What is it about the word “island” that makes a mind race instantly to “escape?” I suppose it’s that watery obstacle that separates any dollop of sand from its mainland neighbor. You must cross over…and so with your back turned to the old, you train your eyes toward that new shore. Sunglasses on, wind in your hair, it just feels like you’re getting away with something. (Never mind you may actually jet in aboard a boeing 747.) Whatever vessel carries you, it’s a journey along which things fall away— stress, worry, your workaday sense of time. On an island, the pace slows, you live in the present, you shed concerns right along with your closed-toed shoes.

March sees the Irish across the world assemble to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and there are few better places to take part in this grand revelry of all things Irish than the capital city, Dublin. But it won’t be just Irish culture on display this March 17; the parade in Dublin (Ireland’s largest) will feature floats and performers from around the world, not to mention copious amounts of beer. Not to be missed. Neighboring Scotland will have a more literary focus in March as StAnza, one of the UK’s premier poetry festivals, comes to the historic town of St. Andrew’s. From March 4 to March 8 a wide variety of poets will descend upon the town for readings, workshops, discussions and, of course, live performances, bringing with them a terrific atmosphere to the area. This is also a great time of year to explore St. Andrew’s. It’s one of Scotland’s most beautiful towns and is famed for its prestigious university, coastal resort, and some of the best golfing to be found anywhere in the world.

In this month’s feature story we reveal how you can have a life of white sand beaches and swaying palms for as little as $1,500 a month for a couple renting. If you have ever dreamed of retirement on a tropical island, turn to page 20 where our experts from around the world present the top five tropical islands for retirees on a budget. As well as great weather and the kind of relaxed island life that lowers the blood pressure, these destinations have the infrastructure and amenities you need for a comfortable life. Among our choices you’ll find state-of-the-art hospitals, expat community groups, any number of great restaurants, deserted beaches where you can plant your flag and high-end homes complete with swimming pools and ocean views…

Over the last two years, the gold price has dropped 30%, while the silver price has been cut in half. Well, let me tell you, I think both metals are set up to surprise to the upside in 2015, especially silver. Industrial demand for silver keeps ramping up. The Silver Institute, which represents the global silver industry, expects silver demand to grow about 5% per year over the next few years. The biggest growth opportunities are in photovoltaics (solar), automotive and ethylene oxide (EO, an essential ingredient in plastics). Longer term, just in photovoltaic solar panels, demand is expected to rise to 109 million ounces by 2018 from 88 million ounces consumed in 2013.

In 2010, after several years of dreaming, planning, and preparing, Betsy and Warren Talbot sold their home, packed a couple of bags, and left the U.S. on a one-way ticket with the intention of traveling the world full-time for five years. Little did they know that their five-year travel dream would become an indefinite adventure, with a sustainable location-independent income, and a lifestyle full of more freedom and better health than they could have ever imagined. Since hitting the road on that crisp October day, they have picnicked in Provence, fallen in love all over again in romantic Florence, snuck away from the crowds to write and recharge at a 300-yearold farmhouse in Portugal, hiked the 335-mile Lycian Way in Turkey, camped overnight on the ice of Antarctica, learned Spanish in Mexico, and recently bought a house in a small countryside town in the Andalucía region of Spain.

What’s the first place you think of when Italy is mentioned? Chances are it’s not Apulia (Puglia, in Italian), the region that forms the heel of the Italian boot. But after visiting the region last year, I want to sing its praises from the rooftops of so many places. Ostuni…Gallipoli…Martina Franca. As for lovely Lecce, with its baroque buildings of creamy golden stone and gloriously flamboyant carvings, I didn’t want to leave. Singing from the rooftops of Apulia’s fairytale trulli homes would be physically difficult—these beehive-shaped rural houses are topped by peculiar conical domes—but you get what I mean.

For as long as they could remember, Doug and Diane Jones’ retirement dream had been a small organic farm in the Oregon wilderness… So it came as a surprise when, nearing retirement, they realized that they were tired of working sun-up to sundown on the farm and a new and unexpected retirement dream—of living in sunny, rural, authentic southern Italy—had taken its place. “We worked most of our lives because we didn’t come from money and we had to work for it. We always spent our vacations visiting family—you know, the guilt-trip thing. We never took trips abroad. We were too poor in both vacation time and money.”

Each morning Tennessee natives Bobby and Becca Vines are greeted by views of two stunning volcanoes. Small-town life in Cotacachi, Ecuador, is never dull, and the couple spends their days viewing international films, enjoying live music, and visiting with the locals. Bobby and Becca spent much of their lives devoted to educating Tennessee schoolchildren. But as retirement neared, the couple knew their teachers’ pensions wouldn’t be enough to allow them to continue living comfortably just outside Nashville.

Sophistication may not be the first word that springs to mind when you think of Colombia. But Pereira, at the heart of the country’s coffee triangle, is one of Latin America’s most stylish cities. Pereira is prosperous and you’ll find gleaming glass apartment towers, high-rise office buildings, chic, modern architecture, and venerable colonial buildings. The abundance of students attending the many universities gives the city a youthful vibe. Because of this, Pereira has some of the best nightlife in the region, and thanks to the multitude of clubs and theaters featuring operas and concerts of all kinds, there’s always plenty to do. With the Andes at your doorstep, there are also plentiful opportunities to immerse yourself in the great outdoors.

There’s a lot to love about Quito, Ecuador’s capital city. Low cost of living, consistently excellent weather, amazing dining options, the best health care in the country and cultural amenities everywhere you look. Since moving to Ecuador, my wife Cynthia and I have had opportunities to visit Quito many times for business and pleasure. And we’ve been fortunate to meet good friends there who really know their way around. With each visit, the city has revealed more of its many charms to us. Quito is a truly wonderful place—one certainly worthy of serious consideration as a place to live.