House Hunters:)

[Trip]

In the NY Times today, they had a slick insert for high end property, in the Turks and Caicos...No prices, but of course, but major $$$$$.

So, I pose the question, "IF" you had the desire to move to a port you have cruised to, where would that be?

Speaking of House Hunters, they have an international show, where, many have moved to the the Caribbean....some islands I have to ask why, but

I wish they would do follow up shows, to see if the people stayed, and, lived happily ever after, or, got pitifully homesick, and went back home....

[Marc]

About 25 years ago I went to San Juan for some R&R. On the beach, there was a bar that was just an umbrella, a bar, and plywood to lock up at night and protect from the weather. The bartender swept out the sand each morning was open for business. I have always thought that that was the life for me.

As for which island, I don't care. In Puerto Rico you probably still have some ridiculous liquor laws so I would choose Jamaica or Curacao.

[Donna]

Trip,
That would be an interesting show, the follow up...Lately, I've seen a few in Mexico, not cheap either...I've always dreamed about retiring to somewhere like that, but I don't think I'd care for it after awhile?? I'd love to see if these people stayed there.

[Trip]

Donna, a while back I read about an area on the coast of Mexico, not too far from the border, where many Californians purchased homes. I guess there used to be some laws,that were not so friendly to ex~pats, but, now have changed...

They bought homes with the same view as they could have in California, but for many, many 1000's less...

On the show the other night, a family form the UK, bought a palace in the Dominican Republic..they said they could NEVER get at homw what they got in their new vacation home..must be nice

[rollerdonna]

Maybe I should be looking in the Caribbean instead of Nova Scotia - the weather sure is better....

donna

[mehawk]

St. Thomas, VI.

Second choice... Cozumel, Mx

[Mike M]

Parati, Brazil
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lisbon, Portugal
Barcelona, Spain

The first two would be affordable but Lisbon and Barcelona are high $$$$$$$ areas for a nice place.

Otherwise I'll just stay in close proximity to the grandkids.

Take care,
Mike

[Manuel]

Funchal, Madeira or

Honolulu, Hawaii

TM

[Marc]

Originally Posted by mehawk

St. Thomas, VI.

Mike, this reminds me of a story I heard the first time I was on St Thomas in 1981.

A man dies and goes to heaven where he is met by St Peter. St Peter says that the man led a predominantly good life so he will be admitted to heaven BUT he did have some bad epidsodes along the way. Therefore, he was going to have to spend three days in hell first.

The man accepted his fate. Three days later, St Peter gets a call form the gentleman in hell saying:

"St Peter, this is nice down here. It is warm, the golf courses are beautiful, the rum is flowing freely, and the women are beautiful. Is it ok if I just stay here?" St Peter reluctantly agrees and the man remains in hell.

Two weeks later St Peter gets another call form the gentleman. He says:

"St Peter, you need to get me out of here. The phones don't work, there is trash in the streeets, everyone is on strike, and the roads are always under repair; I want to get out of here. What happened?"

St Peter replies, "initially you were a tourist where everything was easy. Then, you were a resident where you actually had to live there."

This was told to me by someone who had moved from mainland down to St Thomas.

[skymaster]

I have to agree with Marc's theory. Yes, many of them are beautiful, and they appear to have exactly what I'd want in retirement, however, I think if I lived there, it might be vastly different. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stay here in my little corner of heaven, in Lakeland, Florida.

Ken
"SKY"

[Pocono Pug]

My 1st choice would be St. Maarten
2nd choice would be Cebu Philpines

[Cruznut2]

When I was still in NH I worked as a cook at a school for children with emotional/behavioral problems. I was the weekend cook there. The manager decided to hire a part time helper for the weekends. He was a retired chef with a very interesting life. For 25 years he owed a restaurant on St Thomas called Normandy Cafe. He told me many interesting stories of his years on St Thomas. So based on his stories St Thomas would be one choice If I were looking for an island paradise. Another place I would consider is Puerto Rico.

Laura

[jackieb]

We went to Grand Turk on our Cruise. I'm not sure what the other islands are like but I think I would like to check that out first.

[mehawk]

Marc, I fully understand. One person's treasure is another person's trash.

[debshomespun]

I would love to retire on the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora. But of course, this is just a dream. It was great to be able to see it in person though. It is truly a beautiful island to see with ones own eyes!

[Donna]

I watched one last nite that was in Maui, OMG, what 1.5 million buys you there....Yea, its lovely and tropical, but holy cow, the houses were nothing that special?? Obviously, the housing slump doesn't include there, that's for sure!

[katlady]

I would move to Madeira Island, Portugal the city of Funchal or one of the smaller towns on the ocean. I could hang with my relatives and learn Portuguese. My dad is from there I wonder if having a dad from there I can get dual citizenship. You need to be a citizen to buy a house on Madeira Island.

[katlady]

Originally Posted by Mike M

Parati, Brazil
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lisbon, Portugal
Barcelona, Spain

The first two would be affordable but Lisbon and Barcelona are high $$$$$$$ areas for a nice place.

Otherwise I'll just stay in close proximity to the grandkids.

Take care,
Mike

We are different if I'm staying in mainland Portugal . I would not want Lisbon it's to much like San Francisco to me to crowded. I want the algarve Check out the view.

[katlady]

Originally Posted by Donna

I watched one last nite that was in Maui, OMG, what 1.5 million buys you there....Yea, its lovely and tropical, but holy cow, the houses were nothing that special?? Obviously, the housing slump doesn't include there, that's for sure!

The lowest temperature in Hawaii is January the high is 80 the low is 74. the hottest month it gets to 89. Hawaii has the most stable temperature and very few hurricane. However, it's on island so everything has to be imported it super expensive to live there.

[susierphillips]

Bermuda! So Brit, so civil.