Sunny Mexico

I have just returned from a horseback riding adventure in the rustic hills about two hours north of Mexico City. San Francisco sure seems chilly after you have spent seven days basking in the high desert sun.

Annual property taxes on a $500,000 hacienda are about $400 a year! No wonder American retirees are flocking south of the border. And what does $500,000 buy you? In one of the colonial city locations most favored by Americans, where the amenities of American-style living are relatively easy to come by, you get "an incredible four-bedroom home with a swimming pool and a separate casita. All of the bedrooms and living areas have a private entrance to walk onto the lovely central courtyard/loggia and pool."