I'll be retiring in a few years and have started scoping out some possibilities. I love France and have always had a thang for border regions where different cultures meet. So I've been thinking of Alsace and the SW region near the Spanish border. I also like mountains Really high mountains. So places in or near the Himalayas and Andes hold a certain appeal. I have a friend who is part Ecuadorian (father from Cuenca mother from Wisconsin). He's always telling me how beautiful and cheap Cuenca is and how it has turned into an expat haven. I'll check it out at some point although I am not looking for a place that is an expat haven. Of course, where my kids are (and any future grandchildren) will figure into the equation as well.