TRANSLATORS

There are several translators. Contact me for names. You will need a translator if you are organising your residency as all your documentation will have to be translated into Spanish, by a court registered translator. As of 2008 I was charged 70 pesos per page of translation, but this might have increased by now.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Riscos, on Hyrigoyen, next door to the Roma Theatre, is the only one with English speaking agents. Not particularly efficient, and it seems to be a major problem if you want to pay for anything with a credit card.  Easier to book stuff online yourself.

VALLE GRANDE

Is 40 minutes from town towards the mountains.  It is the local 'playground'. You have to visit here...there is a beautiful river cutting down through the Gorge along which you can raft.  Thee are cabins, small hotels and camp sites with barbecues all along the river banks.

If you drive right to the top of the valley you get to a bridge...cross that and the first rafting company on the right hand side has English speakers, which helps with the instructions.They are called Sport Star. They also have a nice cafe serving hot and cold drinks and snacks.

Other than that there are countless rafting companies all providing much the same service and they are all open every day, including holidays all the way through the summer season.

If you continue up the valley (do not turn left over the bridge) follow the track and take the one way system back down the hill, you will come to the Canopy Hi Wire. This is definitely worth doing.  2009 prices were 80 pesos for a trip.  It is very well organised and prime concern is for the client's safety.

WATER

If you live in town you will be on a city water supply.  Some outlying villages are also on city water, but not all dwellings will have the supply connected. City waterbills are monthly and are paid either in town, or if you are out of town at your nearest village office. If you own land and/or a finca, and you have water rights you will receive 6 bi-monthly bills for your irrigation water. These can be paid in town at any bank or Pago Facil outlet. You can pay the yearly irrigation bill in one payment if you prefer.

Houses that are not on a city supply have to provide themselves with water tanks and go to water outlets to fill up.  Some out of town dwellings are located alongside the main irrigation canals and take their water from there.  The canal water is cut off for two months during the winter, so those reliant on the supply have to collect enough water to last, or fill their own tanks from a water supplier.

Irrigation water is calculated on your land acreage; water is supplied once a week, by opening and closing the gates to the main irrigation canals, and the number of hours of water is dependent on the size of your land...it can be anything from four to 20 hours supply each turn.  The system is very efficient and rigorously enforced - you are fined for 'stealing' water outside your turn and if you don't pay the bills, your water will be cut off.

When the irrigation water supply is cut off, usually June and July...but can sometimes be longer, it is your responsibility to clean the ditches adjacent to your land; the irrigation department in each area are responsible for cleaning the main ditches.

WEATHER

As with everywhere in the world at the moment, the climate is changeable and we are getting abnormal weather patterns even in San Rafael. Generally the climate is good…the winters are cold and dry, the summers hot and wet.

Spring time is lovely October and November.  Fairly dry and not so cold early in the mornings although heavy frosts are still likely.  You may still need to wear a light coat or sweater early on, but by 1100am or so, you may well want to discard this!
Summer is December through to end of March.  Hot!!  No need for anything more than a t-shirt all day and it is still hot enough to sunbathe at 6 in the evening….unless you have a winter storm late afternoon.  The rainy/hail season is generally after Xmas, although the last couple of years have seen rain and hail in November/December. When it rains, it really comes down in a deluge. You will find that kids don’t go to school when it rains and people with outside jobs do not appear to work in the rain.
Autumn-April/May time…it can still be very hot at this time…up to 30degC or so during the day, but the early mornings and evenings do become chilly, and the days shorter.
Winter is June, July, August..September starts to get warmer although it is not very unusual to have the odd smattering of snow on the ground even in September.  These months are also very dry, and sunny….you may well leave home in the morning wrapped up in sweaters, coats and scarves only to find yourself discarding these in favour of a t-shirt by coffee time.  Very early morning is the coldest time…there are heavy frosts and the temperatures are frequently below zero…minus 11 was the lowest in the outlying regions this year.