Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my life took on a
new direction 10 years ago this weekend.
That was when I came to Loreto for the second time, on a charter flight
from Canada with a plane load of passengers, who were mainly made up of other
prospective Buyers along with staff from the Developer who was launching the
first sales event of what would become Loreto Bay.
More about that weekend later, but as I mentioned this was
my second visit to Loreto – the first time had been several years earlier when
my Travel Agent in Canada suggested an all-inclusive holiday at a newly
re-opened resort in the Baja as a last minute alternative to my first choices
of destinations in the Caribbean.
Knowing nothing at the time about the Baja, let alone a little place
called Loreto, my decision to spend the week between Christmas and New Years
here was entirely due to the fact that I had left booking the holiday too late
and Loreto was one of the few options available for a beach holiday on one of
the busiest travel weeks of the year.
The Hotel, which was only adequate at best, was located at
the north end of the crescent beach that is now Loreto Bay, and was called
Diamond Eden at that time, later renamed Whales Inn, before it was eventually torn
down several years ago. I remember that the weather was good (not a high hurdle
compared to a Canadian winter), the beach and Sea of Cortez were perfect for
relaxing, and I was intrigued by the area around the Hotel (which I later found
out was called Nopolo) with its miles of streets, sidewalks, street lights and
palm trees – but only a handful of finished homes. I also enjoyed a couple of visits and meals
in the town of Loreto, 15 km north of the Hotel, but my overall impression of
the way that the Mountains met the Sea, the dry climate and sun-filled days,
left what became a fond and lasting memory.
Lasting, that is, until a Saturday morning years later, when
as I was reading the Calgary newspaper over breakfast, and an attractive
display ad caught my attention. Skimming
the ad the word Loreto jumped off
the page and I started reading the copy again more carefully, as I recalled memories
of my trip there years earlier. At first,
as I read, it was just the coincidence of seeing an advertisement about a
rather obscure place I had been to before - but that changed as I read more
about the proposed Development to be called the Villages of Loreto Bay.
Jump forward, and two weeks later I was on that charter
flight to the first sales event – one of very few of the passengers who had
been to Loreto before. Based on that
earlier visit, I was already “sold” on the location, and over the following few
days, as I learned about the vision for the development and met many of the
people who were eventually to become friends and neighbors, I was satisfied
that this place felt right and decided to purchase the “chalk on sand” that
would become the place I now call home.
Ten years later
(where does the time go?) here I am, and that vacation spot in the sun has
become my home - and this weekend Nellie (my friend and employer at Loreto Bay
Homes) organized an anniversary celebration at the Hotel for about 140 friends
and clients. The setting was appropriate
as it was at this Hotel that we all stayed as prospective Buyers on the sales
event weekends when we came to Loreto to buy our homes here. While not much has changed in the Hotel
itself over the years, a now thriving community has grown up around it and we
gathered there again, many of whom were with me on that first weekend ten years
ago.
After a welcoming margarita (bringing back more fond
memories of our first visit here) people mingled and visited, now among friends
and neighbors – no doubt in many cases reminiscing about some of the trials and
tribulations we have all shared in the adventure that has been the experience
of building and owning a home here in Mexico.
Nellie made a short speech welcoming everyone to the celebration she had
organized, saying a few words about what had brought us all together in this
place, and her own involvement in building the community, first working for the
Developer and then running her own businesses here.
Then there was a short, but impressive, fashion show
featuring ladies garments and accessories, most of them being modeled by
Homeowners, all supplied from Agnes Boutique, Loreto Bay’s own clothing and
décor shop. After the fashions the
buffet lines opened and we helped ourselves to salads and rice accompanied by chicken,
shrimp and beef skewers, followed by a flan desert. The cash bar was a popular destination and
kept the party fueled with wines and beer, in addition to the bottle of Tequila
that was on every table which came in handy for the frequent and enthusiastic
toasts during the evening. Entertainment
was provided by Herzon and his Café Talega band, a “super group” of local
musicians who get together and make great music. 
But this party was not the only event on the tenth
anniversary weekend. I have mentioned in
earlier posts that our beautiful new Community Lap Pool was completed this Fall
and Associa, the administrator of our condominium regime, had planned an
official opening of this new facility with a relay race among Homeowners on
Saturday morning. Four teams were
selected at random by skill levels from among those individuals who wanted to
participate, and the competition began at 9:00 am sharp. Not being much of a swimmer myself (I tend to
sink more than float) I was there to observe the start of the event and noticed
more than a few of my fellow party-goers as participants – showing impressive
fortitude, at least at the beginning of the three hour marathon!
As the morning passed the decision was made to shorten the
time limit to two and a half hours, still a daunting challenge, and as the time
ticked down the pressure grew among the teams, shortening the number of laps
individuals did until they were doing single 50 meter lengths as the pace
picked up. In the end, one team finished
with considerably more laps, the next two were very close and the final team
was not far behind – and everyone got a medal!
Soon the delicious aroma of grilling carne de res, marinated
thin flank steak, began to waft over the growing crowd. Once the meat had been seared it was chopped
and shredded and then tortillas that had been warmed on the grill were filled
with a generous portion of savory beef, garnished with a fresh salsa of
tomatoes, onions, cilantro and herbs and perfect street taco was ready to be
devoured! Soon people had formed into a
line that snaked past the grills where they loaded up on the tasty food and
cold drinks.
As well as selling wine by the glass on the sidewalk at the
outdoor party, the Wine Bar was also open and attracted a somewhat quieter
crowd, some of whom were looking for a break from the big festivities going on
just down the street.
For those of us who were among the first to buy into the
vision that became Loreto Bay, this weekend had a special significance, marking
an anniversary that would have been difficult for many of us to have imagined
ten years ago. But what was abundantly
clear was that we now share that vision with a community of hundreds of like
minded people, and with them we have built a special place that, in spite of the
many changes from the original concept, has become something that now exceeds
the dreams we started with. Taking time
to appreciate how far we have come, and looking forward with enthusiasm to what
lies ahead, that is the best way to celebrate when you are “Living Loreto”!
