Well, I've got to start somewhere . . .

So here it goes . . .

Buenas dias from Loreto Mexico,

My name is Drew, six months of the year I live in Loreto Bay, a new development about 15 km outside the town of Loreto, in the state of Baja Sur Mexico. My reason for writing this is to share a window into what life is like, here in the Baja, for a mid-50ish semi-retired Canadian. I hope you will enjoy Living Loreto with me.

My wife, Cathy, and I were among the first buyers of property in this development almost exactly five years ago. At that time we bought chalk lines in the sand, and a dream. Now, five years later much has changed; the chalk lines have turned into a beautiful adobe home, blending the arcitectural charm of a tradional Mexican casa with most of the comforts we have become used to in our other home, in Canada. But the dream hasn't changed, just evolved, become more detailed and complex, and yes, at times, parts of it can be frustrating, and funny.

Our home (Casablanca) was finished three years ago and since then, we have been back and forth from Canada about a half a dozen times, staying for up to a month at a time, until last year at this time when we started our first "winter" here between November and April. We are now at the begining of our second winter and have seen many changes in the six months since we were here last, but much more about that in future posts.

Thinking about starting to write this blog, I recall how I became an avid reader of others like it, including "Where In The World Is Nellie?" and "Watch and Learn" while I was still living in Canada full time. I remember, many times, sitting at my computer on a wintery Monday morning reading about the weather, the cows, the streets, (and, oh yes, the parties) here in Loreto. For those few minutes, I escaped the winter day and was transported to a beautiful place between the Sierra Giganta mountains and the ever changing blues of the Sea of Cortez.

In fact, a description of the purpose of Living Loreto may not sound too different from some of those other peoples stories. I am going to try to bring you some of the people, places and experiences I have as I live and grow with this community we have chosen to spend half our life in. But the real difference is that this will be through my perspective, as one of the fortunate few who have found our way here at this time and how we are Living Loreto now, from week to week.

So with that in mind, my "target" is the future homeowner in Loreto Bay, who wants to share in some of the "juices" of life here, so as to have a better idea of what their life may be like when they too are Living Loreto. That's not to say that I don't encourage all the rest of you who may be reading this, and don't yet share that dream with the future homeowners. Perhaps your dream is just begining, and the adventure of buying and then building from your chalk in the sand is yet to come!

So, for all of you who have found this place, and have read this far, welcome, and thank you for your eyes and your time, I pledge to do my best to make our visits worth your while, and perhaps to stoke the fire under your dreams. Please bookmark me and come back to visit again soon!