Victoria is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Canada, and for good reason. It has a stunning downtown on the harbor with resplendent government buildings like the one shown above.  Cruise ships arrive in town and when they do the streets and shops hum with activity. The city has 78,000 residents but the metro is over 300,000. The…...

Here in the Highlands of Jalisco, at 6,100 fr elevation, the climate is like springtime about 8 or 9 months of the year. It is a slow pace, tranquil city of about 130,000, but only 30 minutes from the huge city of Leon, Guanajuato. There is a Retirement Center (not a nursing home) like a hotel but with many activities…...

Walnut Creek is a wealthy town of about 70,000 in the hills east of San Francisco and Oakland. For many it is used as a suburb of those cities, although there are some high tech and shopping employers in the area.  This area of northern California is very beautiful and so is the town. Walnut Creek has many parks, great…...

Methuen is a small city and suburb that is northwest of Boston.  This is an old town (population 44,000) with a  history dating back to 1642.  It has many strong institutions, such as the stately Nevins Memorial Library pictured above (photo courtesy of Wikipedia and EraserGirl).   The town lies along the north banks of the Merrimack River. There are several…...