Sunny Loreto not just a spot to fly over
http://www.adn.com/life/story/6388810p-6267757c.html
SCOTT MCMURREN
April 17th, 2005
When I think of traveling to Baja California, the first destination that comes to mind is Cabo San Lucas, followed by La Paz or one of the other
communities at the tip of the Baja Peninsula.
Somehow the country between Ensenada and La Paz always was "flyover territory" for me. I didn't know much about it -- and figured it was mostly
desert, anyway.
As usual, there's more to the story. Bill Westhusing of Anchorage has traveled the length of Baja California several times on a motorcycle. He
confirms that there's plenty of dirt and sand, but he's always enjoyed zooming through Loreto.
"We always came through here completely covered in mud and dirt," he said. "But the people were always very friendly. We like this place."
Loreto is about 120 miles north of La Paz on the eastern shore of the Baja Peninsula, facing the Sea of Cortez. Alaska Airline recently started
twice-weekly service from Los Angeles. Stories are starting to come out about the region's rich marine life, its history and the friendly people.
Anchorage publicist Kathy Day and her husband were poolside at the Camino Real Hotel, celebrating their fifth anniversary with friends.
"We came down here five years ago on Glacier Bay Cruise Lines," Day said. "My husband proposed to me here in Loreto, so we decided to come back for a
return visit."
There are plenty of new developments in and around Loreto. The Loreto Bay Company, headed by developer David Butterfield, is launching an ambitious
development to build up to 6,000 homes in an eco-friendly environment that the company compares to "a coastal European resort." That means the homes
themselves are built in clusters, with plenty of common, open spaces.
Of the 8,000 acres of oceanfront property the company controls, it plans to develop just 3,000 acres. The remaining land will be left as dedicated
open space.
Butterfield is partnering with FONATUR, the Mexican tourism agency that helped develop Cancun, Huatulco and Ixtapa over the years.
Interestingly, Loreto was targeted for more aggressive development almost 20 years ago, which is why there's an airport, water and sewer
infrastructure and large boulevards. But the development never got off the ground, which presented a unique opportunity to the Loreto Bay Company to
lay the groundwork for a "sustainable development" model.
That means the development will be more energy-efficient, including special architecture and building models which use less energy, such as
custom-built adobe-style homes that retain heat and improve the flow of cool air.
Butterfield and his crew are not the first westerners to land in Loreto. The Jesuits established a Catholic mission in 1699, the Mision de Nuestra
Senora de Loreto (Mission of Our Lady of Loreto). The Mission was named after a mission and a town in Spain.
In fact, Loreto was the first colonial capital in the Californias, the Spanish territory that went as far north as San Francisco.
If you get up close and look at the walls of the mission, you can see seashells in the walls. It was part of the material used in the bricks to build
the original church. Over the years, the mission has been restored and there is a museum adjacent to the church.
Cecilia Fischer was raised in Loreto and takes an active interest in the history of the indigenous people of the area who lived there when the Jesuits
established their first mission.
"It was a matriarchal society," she said. "When the first sailors arrived, they didn't see any men. So, naturally, they thought this was a wonderful
place," she said. The men, it turned out, were off hunting for deer and other animals in the hills.
In the museum, there are examples of the first mills established by the Jesuits, where they used animals to grind the grain for bread and to power the
wells to draw up the water. It's clear from the early artifacts that there once were large trees all over the peninsula. In fact, although the area
looks like a big desert, there are many oases in the hills where they grow fruits and vegetables.
"One of our goals is to rehabitate some of the plant species that once were here," said Fischer. "We still find these seeds of cedar trees and other
plants around here."
Just offshore from Loreto is a marine park, where commercial fishing is prohibited. As a result, the sport fishing is great. Kathy Day told the story
of a friend who caught a large yellowfin tuna, which they brought back to the hotel and cooked up that evening. Also in the local waters are dorado
and several different species of sportfish.
Another favorite activity in Loreto is ocean kayaking. Because there are five islands just offshore, the area is more protected than spots further out
in the Sea of Cortez. It's a great area for paddling along the shore, watching for marine life. Don't forget the sunscreen, though.
Speaking of sunscreen, there's no shortage of solar energy in Loreto. Locals claim there are about 360 days of sun each year. It's one reason why many
of the rooftops still are made of palm leaves -- mostly for shade.
In Loreto, be sure and stop by Playa Blanca, just two blocks from the Mission on Paseo Hidalgo. It's upstairs, and you walk up the outside of the
building on a staircase that the owners lower from above when it's time to open.
There's a big selection of fresh seafood, including local shrimp, clams and dorado. But don't miss the fish tacos. You can't go wrong. You certainly
won't go hungry, particularly if they keep bringing out the fresh tortilla chips and salsa fresca. The salsa is a mix of fresh tomatoes, cilantro,
onions and a couple of other ingredients. I think it's the "official" food of Loreto.
Debra Stevens of Phoenix travels to Loreto several times each year as part of her job with Loreto Bay Company.
"I know there are so many good places to eat here in Loreto," she said as she grabbed the last clam on the plate. "But now that I've discovered Playa
Blanca, I just can't bring myself to go anywhere else."
Visiting Loreto is like that. There are many wonderful places in Mexico, but be careful. It might be tough to move on once you've discovered this
sleepy coastal town.
That's what happened to Roy Place. He lived and worked in many cities before settling in Loreto several years ago.
"Now, I just don't want to travel far from Loreto," he said.
Apparently, that's what happened to Bill Westhusing and his wife, Paula. They were supposed to come back to Anchorage, but they decided to stay a
little longer. It's a common problem, I'm sure.
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