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San Rafael, Mendoza,
Argentina is located near the western border of Argentina, approximately 1000km
due east of Buenos Aires (on the east coast). If you look at a map or explore
the area with Google earth, you will find that the nearest city to the north is
Mendoza, the capital of Mendoza Province. There is nothing much between San
Rafael and Mendoza except 250km of desert. To the east and a bit north is San
Luis, a small city that is again separated from San Rafael by around 200km of
desert. To the south, is yet more desert for several hundred km, and to the
west are the Andes Mountains, which supply fresh water and hydroelectric power
to the entire region. San Rafael and the surrounding area are very isolated
from the rest of the country and are not in anyone's cross hairs as far as
"hot spots" are concerned. Considering that it is surrounded by
thousands of square kilometers of desert and inhospitable mountains to the
west, it is seen by some of an "oasis" of sorts, far away from
sprawling urbanism and industry.
San Rafael is a highly
agricultural area and stretches to the southeast to the smaller city of General
Alvear. The approximately 90km that lie between the two cities is almost
exclusively farms (fincas) and grazing areas for livestock. Peaches, plums,
grapes, olives, cherries, walnuts, alfalfa and the standard garden vegetables
are the main crops of the area; much of it is for export. The locally grown
fruits, vegetables and meats available in this region are for the most part
free of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Most of the farmers and ranchers do
things the old-fashioned way, using manure as fertilizer and rotating the
vegetable garden plots so as to not deplete the soil. The irrigation system of
canals and acacias have been in place for hundreds of years and are a marvel of
ingenuity when it comes to the distribution of water. There is no industry
upstream to pollute the water, so other than run-off from farms and ranches, it
is relatively clean. The local markets (not the big chain supermarkets) are
stocked daily with seasonal vegetables and fruits. The meat markets have quick turnover
as well, with beef, pork and chicken, all available year-round. Considering the
rates of inflation the world is experiencing, the price of meats and vegetables
remain affordable compared to other economies.
Loaf bread is usually
only found in the big supermarkets, but the local bakeries have good, fresh
bread and pastries.
In recent years,
Argentina has seen high inflation, as has most of the rest of the world, but
when it comes to surviving the difficult times many believe are on the horizon,
the issue is not one of price, but availability. Indeed, there are occasions
where certain items become scarce, but over time, they usually make their ways
to the shelf again.
San Rafael and the
surrounding communities have a population of about 200,000. The city itself is European
in flavor, and has many shops and cafes to sample. The custom of siesta is
observed and as a result, the city goes quiet for the most part at 1pm and resumes
activity at around 5pm. Business is carried on (including doctors’ offices!)
until 9pm, when most businesses close for the day. Restaurants then begin to
open and it is not unusual to see families with young children dining past
midnight. After the dinner time, the nightclubs begin to see the action! Bars
that offer live music don't even get started until around 1am and the music
goes on until the wee hours. In some cases, the music stops when the sun rises!
About 35km from town
is a beautiful area called "Valle Grande". It is very much like a
mini "Grand Canyon" and offers climbing, rafting, horseback riding,
zip-lining, hang-gliding, as well as breathtaking views and restaurants. A
little farther down the road is "Las Leñas", a world class ski resort.
As far as health care
is concerned, it is very affordable compared to US standards, fairly quick and
the facilities are for the most part, up to date with the latest technology.
Pharmacies offer most medications over the counter at a fraction of the cost of
US pharmacies. The only exception is strong pain medication like codeine, which
must be prescribed by a doctor.
This is not to say
that San Rafael is the perfect place to avoid any discomforts of the declining
world condition, and it is not a Mecca for culture and the arts. Entertainment
for expats is available in the form of a local movie theater, bowling alley,
and a few restaurants that offer live music at a relatively decent hour. Other
than that, you will have to network with other expats and form/join a social
group with similar interests.
As always, it helps
tremendously to have a working knowledge of the language. There are a few
locals who do speak English, but for the most part, you will need to have some
basic skills in communicating in Spanish. Keep in mind that the Argentine
dialect is different from most other Spanish speaking countries, and will take
some getting used to.
Overall, if your
interest is one of having the necessities of life available, and are
considering a location where food will be obtainable no matter what the
economic climate may be, the San Rafael area should be near the top of the list
as an area where the basics will be available.
To inquire about this property, click here and complete the form and you will get a response as soon as possible
To inquire about this property, click here and complete the form and you will get a response as soon as possible
