International Real Estate

Mexico’s exquisite Caribbean Coast from Cancun south to Tulum is known as the Riviera Maya. It’s here that lush jungles provide homes to small monkeys, dragonish iguanas, and millions of colorful tropical birds.

At dawn I wake up to the sounds of the active toucans and howler monkeys being near our house in Costa Rica. I truly love it here: the people, the relaxed approach to life, and the spectacular natural beauty.

I'm starting to daydream again about living in Valencia. It's one of my favorite cities in Spain…and whenever I daydream about living in Spain, Valencia is the first place I dream of. And no wonder: There's a lot to like about Valencia. First, there's the location and climate. It sits right on Spain's eastern Mediterranean shore. That means urban beaches and a temperate climate that is spring-like much of the year. Next, it's a major city—Spain's third-largest—with all the big-city amenities I like, including an international airport, plenty of culture (it's especially famous for music), and great restaurants, bars, and cafes. Yet Valencia is reasonably small—about 800,000 in the central city, and around 1.6 million in the urban area—so it's manageable.

Like many of a certain age easing their way into retirement, my husband John and I traveled to the Caribbean on vacation many times while also keeping our eyes peeled for something we could make into our own slice of paradise. You know what I'm talking about… Our own bit of sand, surf, and eternal sunshine. A place to vacation in the run-up to retirement and then in our golden years, turn into a tropical escape from those long nasty winters, like those that slam our home near Toronto, Canada.