Answers to common questions

Q. Who owns the property?
A. The property is owned by me, David Sanford and my wife, Joyce Wilson-Sanford. It is our home when we are in San Miguel. Otherwise we live in Maine.

Q. Are you present when the house is rented?
A. Generally no. When you rent, we will send you the name and phone number of someone in San Miguel who handles rentals for us there. That person will see that you have keys and can be called upon to help with any rental difficulties that might arise during your visit.

Q. Can we bring our pet?
A. Probably. State that you want to bring your pet when you fill out the registration inquiry form. We will discuss the situation when we call you back.

Q. Will we be able to find a Mexican cook to prepare meals for us?
A. Quite likely. Let us know your wants, and we will do our best to find a good cook.

Q. What do we need to know about the climate in San Miguel.
A. It’s pretty wonderful year round. All year the days are mostly in the 70s. The evenings, nights and early mornings tend to be cool – sometimes quite cool. So bring a sweater. The sun is strong. The air is dry. There is often a breeze.

Q. Is there much to do in San Miguel?
A. There is a lot to do in San Miguel. One of the best ways to find out what is to do some exploring online. http://www.portalsanmiguel.com/ is an online monthly magazine. It does an excellent job of covering what is happening during any given month. http://www.sma-info.com/ is also a good source of “What is there to do?” information.

The most comprehensive source of “everything about San Miguel” information is Archie Dean’s guidebook, “The Insider’s Guide to San Miguel.”  Archie is a long-time San Miguel resident. His up-to-date guidebook - now in its 15th edition – is a valuable resource in exploring San Miguel.

The following sites might also be worth visiting:
http://www.inside-dentro.com/
http://www.infosma.com/
http://www.internetsanmiguel.com/
http://www.mercadosanmiguel.com/
http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0204/sanmigueldeallendeminiguide.html

“Atencion,” the San Miguel English-language weekly newspaper, always has up-to-date information about activities and events in San Miguel. You will be able to buy it in “El Jardin,” the central square. Or, if you are planning your trip well in advance, you could subscribe to “Atencion” and have it mailed to you at home. Subscriptions to the paper help to support the library.  See http://www.bibliotecasma.com/atencion.htm.

Q. What is safe to eat, and what isn’t?
A. Water in restaurants should be okay to drink. Tap water is definitely not safe to drink. However, the treated tap water at Valle del Maiz is. When you are on the town and in doubt, drink bottled water.

Restaurant food should be fine. (Ask about the salad, though.) Avoid “street food” – taco stands and the like, no matter how appealing it may look. Eat fruit that can be peeled, e.g., bananas, oranges. If you are cooking, boil the vegetables first.

Q. When we want to cook, where should we buy groceries?
A. Fortunately for you, the Gigante supermarket is right up the road from Valle del Maiz. From the end of our lane, take the bus to the right. For the trip back, take a taxi if you have quite a few bags. Taxis are inexpensive, and many people use them to carry groceries when they shop at the supermarket.

Gigante is the supermarket. But there are a number of interesting mercados around the city. For this and other “Where should we…?” or “How should we…?” questions, ask people when you get to San Miguel. It’s a very friendly city, and you can easily get help.

Q. Any other advice?
A. Actually, yes. Wear sturdy, good-support-type walking shoes. San Miguel is a city made for walking (literally – it’s over 450 years old.) Most of your walking will be on cobblestone streets that call for the right kind of shoes.

Also (Mother says), if you are going to be tromping around the city, carry a water bottle. The sun can be fairly intense. Finally, a suggestion: Don’t so much do San Miguel as let San Miguel do you – which means stand still often and just look or sit and watch this special world pass by.

Q. And if we like where we are staying?
A. When you get home, recommend our place to others. And email us please – with your feedback and your suggestions. Send us places to eat and things to do that you enjoyed. We will put them on this site.

David Sanford
For more information about me:
http://marriagesupport.com
http://www.couplesupport.com