One Magazine, Six Continents: The Lowdown from Around the World

 

Editor-photoPause beside a terrace of elegant 19th-century houses in London just as a damp fog curls past and, even though it’s cold and wet, you’ll find romance. You can imagine the writer Charles Dickens on one of his strolls, or picture some of his characters large as life.

I know London a little. I spent a month there researching a book—perusing the map room of the British Library, attending parties, and poking around stuffy old antiquarian stores.

What I remember most were the maps. I love maps, and in the British Library and the shops around Charring Cross I found many old ones…on paper, parchment, vellum and silk…revealing all sorts of secrets.

There’s more to a map than where a place is, or how to get there. A friend of mine has a map of the world with South Korea in the center. Of course, she’s South Korean so that makes sense. Ever notice how European mapmakers have an inflated sense of just how big the “Old World” really is? And here, on the wall of the International Living offices we chose a map that aims to show the world in its true proportions. Handy for planning where to send our scouts next.

Your issue this month plants the pins in this map far and wide. Six continents are featured—only Antarctica is left out. Join us as we trek from the Mountains of the Moon in Africa to the wineries and stunning hikes of New Zealand. You’ll learn about opportunities to make money in Vietnam and we’ll show you how to overcome Paris’ restrictive rental laws.

South America is a well-trodden beat of ours but it’s a big place and still full of surprises. This issue, you’ll learn about a perfect-weather city in Bolivia where you can live well on just $1,000 a month.

Or venture closer to home on the North American continent, where you can buy a winter retreat for as little as $45,000 beside Mexico’s most popular lakeside retreat.

—Eoin Bassett, Editorial Director

 

Blowpipes and Jumping Devils

Blowpipes and Jumping Devils

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Florence may be known for its elegance. But each June, Florentines revisit their martial past. This is when the ancient sport of calcio storico is contested among the city’s four districts, and the rivalry is intense. Calcio storico harkens back to Roman times, when it was used to keep soldiers fit and battle-ready. Every summer, the square in front of the basilica of Santa Croce is turned into a sand-covered arena. Teams of 27 men try to get the ball over the wooden fence posts at either end, while trying to stop the other team from doing the same. That’s pretty much where the rulebook ends. Fists, feet, and elbows are all fair game. Throwing a sneaky handful of sand is not unheard of, either. Even if you can’t appreciate the carnage on the playing field, you may admire the hundreds of drummers, flag-bearers, and trumpeters who greet each team as they arrive.

An Explosive Museum in the Philippines

An Explosive Museum in the Philippines

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I’m looking down the barrel of an Arisaka rifle—standard issue for a Japanese solider in World War II. This isn’t your usual museum, more like a garage stuffed with war material: rusting shells, M1 rifles, a machine gun, radios, trenching tool, uniforms… The garage belongs to the Cata-al family, who have spent decades searching the forests around the “Horns of Negros” mountains on the Philippine island of Negros for leftovers from the battle of Mount Talinis.

The Devil’s Swimming Pool, a Secret Restaurant, and More

The Devil’s Swimming Pool, a Secret Restaurant, and More

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If you fancy seeing the glaciers of Patagonia, trying a bit of tango, or just chowing down on a juicy Argentine steak, we’ve got some good news for you. The Argentine government has decided to waive the $160 reciprocity fee for U.S. citizens entering the country. This pesky expense used to apply to U.S. tourists spending less than 90 days in Argentina. But Argentina seems to have taken a leaf out of the book of its great soccer rival, Brazil. It suspended the fee following President Obama’s visit in March.

An Overlooked Asset, the Next Investment Bubble, and More

An Overlooked Asset, the Next Investment Bubble, and More

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After a five-year bear market, the rally in emerging markets has officially begun... The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index jumped 20% from mid-January to mid-March. A move that big is rare. But these gains should continue from here. More specifically, this kind of jump has happened less than 3% of the time since 1988. And history says it could lead to 12% gains over the next few months. From January 21 to March 21, emerging market stocks rallied 20%. And they’re now up 23% in total since their January bottom.

Live Well in Perfect-Weather Cochabamba for $1,000 a Month

Live Well in Perfect-Weather Cochabamba for $1,000 a Month

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"I told myself I would return to live here one day,” says expat Fred Staff of his decision to retire to Bolivia’s Garden City. “I fell in love with Cochabamba when I first came here. It’s clean. It’s beautiful. The climate can’t be beat. And it’s really cheap, perfect for anyone retiring on a fixed income. Plus, it’s developing all the time: We now have a big cinema center and a new mall set to finish this year or next.”

Lake Chapala: Buy Now in a Great-Value Winter Retreat

Lake Chapala: Buy Now in a Great-Value Winter Retreat

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Views don’t come much better than this. Friends back home are wrapping up for the winter. But I’m relaxing on a sun-drenched balcony, taking in the splendor of a vast, blue lake stretching into the distance, framed by imposing green mountains. The sky overhead is perfectly bright, heralding yet another clear, warm day. Here you can spend it canoeing or kicking back with the many expat friends you’ve made around town. And the stunning lake-view retreat you call home can cost less than $200,000.

An Active, Healthy Lifestyle in Ecuador’s Highlands

An Active, Healthy Lifestyle in Ecuador’s Highlands

Living the Good Life
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“You could hike every day here and see something different,” says Kristin Simmon-Lowman of her new home in the highlands of Ecuador. “My friends and I just hiked Fuya Fuya (an inactive volcano), which was wonderful. Now we’re working up to doing Mount Imbabura (one of Ecuador’s most iconic mountains), so we’ve been getting a training system going to get in shape for that. There are waterfalls all around and a lot of lower foothills.”

Healthier and Happier in Medellín, Colombia

Healthier and Happier in Medellín, Colombia

Healthcare
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“For the good of my health, I had to make a change,” says expat Jennifer Enright of her decision to relocate to the Colombian city of Medellín. “I had to reinvent myself businesswise. After working for years as an executive head hunter for high-tech companies in Seattle, I had had enough. Too much rain and cold, and I injured myself from too much repetitive motion.”

The Automatic Health Benefits of Life in Matagalpa

The Automatic Health Benefits of Life in Matagalpa

Living the Good Life
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Lying in the northern mountains of Nicaragua, at the heart of coffee country, the city of Matagalpa is green all year round. With temperatures ranging from 59 F to 74 F, the cool breezes are a welcome break from the warmth of the lowlands. And even by Nicaraguan standards, Matagalpa is highly affordable: Figure $1,200 a month for a couple, all in. But these advantages aren’t all you’ll find here.