When the magic age of retirement is looming many Irish people around the world want to return to Ireland and live out their leisure years in a country that is familiar to them, and where they may still have relatives and friends.   In my case, I was born in Ireland, left in the 70s …more

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I am often asked why I love the Canary Islands, and Gran Canaria, in particular, so much and what prompted me to make this small Atlantic island our home. Well, I could move into lyrical mode about the wonderful climate, beautiful beaches, spectacular mountain scenery, the unhurried pace of life and the friendly unassuming nature …more

The loaf of German rye bread that I picked up from a specialty bakery—I could write about it forever! Dense, dark bread, high in fiber and strong in flavor it whispered “pick me up,” when we took time from our walk to shop in colonial Cuenca, Ecuador. Definitely it will make fine toast when spread …more

Recent emails from correspondents in France and Portugal, as well as Spain, have made me question how friendly expats really are towards each other? Personally and very fortunately, I have experienced nothing but help and support from other expats during my time living and working in Spain and the Canary Islands. Our British and Irish …more

I have recently taken to travelling more frequently by bus on the island, particularly if I wish to visit our capital center, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. I dislike negotiating the ever changing one-way streets in the city, which we often forget is the seventh largest city in Spain, or trying to find a car …more

Retiring in Costa Rica may sound like a dream come true. So far, for my wife and I, it’s worked out OK. It’s not a dream come true, but you don’t believe in that myth anyway do you? So why will retiring to Costa Rica not work out for you? Your extended family will interfere …more

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It is fascinating to look at the origins of expats moving to the Canary Islands over the last two centuries or so. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it was the British who stamped an almost colonial footprint on the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the north of the island. We can …more

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The Dominican Republic is part of a Caribbean island called Hispaniola. It takes up roughly two thirds of the island with the other third being Haiti. The country’s area at 48,730 km² makes it the second largest country in the Caribbean after Cuba. The capital, Santo Domingo, is situated in the middle of the southern …more

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