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Comfortable Costa Rica ... it's not all overpriced, overbuilt, and overrated - When we first started writing about Costa Rica over a decade ago, it was just emerging as one of the most attractive retirement havens in Central America. But as more retirees settled there, cheap properties became scarce. So we began to scout out less discovered destinations - Costa Rica: Calendar Girls - Costa Rica: Calendar Girls - As a happy and blessed expat living in Costa Rica for close to nine years, I have always believed that International Citizens living in a foreign country have a civic responsibility to give back to their “Home Away from Home”. Nothing worse than the image of the ‘Ugly Gringo” living cheaper in paradise than they could at home and feeling no obligation whatsoever to do anything for their host community, other than contribute to the economy by asking for “Otra Cerveza Por Favor”. Oct./06 Costa Rica ~ ”Pura Vida” for ESL Teachers ~ by Laura Dulin - I have lived and taught English in Costa Rica for almost three years. It’s a lush tropical country with kind, welcoming people. I highly recommend it as a place to discover rainforests and the Costa Rican version of Latino culture. There are many ESL jobs available to people even if they have little or no experience teaching. Nov./04 Costa Rica: From Dreamland To Nightmare - Costa Rica: From Dreamland To Nightmare - The glamorous Costa Rica of the sixties, seventies and early part of the eighties is badly crippled nowadays. It was not a sudden attack. It is a lengthy and dolorous disease. A social and economical osteoporosis slowly eating the bones of the "Welfare state" of this small country, once called the Switzerland of Central America. By Manu Crow April/06 Costa Rica: Midway Between Heaven and Hell - Costa Rica: Midway Between Heaven and Hell - Surely it was a routine workday for Park Rangers and Volcanologist checking the pulse of Earth's boiling entrails, but for us it was an awesome experience. Seldom one could enjoy such a magnificent display of Nature's immense powers. Our planet is alive. The same forces that millions of years ago forged continents and archipelagoes, still breath from the core of the Earth. Sept./06 Live in the Caribbean America hasn't discovered yet - Live in the Caribbean America hasn't discovered yet - If you're looking for a Caribbean retreat easily accessible from North America, where you can buy inexpensive, developed real estate, profit from a booming rental market, enjoy white-sand beaches, and a good infrastructure ... consider the Dominican Republic Living in Costa Rica ~ Exploring The Beaches Of Costa Rica ~ By Vanessa Morson - Costa Rica has for years been denouced as a bad place to invest or visit. This is just not true. It's my favorite country in the region and the people are nice and realistic. They know tourism and have been at it for years so the quality of the service in Costa Rica is much higher than in the other countries of Central America. And the weather is the best as well as the beaches. If you want to visit a country where you know you're going to have a good time try out Costa Rica. April/03 Living The International Life As A ‘PT’ ~ More About Living In Costa Rica ~ by Rex Freeman - It wasn’t too long ago that, for me, life was a hum drum ‘status quo’ existence which was far underperforming my own personal expectations of what I had envisioned for myself in my youth. How many of us feel ‘trapped’, or at best ‘limited’ by life and how we have positioned ourselves in it? Of course as much as we try to look elsewhere for causes, we only have ourselves to blame. April/05  MY
LITTLE WORLD GETS SHAKEN ~ Pavones,
Costa Rica ~ by Allan Weisbecker - For a natural born skeptic like
me, living here at Pavones - at the end of the road at the bottom of Central
America - has been a revelation in many ways. Like the moon thing. Dec./03
‘No Fear’ Real Estate Investing - Real Estate In Costa Rica ~ by Rex Freeman - Any astute or experienced ex-pat will tell you that moving to a foreign land, especially with a foreign language, and ‘manana land’ culture can test the mettle of the best of us. Once the bud of the romance of ‘living in paradise’ wears off, culture shock and reality can be a cold slap in the face for the unwary and ill-prepared. On the other hand, for those who can adapt and manage in a ‘new rules’ environment, plenty of opportunity can be had. We’ve seen both. My wife and I have been living in Costa Rica since ’99. The first few weeks were rough on her, making the adjustment, not knowing the Spanish language, except for “Taco Bueno”, learning how to re-organize our lives in a new land and culture was tough. Her first challenge was to buy a tomato in the local mini-super. Mar/05 Notes From Costa Rica ~ Shark ~ by Allan Weisbecker - he morning of my sixth day at Anuncio’s little village, I was about to commence my paddle out to the point when I noticed a four-foot-long sicle-shaped fin flowing seaward in the backwash by my feet. I recognized it as once as the disembodied tail fin of a fair-sized thresher shark, no doubt caught by one of the panga crews, the tail discarded after the butchering of the animal at water’s edge. I looked around for someone to ask about the prevalence of inshore sharks in the area, but both dories had already gone to sea and Anuncio was nowhere to be seen. He’d probably gone off on one of his extended beachcombing forays. Jun/05 Offshore Stock Exchanges - Special Feature From LowTax Online TaxWire -Special Feature from the NewsWire on Offshore Stock Exchanges - In an ongoing effort to provide a cross-section of the best offshore information on the internet, EscapeArtist seeks out the best online resources. We are really excited about a new website and news letter called, Low Tax Online NewsWire - In this issue or Escape From America we present a Special Feature from the NewsWire on Offshore Stock Exchanges. Countries such as Bermuda, Ireland, Jersey, Cyprus (maybe), Hong Kong (already) and Mauritius are cleaning themselves up for what could be a glittering future. This report includes some of the offshore jurisdictions with Stock Exchanges, their Regulatory Basis Including Listing Rules, Trading and Settlement, Costs of Listing and additional resources. Osa Peninsula:Unspoilt Costa Rica - Osa Peninsula:Unspoilt Costa Rica - The island itself was as virgin as a 4th grade computer geek; fallen coconuts collected in mounds, hermit crabs wandering around the sand, and birds nesting in the trees. The only way you could tell anyone had ever been there was the ramshackle ranger station and adjacent picnic tables. Jun/06 Panama
And Costa Rica - Thoughts
On Both ~ by Matthew Atlee - One of my favorite countries to visit
is Costa Rica. It has become a favorite destination for many people: an
average of 750,000 people a year visit Costa Rica. In 1994 tourism surpassed
coffee and bananas as the biggest industry in Costa Rica: one in ten people
work in the tourist industry. Of course, this has meant that the country
sometimes feels as though it is being trampled over by tourists, and the
ugly side of tourism – prostitution and child sex – are very evident in
Costa Rica. Despite all the heavy traffic in tourists, Costa Rica still
offers the traveler some of the most incredible scenery in Latin America.
April/04
Property Picks: A cottage in the Greek Islands…a 7-acre country estate in Costa Rica…a house on the Indian Ocean for $90,000 - My favorite Greek Island. Dazzlingly white-stucco villas and all those pretty traditional village houses with their sapphire-blue shutters are an indelible image of the Greek islands. It’s no wonder that visitors dream of living here. Yet the Greek islands aren’t at all overrun with foreign buyers. Why? There are two reasons: The first is the climate. Despite all those enticing picture-postcard images, the Aegean doesn’t enjoy endless summer. Come mid-November, many islanders set sail for the mainland. Those who haven’t left are battening down the hatches and preparing for four months of storms, rain, and disrupted ferry schedules. Entertainment is almost non-existent, and there’s very little to do except develop an Ouzo habit. by Steenie Harvey Pura Vida In Costa Rica ~ Enjoying Manuel Antonio ~ by Cindie Baxter - Often, we gauge the satisfaction of a much anticipated exotic beach vacation by the number of days spent basking in the warm tropical sun's rays. To say that being caught in tropical storm force winds, pounding rain, and loss of both power and water would be anyone's ideal vacation would be insane, or would it? Before you send the men in the little white coats, consider this. Pura vida! Nov./05 Pure Life - Traveling Through Costa Rica ~ by Dawnelle Salant - “Pura Vida”. In Spanish it means “Pure Life” and is a phrase you’ll hear and see, everywhere in Costa Rica. The locals live this expression to the fullest and their love for life is evident on their smiling faces and in their kind actions to strangers. Some of the happiest people I have ever encountered were Costa Ricans. And why wouldn’t they be constantly cheerful? – You would be too if you could call one of the world’s most beautiful and exotic countries home. Jan/04 Real Estate in Costa Rica - The Greater Fool Phenomena - By Roger Gallo - Real Estate in Costa Rica - The Greater Fool Phenomena - By Roger Gallo - An article bound to make more enemies than friends - Roger Gallo talks about real estate in Costa Rica and how nouveau real estate agents fresh from Beverly Hills are inviting you to discover Costa Rica 25 years after the real estate bargains disappeared. "Okay, I can hear the screams and cries as the limp-wristed go into shock and pee their pants. Venezuela! Mozambique! Everyone knows that Venezuela is where Leon Trotsky is building a doomsday machine to destroy the White House and the Vatican. ....and Mozambique is in Africa! Nobody goes to Africa except Aid Workers. Okay, okay, quit knee jerking and use your brain. This two page article was excerpted from a three hundred page book written in 1995. Dozens of nations were recommended as potential expat destinations in that book. The act of mindlessly extrapolating overall intentions and recommendations of a three hundred page book from a two page excerpt is the sort of avidity which engenders selective outrage, but which always (purposely) misses the point. (How can I can I continue to gnash my teeth and hate your stupidity if I switch to being rational?) There was no chapter on Mozambique in the book, it was not mentioned other than in reference to a dairy farm, which was an excellent buy. But I admit that there was a complete chapter on Venezuela, the world's largest Caribbean nation." Ruminations On Good ole Canada ~ Postcard From Costa Rica ~ by Kevin Barker - My apologies to any readers who waited patiently for my report on Buenos Aires and/or my definitive profile of renowned realtor and man-about-town in Nicaragua Larry Hustler. All of that is coming but not right now. Actually in this issue I need to answer some reader mail that’s been piling up for eons. But first, a personal update: Late last September it seemed oddly appropriate for me to go sit in a Toronto hotel room and get all misty watching curling on TV. Nov./05 Television In Latin America ~ Postcards From Costa Rica ~ by Kevin Barke - The theme of the lonely Tico is a popular one in Costa Rica media. The last time I checked, the Teatro Nacional had commissioned an original play called ‘Un Tico A Pesar’, (a Tico to pity) which was produced at the flagship theatre’s secondary venue in downtown San Jose. The theme was an ordinary Joe who takes a vacation but gets into trouble because he is so unaccustomed to having time off he doesn’t know what to do with it. Dec./05 The advantages of Living Overseas: a new and refreshing way to look at Offshore - Investing Overseas - Edmund J. Pankau writes about the broader meaning of offshore, this time in terms of the real advantages to the ordinary person seeking a lower cost of living, a better quality of life, reasonable and fantastic real estate, lower taxes, and ground floor business opportunities. "In recent years, Central America has become the Florida, California and Arizona of the 1950’s. Remember when you could buy beachfront property in Florida for a song? When prices in California were dirt cheap? Well, those days are now in full bloom just a little further south of the border. The slower paced climate of Central American has awakened to the realization that is can revitalize its economy by becoming the retirement center of the western world. All of the things that made Florida and California boom are now happening in Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica, as is starting to emerge, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala." Tortuguero - The Place of the Turtles - Unique Travel - The only access to Tortuguero is by boat or by plane. In the 40’s and 50’s, many small canals were dug by logging interests to connect the inland lagoons and rivers. Today the canal’s main use is the transportation of tourists to and from the port of Moin to Tortuguero. Expatriate Mary Beth Balliett takes us to Tortuguero and leads us to turtles. Travel To Costa Rica ~ Along The Pacific Coast ~ by Matthew Atlee - We wanted to go to Hungary, at least that was the plan last year, but the plans had changed and so we decided to visit Costa Rica instead. Costa Rica in December is great: the rains end and the dry weather and cool dry breezes begin to blow through the Central Valley of Costa Rica where the towns of San José, Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia are located. Jan/06 Tropical Tableau In Costa Rica ~ Golfito ~ by Bill Moake - I remember a tropical tableau like scenes from an old South Seas adventure movie. Sultry purple nights in the open-air bar of a waterfront hotel, sipping rum with shady characters, watching palm fronds sway in the moonlight and listening to the raucous hoots of howler monkeys echo across the bay. Through the smokey haze I see Houston Bill playing poker at a table strewn with empty beer bottles. Feb/04 Trouble In Paradise ~ In Costa Rica ~ by Kevin Barker - My countrymen seem to be saying Costa Rica isn't what it used to be. One could extend that to include all of Central America…well hell, let's just say the whole world isn't what it used to be either, ok? Ticos are grumbling too. Prices have pole vaulted over wages to such an extent that the middle class is in apparent danger of extinction. All I can say is what a pity if that actually happened. Costa Rica has the best public education, health insurance, and middle class among all the countries in the Center of the Americas. Oct./05 Unique Expatriate Property For Sale - ‘A Caribbean Hideaway On Costa Rica’s Talamanca Coast’ - It was the beginning of the Green Revolution, and my visitors were delighted and amazed that they could live comfortably and safely in the heart of nature. They could watch hummingbirds fly through their rooms, which were built in such a way as to capture the breezes from the sea and the Talamanca Range. They had no need for air conditioning. At first I had no refrigeration or electricity, but everyone was fascinated by the wonderful meals prepared over a wood fire with locally grown products, such as yuca, fish, plantains, fruits of all kinds, and coconuts. Bread was baked on the wood fire. We picked cacao from our own trees, and roasted the beans to make hot chocolate and fudge with coconut milk. Why Costa Rica? - Why Costa Rica? - In this edition of the newsletter Costa Rica expert, Christopher Howard talks about Costa Rica. (In our upcoming issue on Cuba, Chris will be back with an article on Cuba.) No stranger to Costa Rica fans, Christopher Howard has written extensively on the nation. He has lived in Costa Rica and Latin America for the better part of the last thirty years. ~ more Young And Wild And Beautiful Once ~ Daydreaming ~ by Allan Weisbecker - Odd the way a moment returns, a life-occurrence apparently lost through time’s neglect, the mental resurrection the end result of a sequence of recollected images, a one-to-the-next process ruled by the arcane illogic of the subconscious, but then, unexpectedly, climaxing with perfect sense, like the finale of a well-wrought tale – the summoned moment clear, flawless, inevitable. Jul/05
Dalmatia ~ Croatia's Adriatic Riviera - Dalmatian Coast - John Hurd is a former aerospace manager and an amateur writer, painter, poet. Today, he and his wife live on the Dalmatian Coast. John writes, "You can feel it in the air, in the shining white yachts visiting the Adriatic harbors, in the industrious village renovations by the local people, in the sheer number and richness of the websites: something big is about to happen. There’s a feeling of widening awareness, rippling out from this narrow band of Europeans. This year, the beauty and timelessness of the islands got top story headlines in the New York Times. The region is on the verge of a market explosion." August/02. How to capitalize on Europe's fastest-growing economy-stories from those who are doing, it - One entrepreneur's story - Wanted: foreign investors for Croatian businesses - Sports Travel - Golf with a view in Slovenia's -Julian Alps - Our Istrian Adventure - Setting Up Home and Business in Croatia - Some in the US may still think of the Balkans wars when Croatia is mentioned, but hostilities here ended more than ten years ago, and Europeans - especially the Germans and the British - are streaming back to this beautiful land to vacation, buy homes and start businesses. By Hank Brill May/06 Real Estate In Croatia - Real Estate In Croatia - Croatia isn’t scheduled for EU membership until 2008, but a feeding frenzy is under way. Property prices are rising 20% to 30% per annum. Medieval Dubrovnik—hottest spot on the country’s real estate map—has experienced such rises in the past six months alone. But when you compared this market with other European vacation destinations, you realize that this Dalmatian coastline still has significant growth potential.... By Steenie Harvey The Croatian Advantage - The Croatian Advantage - When I decided to move to Croatia early in 2005, my friends and business associates were shocked. "Where is it?" "Isn't there a war going on there?" "Why would you start a business there?" At the time, my short answer was that the war had been over for ten years and the Croatian coast where I was going was a beautiful place with a mild, Mediterranean climate that was located in the heart of Europe. Jul/06 Travel Croatia: The pearl in Europe's Oyster - Travel Croatia - I've just returned from my third trip to Croatia, and I'm writing to explain my enthusiasm for this country and the opportunities it offers is now even greater. Last year, I traveled to its northern islands of Krk and Cres, where rocky villages surrounded by walled-in vineyards teeter on the edge of windblown cliffs. A few months ago, I visited its lush southern islands, with traveled north of Dubrovnik to the Pe1jesac Peninsula, a stretch of land almost covered by vineyards. Zagreb: How To Have Fewer Tourists - Zagreb: How To Have Fewer Tourists - Zagreb is a mixed Croatian blessing, a treasure that has yet to be overrun by large-scale tourism. This compact capital offers bustling street and night life and encompasses more museums than many other European cities. But how long can that charm and vivacity survive? May/07
Actualities: $18 a night lodging in Alicante…the world’s best dancing girls… waiting for the Bay Islands Chunnel…no more tolls in Mexico - $18 a night…stylish lodging in Alicante. Weary of public transport after a day stuck in Madrid’s airport, I splurged on a taxi and went straight to El Barrio, Alicante’s old town. Like all Alicante locals I met in this off-season, my driver spoke nothing but Spanish. It was good to have to make myself understood. I requested the Pension Las Monges, which I’d heard was like a boutique hotel with eight lovely and individual rooms. With much confusion but more good will, the driver took me right to the place, almost, because it’s within the old pedestrian zone beneath Alicante’s shabbily magnificent Castillo de Santa Bárbara, which roosts over the seaside town. The driver gave me directions I could almost understand: through the arch, right one block, past the plaza. And there it was. Ken Layne, Alicante, Spain (more) AdventureView: Chris Baker ~ Motorcycles Through Cuba ~ by Mark McMahon - With a fire engine-red motorcycle and a burning desire for adventure, Chris Baker set his sights on Cuba. In three months he covered over 7,000 miles – a journey that would forever change his views of this tiny, politically charged island. He has written four very popular books on Cuba – two guidebooks, a coffee-table book, and an award-winning literary book, Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling through Castro’s Cuba. In this interview Chris talks with Mark about his adventures there, what inspired him to travel and write, getting into (and out of) trouble, and he shares some opinions on current U.S. policies. April/05 Buy Cuba"s best businesses - Buy Cuba"s best businesses - Find out about visiting Cuba - Buy the farm: gracious country living in Spain Buy Cuba's best businesses - Buy Cuba's best businesses - For 36 years, U.S. business people have not been allowed to legally invest in Cuba. However, you may run across the odd American who has managed to figure out a way to sneak past the restrictions ... and thereby profit. From International Living Magazine - Cuba
~ Having
Fun ~ by Mark McMahon - THE PARTY STARTED just a few hours after I
arrived. Decorations were already in place; the cake was in the refrigerator,
the piñata filled with candies. I was made to feel like I was the
special guest of honor when in fact it was a birthday party for Ellen,
my eight-year-old Cuban Goddaughter. (To get up to speed on my role as
El Padrino, read entries at filmtrips.com from my first visit to Cuba –link1)
Feb./04
Cuban Capitalism - A Guide to Trade and Investment in Pre and Post Embargo Cuba - Trade & Investment in Cuba's Pre and Post Embargo - A chapter from the book Cuban Capitalism by Louis Sola including an introduction by the author. To our knowledge, Cuban Capitalism is the only investment book on Cuba. It is written by someone with five years of first hand experience including providing all the legal and financial obligations to the first 100% foreign investment on the Island as well as overseeing trade and insurance's for major trading partners wanting to do business inside Cuba. Cuban Capitalism - A Guide to Trade and Investment in Pre and Post Embargo Cuba Part Two - Another chapter from the book Cuban Capitalism by Louis Sola. To our knowledge, Cuban Capitalism is the only investment book on Cuba. It is written by someone with five years of first hand experience including providing all the legal and financial obligations to the first 100% foreign investment on the Island as well as overseeing trade and insurance's for major trading partners wanting to do business inside Cuba. Cuban Cigars Shipped Worldwide - Cuban Cigars - EscapeArtist has begun to add products to our website. The products and services we are adding are ones that are difficult or impossible to find on the internet. One of our first products is Authentic Cuban Cigars shipped from the duty free trade zone in Panama. If you don't smoke cigars, now is a good time to start. If you're going to start, start with the best. Nov./02 Doug Casey in Cuba - Doug Casey in Cuba - The guru of offshore and international living provides some reminiscence & analysis of the changes in Cuba over the past five years - he knows his stuff. From Santiago de Cuba to Havana in only Three Weeks - From Santiago de Cuba to Havana in only Three Weeks - Linda Thalman is the director of WebFrance International and editor of the Paris In Sites Newsletter. She has traveled extensively. On a recent trip to the land of music, laughter, and rum, she lived Cuba from east to west. Linda writes, "At the first step out of the Santiago de Cuba airport on Saturday, 12 February, we salsa-ed through a receiving line of costumed dancers moving to the beat of Cuban music. And the beat went on and on throughout our trip from east to west in Cuba. After three weeks of almost no TV -- CNN and even France-2 television are available at the big hotels, no newspapers -- only the Spanish-language national daily Granma, and no Internet -- no Internet cafe anywhere, es bueno!, we found it actually is possible to totally disconnect -- what a fiesta!" Gaviota, The Last Cowgirl in Cuba - Gaviota, The Last Cowgirl in Cuba - This ratiocination of events in Cuba leads me to a bizarre vision of the future: Havana stands very little chance of not becoming another Juarez or Tijuana, with their controlled and horrific professional prostitution, gambling and gangsterism (a lot like present day Russia, too). Historically, this has been the payback for cultures which deny and try to suppress the natural instincts of their peoples. Kirk Stephan doesn't pull any punches when he writes about Cuba. Andrei Codrescu would like his writing... we know we like his writing, but perhaps it's good advice that weaker souls should stay away. Havana Great Time in Cuba ~ Doing Havana Like a Cuban in Cuba - Vacationing in Cuba - Al Dieste says, "Having just returned from four weeks in Cuba, three of which were spent in Havana, I would like to share with your readers the wonderful opportunity to enjoy and discover a rich and diverse culture, at less-than-Motel 6 prices! Consider an alternative title to this article as “Vacationing Like a King in Havana for $50 a Day!” Sept./02 Hooks In Havana ~ Lowdown And Looking ~ by Will Mitchell - This article clearly has the single male travellor in mind, and may be offensive to some people, so skip it if you're one of them. I have travelled much of my life, and try to fund my travels through black-market money trading, which works well in some South American and third world countries, where hard currency is in desperate demand. It's a skill in itself, and may be the subject of another article. As a single male expat Canadian, with normal heterosexual needs, I do sample the wares of other countries, but only if I am convinced it is safe, and not going to cause me grief in terms of STDs. Sept./04 How to profit (legally) - right now - in Castro's Cuba - When, in 1991, the Soviet empire collapsed, Cuba lost its sugar daddy. Soon after, in the midst of a devastating depression, Fidel Castro, of necessity, opened the door a little to foreign investors and foreign tourists. And thereby hangs a tale…and an attractive investment opportunity. By Adrian Day Iowa City Yankee in King Castro’s Court - Iowa City Yankee in King Castro’s Court - Obviously the situation here on the island was closer to the opposite: Nearly everyone was HIGHLY educated and had had in the past many varying opportunities, cultures, and comfort-levels. This probably was a significant contribution to their becoming what they are: one of the most articulate, bright, and passionate peoples. ...they exhibited daily their tremendous joy in living. Without the comforts which most of the world enjoys (TV, computers, magazines, presidential sex-scandal-entertainments, etc.) they resort to music and dance, poetry and art, dialogue and personal interactions... life as we used to know it. Iowa Yankee in King Castro's Court - Iowa Yankee in King Castro's Court - Steeping back through time, the author, recounts the events of a short trip to Cuba -- his fifth. "Though recovering, my energy level was hovering around zero plus 2 or so. I told my girlfriend I would pay her plane ticket to come to Havana from Santiago de Cuba, but this was tantamount to telling a North American girl in Los Angeles that her lover from Europe had arrived, but she'd have to travel to New York in order to see him! All this was compounded by the fact that Cubans aren't allowed to just travel about at will, but Havana is starting to shape up. In the next couple of years, I guess, it'll be looking a lot more like it did in the old capitalist glory days." photos by Håkan Rönnblad. Living In Cuba - Living in Cuba - Our first report on what may be an extended series about living in Cuba. This article by Escape From America editor Roger Gallo is an introduction to living on the Grand Island. Retiring in Cuba - Retiring in Cuba - Christopher Howard, author of "Living and Investing in the New Cuba" shares his wisdom on Cuba. Cuba may soon become the place to beat if they can maintain cautious growth and a realistic balance between what they have and what they need. The Case Against Cuba Sanctions ~ Latin Business Chronicle - Cuba Tourism - Philip Peters is a vice president of the Lexington Institute. Peters writes, "On the eve of Congressional consideration of amendments affecting U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba, the State Department has released a 20-page "white paper" to bolster its point of view. The paper may well reveal the Administration's real reason for wanting to deny Americans the right to travel freely to Cuba: it does not want Americans to see how distorted is their own government's presentation of Cuban reality. August/02.
Mediterranean living on the cheap gas for 60¢ a gallon; utilities less than $400 per year - Mediterranean living on the cheap gas for 60¢ a gallon; utilities less than $400 per year - Year round sunshine, golden beaches & crystal blue waters hardly ever too cold for a swim... this is Cyprus, a Mediterranean island nudging up against the Middle East. It's a holiday haven that doubles as an expatriate hideaway. In fact, it's one of the cheapest places in the world to live a Mediterranean island lifestyle. By Steenie Harvey Offshore Stock Exchanges - Special Feature From LowTax Online TaxWire - Special Feature from the NewsWire on Offshore Stock Exchanges - In an ongoing effort to provide a cross-section of the best offshore information on the internet, EscapeArtist seeks out the best online resources. We are really excited about a new website and news letter called, Low Tax Online NewsWire - In this issue or Escape From America we present a Special Feature from the NewsWire on Offshore Stock Exchanges. Countries such as Bermuda, Ireland, Jersey, Cyprus (maybe), Hong Kong (already) and Mauritius are cleaning themselves up for what could be a glittering future. This report includes some of the offshore jurisdictions with Stock Exchanges, their Regulatory Basis Including Listing Rules, Trading and Settlement, Costs of Listing and additional resources. Post Europe Cyprus - Post Europe Cyprus -Cyprus finally joined the European Union in May 2004, thus achieving a long sought after prize. Despite a last ditch effort to unify the the Turkish occupied north and the Cypriot Greek south, with a plan put forward by Koffi Annan, Cyprus entered Europe as a divided island. Jul/06 Winter in Mediterranean Cyprus at a fraction the cost of Greece - Winter in Mediterranean Cyprus at a fraction the cost of Greece - Unlike Greece's Aegean islands, this Mediterranean hot spot enjoys warm winter sunshine. Cyprus stays open for business throughout the year.
Adventures In The Czech Republic - Czech Hooks, 2 Beautiful Gardens, And A Twisted Birch Tree ~ by Matthew Gregory - For many of us, it was another disappointing year of the Academy Awards. Again, the Academy managed to give the worst film-nominated the top honors, at least as far as I’m concerned. The upside to this is that, after I’m finished grumbling, I try to prove to myself, among others, that the Academy Awards still have credibility. One way I do this is to dig through the past winners until I find one deserving of the top prize. I would argue that one such motion picture is Milos Forman’s Amadeus which won best picture at the Awards in 1984. One of the greatest things about this movie is the sets and background, which were filmed in Czechoslovakia. May/05 Artfully Escape by Owning a B&B ~ A Beautiful Czech Villa Looking For You ~ A 19th century country villa in the Czech Republic located near Prague and surrounded by woods and hopfields and you laughing and enjoying the company of fellow travellers. This is what awaits you at Villa Favorite: Villa Favorite is a stone villa that has been restored and turned into a beautiful hideaway for international travellers. The villa has four apartments and each has its own living and dining areas. If you have ever thought about owning your own B & B, then you must read about Villa Favorite. Dec./02 From Yin and Yang to Fred and Ginger: The Dancing Building in Prague - From Yin and Yang to Fred and Ginger: The Dancing Building in Prague - In a quiet green space in the ancient city of Prague, Czech Republic, a stone-faced old man sits idly and watches as a gleaming couple bends and sways in a perpetual dance on the corner of a busy intersection near the banks of the Vltava River. But there is no music to be heard as the couple dances, because in reality “the dancers” are actually a Frank Gehry creation officially known as the Nationale-Nederlanden building. The building has been dubbed “Fred and Ginger” by appreciative critics because of its resemblance to the famous dancing pair of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Like-minded Czechs tend to call it tancinsky d?m, or, The Dancing Building, while less appreciative viewers have names for it like: “terrible“ and “looks like a crushed can of Coke“ to name but a few. By Michael Felton-O'Brien Mar/06 Jindrichuv Hradec, Czech Republic ~ Number Two vs. Number Three ~ by Matthew Gregory - Don’t be blinded by the hype. Yes, it’s true. Cesky Krumlov is one of, if not the most, beautiful places in the Czech Republic. Never heard of it? Ask any Czech person to tell you about Cesky Krumlov and their face will light up like a child on Christmas morning. They’re certainly not wrong as Cesky Krumlov has the second-biggest castle in the Czech Republic (behind Prague’s of course), a spectacular garden to go with it, and unique architecture throughout the town on top of that. Jun/05 Not Your Normal Pagan Fertility Ritual ~ Easter Monday In Mikulov, The Czech Republic ~ by Matthew Gregory - Every culture has its own holidays and ways of celebrating them. It's not uncommon for countries of the "Western" world and beyond to know at least something about American or other country's holidays. And many holidays overlap, such as Christmas, with different cultures and countries having various ways of celebrating them. As far as the Czech Republic goes, no other holiday puts a wry smile on the resident and a perplexed smile on the foreigner more than Easter (Velikonoce in Czech which literally translates "Big Nights"). April/05 Own a Czech villa for $20,000 - Business in the Czech Republic - Special Issue: Eastern Europe - How to buy - Contacts - Setting up a Czech business - Bob Fordi's property pick of the month - Sports Travel - World-class skiing in Bulgaria on $45 a day - Prague, “City of a Hundred Spires - Moving to the Czech Republic - Now is the time to buy. The only hitch for foreigners is that you need to be a legal resident to purchase property here. (The laws on legal residency are currently vague, but will probably smooth out when the Czech Republic approaches membership in the EU.) There is, however, a loophole around the residency requirement. You can form your own company, and the company can then purchase the property for you. Prague, “City of a Hundred Spires”- a quarter the price of Berlin or Paris and equally as charming - Living in the Czech Republic - From The Best of International Living an article on living in Prague. To live in Prague is to live in a city of enchantment. Here, amid Gothic cathedrals, ancient palaces, and cobblestoned streets, it is easy to believe that Mozart and Einstein were born. As an added bonus, it is easily one of cheapest beautiful cities you will ever visit. I have lived in over a dozen of the world's major cities, and Prague is assuredly one of my favourites. .
Rhapsodic Bohemia... where you can become a homeowner for less than $4,000 - Real Estate & Life In The Czech Republic's Bohemia - Cottages to restore start at just $3,700. Some are admittedly ramshackle but you can find simple homes in good condition for crazy prices. RIS Agency has an exceptional bargain at a village called Zanicary, near the old silver-mining town of Kutna Hora. Just 50 miles from Prague, this 100-year old cottage is 1,300 square feet and was restored 10 years ago. Priced at $8,300, it has wooden beams, a cobbled courtyard, and a 3,300-square-foot garden. Another good buy in the same region was a 2,700-suare-foot family house on land of 8,500 square feet. This was $15,000. - From The Best Of International Living - April/03 Tax Time with an Overseas B&B - Investing in the Czech Republic - Ron Winkles and his wife run a Bed and Breakfast establishment in the Czech Republic. They spend about six months of each year in the US and six months in the Czech Republic. Ron writes, "Our return on investment has run about 5 to 8 percent annually, and we have had a great time making a little more than stateside CD rates while earning a nice tax write off. I was audited once by the IRS, the agent was curious and could not believe a retired couple earning $55,000 a year could afford to live in America and own a villa in Europe. Jokingly, I told him we saved money by not shopping in Wal-Mart." Teach
English Worldwide ~ Starting
Point Prague - People from all walks of life are heading to the heart
of Europe to begin their adventure of teaching English abroad. Prague,
in the Czech Republic, is the perfect setting to begin teaching English
as a foreign language (TEFL). In just 4 weeks you can become certified
by TEFL Worldwide to teach English and receive job placement assistance
worldwide. Feb/04
Teaching English in Prague - a Great Place to Start - Teaching English in Prague - a Great Place to Start - Mali Charlaff, Careers Officer here at Oxford Tefl Prague gives a brief insight into what you can expect if you want to teach English as a Foreign Language in Prague. Jun/06 The
Czech Republic - Worth
A Look ~ Ilia Stavrovski - Let's start with the fact, that for a lot
of readers of this newsletter leaving their home country will mean tremendous
tax savings (for Americans living abroad, all income up to 75000 is tax
deductible, for many other countries all income is.) Sure, if you are a
construction worker, you will not be able to find a job in Prague, that
will pay you as much as your current job in LA, but if you are a privacy
consultant, Internet entrepreneur or stock-market trader, you might as
well do it from here. The communications are about as good as in Germany,
and in the small beautiful village in the mountains where I live, I have
a phone line with ISDN, cellular coverage and satellite dish for my CNN
and CNBC. Dec./03
The Other Franz Ferdinand ~ Experiences In Bensov And Konopiste Castle ~ by Matthew Gregory - When I visited the small Central Bohemian city of Benesov (the 's' makes a 'sh' sound), and the adjoining Konopiste Castle for the first time, it was my first trip outside of Prague. On the journey there I noticed that the clouds hung low in the sky and merged with the tops of the hills that dominate Central Bohemia's landscape, which gave the countryside a gloomy, eery feel. Most of the leaves had left the trees so the landscape was very skeletal. Feb./05 The Universal Language: Teaching ESL in a Czech Cat House - MeeeOW -D.A. Blyler is an ESL instructor. He has taught English as a second language in many places around the world. He wrote this article during his tenure as a faculty member at the University of West Bohemia in the Czech Republic. The story takes place at an upscale brothel in Plzen. Blyler writes, "The girls were quick learners, and by the end of a month, they had mastered most of their lessons. Steffi thought that two classes a week would be sufficient, but also offered me another job as a limited partner. For every client I steered or brought to the club, she would give me half of her 50 percent take. I took her up on the offer. She handed me 100 Steffi's Club business cards, and I went to work." Top Tips for Expats - Living in the Czech Republic - Chris Westphal and his family of four moved lock, stock, and barrel to Prague in the Czech Republic. They learned a lot, so much they wrote a book about it. Chris writes, "Most of the millions of U.S. citizens who live abroad are either single people getting a taste of adventure while teaching English abroad, or career expatriates. We fit neither of these categories. What's more, we had no family ties and no cultural ties to the Czech Republic. In fact, we had never even visited the country. If you've ever considered living abroad with your family, here are some of the most important things to keep in mind before you go, while you're there, and when you return. UNESCO As My Guide - More Travels In The Czech Republic ~ by Matthew Gregory - The longer I’m in Europe, the pickier I’ve become as a traveler. In a sense, I’m still like a little child on the way to the candy store because I feel as though as I’ll be satisfied by ANYTHING I see, treasuring every moment of my life abroad. Then there’s another part of me that critiques the town while comparing and contrasting with other places I’ve seen. As you can imagine, my appreciation and amazement by new surroundings have declined over time, much as one would feel eating their favorite meal 5 times in a week. Because of this, I’m finding it harder and harder to rely on people’s recommendations. Mar/05
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