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I came across this property while surfing the net:



Turns out it is in Slovakia. Slovakia? I had to do some googling to find out about this country. Here's what I found on Google:

From Wiki:

It has a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi). Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is the capital, Bratislava, and the second largest is Košice.

The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for its mountainous nature, with the Carpathian Mountains extending across most of the northern half of the country. Amongst these mountain ranges are the high peaks of the Tatra mountains.

Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The Slovak economy is considered an advanced economy, with the country dubbed the "Tatra Tiger". Slovakia transformed from a centrally planned economy to a market-driven economy. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in private hands, and foreign investment has risen.

Slovakia has recently been characterized by sustained high economic growth.

It is on the Euro, which is getting to be more attractive for expat living these days. I didn't investigate requirements for visas or residency permits, but the language is Slovak, not one of the more common ones you might already know, so could be a drawback.

BTW, if you want to see more of that house, go here: view link It's a slideshow, there is a hard-to-see-arrow on the right side of the photo.

Slovakia might be a place to consider.

Well, with the Euro taking a dive, retiring in Europe is looking more attractive. How about this gorgeous city in Italy, about 100 miles north of Rome?



Perugia is the capital city of the Italian region of Umbria and is known as one of the artistic centers of the Renaissance.

A lot of people talk about Italy as a possible retirement destination, especially the Tuscan area. Here is a link with a lot of info for anyone considering Italy. view link

I was browsing around for Portugal because of Martlin's post on Spain and I found this sight. I had read some other sites reviews of Portugal but there were no cautions just good stuff about the place.
Shelter Offshore seems to give the whole picture- the good, bad & ugly.
This is what I need because I just fall in love and forget checking it out with the jaded eye.
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January 27, 2012 – COSTA RICA – Costa Rica’s Turrialba volcano produced a burst of activity that shot water, vapor and ash more than 15,000 feet into the air. Nearby residents reported that ash from the blast showered several communities. The mountain’s volcano observatory said that a new fissure broke open on the southeastern flank of the crater during the eruption.

Turrialba last produced an eruption in 1866, which sent ash falling as far away as Nicaragua, according to historical records. The mountain has become increasingly active since it began to rumble again in January 2001. In January 2010, it spewed ash with such force that two nearby villages, La Central and El Retiro, were evacuated briefly. view link

Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its bay and port. With a population of 178,192 citizens and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899] Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and the second-largest city of Croatia. Spread over a central peninsula and its surroundings, Split's greater area includes the surrounding seaside towns as well. An intraregional transport hub, the city is a link to numerous Adriatic islands and the Apennine peninsula, as well as a popular tourist destination.

Split is also one of the oldest cities in the area. While it is traditionally considered just over 1,700 years old counting from the construction of Diocletian's Palace in AD 305, archaeological research relating to the original founding of the city as the Greek colony of Aspálathos (Aσπάλαθος) in the 6th century BC, establishes the urban tradition of the area as being several centuries older. [from Wikipedia]

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In so many areas of the world, Mother Nature always has the last say.

In central Philippines yesterday, they got hit by a 6.9 earthquake. Here are photos:

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I haven't visited Overseas Retirement for a while. I have started writing blogs and have become quite occupied with them. I have now lived overseas for over 3 years now and still love it. My blog Retired in Malaysia (www.ifoundmalaysia.com) tells the story of my move to Malaysia. I hope it can be of some help to people considering moving overseas.

I am not sure how old this article is, so if any of these places appeal to you, of course you will do your own research on them. view link

It gives a brief writeup on

- Cuenca, Ecuador
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Leon, Nicaragua
- Las Tablas, Panama
- Penang, Malaysia

I don't know that I would feel comfortable in Nicaragua, but then, look at all the people who say that about Mexico, and I have never had a problem here and have a great life in this country.

Panama has a wonderful program in place to entice retirees, so if a Latin country has appeal, definitely look into Panama more thoroughly. (forget Panama City - it is hot, humid and buggy.)