Edinburgh (Ed’-in-burra-a) is the easternmost of Scotland’s two largest cities (the other is Glasgow). The 2015 population was 489,000.  The city is situated on the Firth of Forth, a fjord that runs into the North Sea to the east.  It is quite old with almost mind-numbing history.  There have been invaders (Vikings, Romans, etc.) and conquerors (England). The setting is…...

Ames, Iowa, is located in the central part of the state, about 30 miles north of the state capital of Des Moines. The city was founded in 1864, as a stop on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad, and was named after U.S. Congressman Oakes Ames of Massachusetts, who was influential in building the transcontinental railroad.  Iowa State University of Science…...

Home to the elite prep school, Phillips Exeter Academy, the town of Exeter in eastern New Hampshire is a small town New England classic. The presence of the prep school and its interesting faculty makes it a good choice for retirees looking for a strong cultural environment.  The town is very old, going back to 1638. Local families such as…...

Friendswood is a very affluent and rapidly growing city of 36,000  within the Houston Metro. It was named a "Best Places to Live" by CNN/Money in 2007. The city was founded by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1895. It has  a public library. The median household income was $95,000....