Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

The Clean Modern-Day Streets of Gaeta, Italy

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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As we have mentioned before, Gaeta has a colorful history. The first inhabitants date back to the 8th century B.C. The Romans eventually conquered this harbor town and it became an important holiday resort for their rich and elite.

But after the fall of the Empire, this town was sacked over and over again by barbarians.

Everyone who came through here left something - for instance, the layout of the streets with Roman roads and urban planning is noticeable. Differing architectural styles in buildings can be seen as well, and there are narrow alleyways and ruins of the civilizations past.

Come take a look.

An assortment of birdhouses in a tree

Not far from the waterfront we saw this whimsical collection of birdhouses artistically displayed in a tree.

A hotel is to the left and an outdoor cafe with people sitting down is to the right.

Beautifully, there was lots of greenery in the town as well.

City of Gaeta road signs all in one place

This grouping of road signs lets you know where the commercial port is, the parking lot, and where the historical center of town is.

The city of Naples (known for its deep-fried pizza) is also listed, as well as the port town of Formia where Roman Emperors Cicero and Tiberius used to vacation. Formia is also a a popular destination for beachgoers and water enthusiasts.

A boulevard in Gaeta

Today, Gaeta's streets are a blend of historical charm and modern amenities.

Here you see a tree-lined boulevard with beautiful buildings along the side and up on the hills.

For a city, we saw green, green everywhere.

Clock tower and building on the seafront promenade

There are many squares and piazzas in Gaeta offering distinctive types of architecture and there is a mix of old and new buildings lining the coast.

This is a beautiful clock tower here along with a bell in the top section.

The Tyrrhenian Sea is just behind us.

Apartments and shops by the sea

Throughout Gaeta were apartment buildings. Other than some Roman ruins indicating homes, we did not see any single family dwellings here.

The apartments were attractive, and we stayed in one during our visit.

Gaeta is a summertime and weekend holiday sort of town, and we figured many of these apartments were second homes.

Notice how the public walkway and sidewalks all line up with no curbs. Easy for wheelchair and baby carriage access.

An ancient alleyway turned modern

This narrow alley was probably a walkway during the Roman Empire days and then utilized during Medieval times as well.

Commonly, people simply hung their wash out on the line by their home as you can see above.

Out there for everyone to see, you knew if someone purchased new sheets or a new shirt.

It is all part of the neighborhood scenery.

We found that many people seemed to have washing machines, but the utility bill was a determining factor as to whether or not anyone owned a clothes dryer.

We saw no clothes dryers on our trip in Italy.

Man reading on a park bench

This older gentleman is reading a book as he faces the Gulf of Gaeta from a small park just down from a bakery we had just visited.

Once again, you can see the ubiquitous apartment buildings we saw in Gaeta.

Billy and Antonio

Antonio was a man Billy met and they communicated via Google translate. We found out that he's 88 years old, and Billy and he discussed the war (WWII), life, and Gaeta.

Angelo Michael and Antonio

Angelo Michael is 87 years old and he hung back during our conversation with Antonio. I wasn't sure if he was shy or suspicious, but once Antonio began laughing and continued to engage with us, Angelo Michael slowly approached.

Angelo Michael (named after the Italian artist Michael Angelo) was a naval man during the War.

These were the men with the stories.

You might notice that Antonio is wearing two gold wedding bands. It would be my guess that his wife has passed on, and the second ring belonged to her.

How tender and devotional.

More apartment buildings

Row after row, street after street were these pastel-painted apartment buildings all over Gaeta.

Street sign named Europe

A corner street sign named Europe, you know, in case you might forget where you are...

Wrought iron balconies with plants spruce up the area.

Apartment buildings and motorcycles

The coast of Italy is a great place to ride a motorcycle. Much cheaper to run than a car and more agile, it's a favorite mode of transport.

Street leading to the harbor

Straight ahead is the harbor and the sea promenade where we had walked earlier.

Shops are on the bottom floor of these buildings and, you guessed it, apartments to the top.

Gaeta is a pleasant seaside town, and very clean.

Modern-day apartments

Wrought iron balconies, large sun shades, flowering gardens and the daily laundry out to dry in the breeze.

Topside terraces with satellite dishes for TV are seen from ground level.

Fiat 500 or "Cinquecento"

This is a common car on the roads in Italy, the Fiat 500. You will notice how small it is - easy to travel down the ancient alleyways and narrow streets you will find everywhere.

The original Fiat 500, known as the "Nuova 500," was introduced in 1957. It was designed as an affordable and practical city car to meet the post-war demand for economical transportation.

The Fiat is considered an icon of Italian mobility and industrial design, often associated with the concept of "La Dolce Vita" and carefree urban living.

Mountain bike map

For those who like to mountain bike, there is this urban park with roads perfect for this sport.

Gajeta Hotel Residence

Renovated from an historical building in Gaeta, this particular hotel is upscale with all the appropriate pricing and amenities.

Inside is a restaurant, a rooftop view, exercise room and spa.

Riviera di Ulisse

This coastline is known as the Riviera di Ulisse (Ulysses's Riviera) after the famous Greek story that Homer wrote, The Odyssey. 

The legendary Greek hero, Odysseus (known to the Romans as Ulysses) was the king of Ithaca, a small island in the Ionian sea. After fighting the war against the city of Troy with the Greeks, he started his journey home, hence the name of the story, The Odyssey.

This harbor has quite a history including all the invasions by the Byzantines, Lombards, Normans, and Papal States.

It had a "glory period" between the 9th and 12th centuries where Gaeta was an independent maritime republic known for its naval prowess.

It was a hub of activity, bustling with trade and commerce as merchants and sailors conducted business.

Billy and Akaisha

These old doors are from the Medieval period.

With thick wood, huge nails, and tall enough for a man on a horse to ride through, they are magnificent!

Gaeta has become modern, but the memories and relics of previous times are everywhere.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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