The thrill of a new shoreline on the horizon…that first glimpse of a strange city from the plane window… at its heart, travel is about romance. And more than any other month, February is, too.

Not too long ago elevators were a rare sight in Barcelona, Spain’s Mediterranean metropolis. That meant that luxury digs were never on the top floor, but on the first floor or Principal (not to be confused with the ground floor).

One of the biggest trends in the world right now—and potentially one of the most profitable—is the growth of a new middle class outside places where you might not normally imagine middle class people. Places like India, Brazil and China.

Offshore variable annuities are one of the simplest yet most comprehensive offshore solutions available today. The minimum policy starts at $250,000 but due to the fees and expenses, policies from $500,000 to $1 million are more cost-effective.

"I suppose you're going to tell everyone about our little beach town?" It was said with a smile by the woman from Texas who had lived here for 10 years. But it sounded slightly more like an accusation than a question. Since arriving in Placencia, I hear something similar each time I mention I work for International Living.

Someone’s in the kitchen with David. Luckily, it’s me…and a dozen or so other food lovers. We’ve come to study the art of Yucatecan cooking with David Sterling and none other than the grand dame of Mexican cuisine herself, Diana Kennedy.

Panama offers expats what is, arguably, the best retiree-incentive program on the planet. Thanks to its second-to-none pensionado program, you can have a First World lifestyle at Third World prices.

Offshore variable annuities are one of the simplest yet most comprehensive offshore solutions available today. The minimum policy starts at $250,000 but due to the fees and expenses, policies from $500,000 to $1 million are more cost-effective.

I don’t like to admit it, but for my first 45 years I had my head in the sand…going through life with blinders on. I had very little choice about how I lived, and wasn’t even aware of it.