Iglesia La Ermita (Church of the Hermitage).

Here you will also find the Puente de los Supiros (Bridge of Sighs), probably the most familiar landmark in Barranco. This small, wooden bridge was originally built in 1876 to span the narrow gorge between Ayacucho

Street and the Church of the Hermitage. Back in the day, poets and writers were

drawn to the bridge as a spot for quiet contemplation and inspiration. It was also known as a gathering place for lovers and considered the place to get lucky. In fact, there was so much romantic sighing going on that the bridge came to be known as the Bridge of Sighs!

Below the bridge, a stone pathway known as the Bajada de los Banos passes colorful cafés, traditional restaurants, and outdoor

vendors selling a variety of handcrafted items. Once used by fishermen on their daily descent to the sea, it is now a major tourist draw and a way to navigate to the beaches.

With all the street art found throughout the district, Barranco is becoming Peru’s biggest public art gallery. And some of the best murals on display can be found in this area. The creation of these outdoor works of art has been encouraged in recent years with several mural competitions and festivals.

It’s an easy walk up a short steep staircase to Barranco’s bustling Plaza de Armas, overlooked by the huge Santa Cruz Church. After strolling around Barranco admiring the wonderful old architecture, stop in at the BarBarian Bar, where you can choose from a couple of dozen excellent Peruvian craft beers on tap. For a different vibe, head over to the Ayahuasca Restobar. Here you will find an impressive list of drinks, including many craft cocktails, and excellent local dishes and snacks.

“Poets and writers were drawn to the bridge as a spot for quiet

contemplation.”

Barranco: Lima’s Bohemian CenterBy Steve LePoidevin

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Exploring the Spirit Houses of ThailandBy Michael Cullen

We were sitting in a café atop Rind Hill—a forested park on the east coast of Phuket, Thailand’s largest

island. Our outlook through the tree top canopy is of the coastal plains and ocean below. Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye, I look up. A monkey jumped up onto the Spirit House positioned at the entrance path leading to the café. Ignoring the food offerings, he picks up a small bottle of red soda pop, deftly unscrews the top, and drinks down the contents.

Spirit Houses are not unique to Thailand and can be found in many countries across Southeast Asia. No matter where we’ve traveled in Thailand, they are ever present. Typically colorful and ornate, they are strategically positioned outside homes, businesses, schools, and even in the rice farms of Thailand’s far north. They often resemble small temples or miniatures of a traditional Thai teak house. They can be simple or elaborate, and almost always mounted on a pedestal of some sort.

Placement on a site is essential, and architects have been known to vary their design to ensure the most favorable positioning of a Spirit House within a new development. Other rules suggest that it should ideally be in front of a tree, not be where the building’s shadow will fall on it, and not face a toilet or a road.

Although 95% of Thailand’s population

identify as Buddhist, Thai people actively engage in daily Spirit House rituals, inherited from ancient animistic and folk religions. Regular offerings of coconuts, fried rice, flower garlands, and colorful drinks like the red soda the monkey enjoyed, are made to the spirits.

The goal of all this activity is to provide an appealing shelter for the spirits (souls) who reside on the land where the dwelling or business is built. Each day, prayers, wishes, and honorable requests are made to the spirits by those who tend the Spirit House. Appeasing these spirits and keeping on their right side is said to bring happiness, prosperity, and good fortune. It may even ward off natural disasters like flooding and storms.

Before a new building commences, permission needs to be granted by the spirits. This typically involves ceremony and sacred rituals performed by local Buddhist monks or Brahmin priests. Those invited include family, friends, and neighbours, along with invisibles, including angels, house gods, and nagas.

Spirit Houses are often decorated with animal figurines, statues of dancing ladies, and importantly, a gilded angel carrying a sword and a money bag, signifying the “spirit of the land”—phra phum. Spirit Houses can also be positioned at dangerous curves in a road or crest of a steep hill—places where accidents are frequent.

As Spirit Houses must be well-maintained, there comes a time when they need to be replaced. But they cannot be dumped. Once again, with the help of a monk or priest, the spirits are coaxed into a new home, suitably blessed, and correctly placed. The old one is then laid to rest in a communal Spirit House “burial ground”—a location known to be rich in spirit activity.

Next time you’re visiting Thailand, do take the time to study the Spirit Houses you come across. Show respect for the site and the spirits though—causing offence or unsettling the balance would not be good for your travels.

“Permission needs to be granted by the spirits.”

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Ask the Expert: Driving South of the Border

Last year, IL’s Latin America Editor, Jason Holland, spent 10 days (with plenty of stops along the way) driving

from Florida to Mexico’s Riviera Maya with his family. Below, he answers your questions about driving south of the border. Are there long waits at the border crossings and if so, any tips on the best time to go?

My experience in entering and leaving Mexico by land has been at the Laredo border crossing in south Texas. The longest wait times are usually during the commutes back and forth to work in the morning and afternoon. Holiday weekends are busy too. In the days leading up to the holiday many people head to Mexico…and then cross back when it’s over…in great numbers. You can find up-to-the-minute updates for wait times at all border crossings here.

The best way to avoid delays is to make sure you have all your paperwork in order. Not just passports but all the necessary documentation to temporarily import your U.S. or Canadian plated car (which you can do up to 180 days on a tourist visa or for the length of your temporary residency. You cannot import a foreign car as a permanent resident of Mexico). Go to this website for full details and even to pre-apply for your TIP (temporary import permit).

But in general you need your driver’s license, passport, car registration, car title, proof of Mexican car insurance (which you can buy in the U.S. at any number of providers near the border), and Mexican immigration form (which you can get pre-authorized here). With this permission, only the applicant and their immediate family may drive the car in Mexico. You must also take the car out of Mexico before the permit expires or you could lose your car.

You will have to pay a refundable deposit to import your car, the amount depending on the age of the car, as well as a fee of around $50. You can also import a boat or RV.

Is it safe to drive in Mexico? Are there many differences to driving in the States?

It is safe to drive in most parts of Mexico. In general you don’t want to hang out in border areas. And there are parts of certain states that should be avoided, including Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Guerrero, Colima, and Sinaloa.

The main toll highways and main roads in Mexico are similar to the U.S.—four-lane divided highways. On two-lane highways and country roads you’ll find a different style of driving. Here many people in slower vehicles drive on the shoulder, essentially turning a two-lane road into a four-lane road…except when they have to swing over because the shoulder ends. In general most people are courteous drivers. But, as anywhere, there can be people who go too fast or pass when it is dangerous. Just pay attention, as you would anywhere. In most areas I’ve been the roads are well maintained. When you get off the beaten path you’ll find more potholes and even dirt and gravel roads in rural areas.

Are the road signs in English?The road signs are in Spanish, but most

are easily understandable. I would recommend checking out road signs from Mexico online so you can familiarize yourself. I would also recommend you use GPS or a GPS app, like Waze or Google Maps, on your smartphone to navigate. These will help you not get lost and find the fastest route. The apps also help you avoid heavy traffic when possible.

Are there many gas stations and are they well equipped? And is gas cheap?

Gas right now is 19 pesos or so a liter (about $3.90 a gallon). On the major highways and roads there are lots of gas stations (with bathrooms). There are often convenience stores attached and periodically larger, more well-equipped rest areas with shops and restaurants. Obviously this could be different in more rural areas.

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miscellaneous costs of $250 a month, and $250 a month for our gardener and cleaning lady. Panama really is fabulous.”

In Panama you can have it all: a cosmopolitan capital city…hundreds of miles of spectacular beaches…and highland retreats with green valleys…

If all this sounds good to you, then join us this February 8-10 in Panama City for our Fast Track Panama Conference. You’ll discover everything you need to know about Panama to help you decide if it’s your ideal retirement or relocation destination…

More than 50 experts will be there to make sure you get all

the information you need. And you’ll also hear from

expats who can tell you first-hand what living in Panama is really like…

As a VIP reader of International Living, you never pay full price for any of our

events. The full price for this conference

is $1,195. However, because you’re a VIP

reader, you get your seat with a substantial discount.

• Lifetime Society Members get $150 off that price, bringing the cost of your seat to $1,045.

• Platinum Circle, Publisher’s Roundtable, and Real Estate Trend Alert members get a discount of $200, bringing your price to $995.

And if you sign up before December 12, you can also take advantage of our early bird discount of $200—saving you even more. Reserve your seat here today.

Sincerely,

Jackie Flynn, Publisher, International Living

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International Living Event CalendarPanama: A Paradise for Retirees

For decades now, International Living has been sharing information about all that Panama has to offer. Nowhere else

can you enjoy such a comfortable life…with a year-round mild tropical climate, excellent medical care, fresh, healthy food straight from the farmer’s truck…and a retirement incentive program that’s truly welcoming of expats…

Canadians Louise and Barry Belisle worked hard. When the stress, fast pace, and cold Montreal winters got to them, they’d fly off to Cuba for a quick vacation. Fed up with the workaday world, they started researching their warm-weather retirement options. A couple of days at an International Living conference had them excited about retiring overseas and thinking long and hard about the benefits of Panama.

“We didn’t want to be far away on an island where everything has to be imported,” says Louise. “And Panama doesn’t get any hurricanes, which is a plus. We came for a visit and the Casco Viejo area of Panama City reminded us of Havana, a place we love for its diversity.”

On that trip Louise and Barry found their way to the beach town of Coronado, about 90 minutes west of Panama City. They bought a house and moved there 10 months later. “We’ve never looked back,” Louise says.

“And our cost of living… We have no debts. Our house, car, and furniture are all paid for. Our electricity is rarely over $150 a month, for cable, water, and garbage pickup we pay about $85. Food expenses cost $650 and entertainment is about $100. We have some