Columbia has frequently been rated as one of the top retirement towns in the USA.  CNN Money included it in its 25 Best Places to Retire for 2009 because it has the amenities of city life, Southern Hospitality, a low cost of living, outdoor recreation, and a temperate climate. Consumer Reports compared the CNN Money list with the U.S. News…...

Oceanside is a city of over 170,000 just south of Camp Pendleton on California's southern coast.  The population was only 45,000 in 1970.  Carlsbad and San Diego are to its south.  The city is famous for its beaches and the Oceanside Pier. Mira Costa College in Oceanside has more than 5,000 students. Oceanside achieved cinematic fame as the home of…...

Leon is the 2nd largest city in Nicaragua and has many fine examples of Spanish colonial architecture. Located about 18 kilometers from the coast, the population is about 175,000. León has long been the intellectual center of the nation - many students attend university here. Photo of Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Le...

Chester, a town of about 77,000 that is south of Liverpool, is one of the most interesting towns in England. It is a former Roman outpost and then medieval city.  The walls from the latter era still almost completely surround Chester, and it is one of the best preserved walled cities in the British Isles. Chester has a number of…...