BajaNomad

Loreto, Baja: An on-the-ground report from Loreto Bay

BajaNews - 12-12-2010 at 01:27 PM

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/11/loreto-bay-development-a...

OK, let’s answer this one up-front. Is the Loreto Bay development alive? Yes. Very much so.

by Clinton Stark
11.29.10

The Baja has a way of seducing. It’s a mysterious land, no doubt aided by its spectacular landscape. Led by the foreboding Sierra de la Giganta mountain range running across its spine, the Sea of Cortez to the east and bound by the Pacific Ocean, it is nature unleashed. Many, though, are not even sure if it’s a country, a state, or simply a rustic version of Florida for those of us on the west coast. Well, this part is easy: the Baja is part of Mexico. Two states in fact, Baja California and Baja California Sur, constitute the narrow penninsula most famous perhaps for the Baja-1000, Cabo San Lucas, and world-class marine life… not to mention surfing, tacos, and an emerging wine country in the Guadalupe to the north.

It’s no wonder that visitors from all over the world fall in love with its rugged beauty.

I spent the last 10 days in Loreto, a small fishing village located about two thirds down the Baja, and thought I’d share my thoughts, photos and stories on the adventure – and, assuredly, it’s always an adventure.

A pretty place, Loreto has increasingly become the focus as a model for the future of Mexican tourism.

In 2006, my wife and I too was seduced by the Baja mystique and purchased a small casa in a development that would become known as Loreto Bay. Located twenty minutes out of town, it was to be a master planned community like no other. Not a standard mega-resort, it would be sustainable (“tread lightly”) and feature walkable neighborhoods, devoid of cars and the standard trappings (as the sales people were wont to remind us) of the über-nouveau resorts you might find in Cabo San Lucas, the most famous of the Baja tourist destinations, located about six hours to the south.

Like all real estate projects, Loreto Bay was crushed by the economic downturn. In addition, the original developer — arguably better at sales and marketing than construction – went bankrupt, and is continually the subject of rumors (and lawsuits) about mismanagement.

Fortunately, thanks to a robust contingency of home owners (the majority hailing from Western parts of Canada and the U.S.), what I saw over the last ten days was testament to a strong community, working together, to overcome the odds of seeing a project through to completion. Thanks to an investment by successful Mexican developer Homex and Fonatur (the Mexican tourism organization), Loreto Bay (and other developments in the region) appear to have turned the corner. It’s too early to say the future looks bright, but compared to just a year ago, all signs (construction activity, air lift, the local economy, tourism) are pointing in a positive direction.

In addition, the little town of Loreto is growing up.

A dichotomy of sorts, it continues to carry its history as the first mission of the Baja proudly. Its roots as a fishing economy are evident too, with tackle shops and boating facility prevalent.

But there is a nouveau Loreto emerging which so far co-exists quite elegantly with its storied past.

Driven by a new class of young entrepreneur — many Mexican, and some from South American countries — small shops that would look right at home in upscale parts of Silicon Valley, such as Los Gatos for example, are sprouting up on street corners across the tiny downtown core. On this trip there were at least four new shops that had opened since my last visit in late 2009: a bakery, a coffee shop, a trattoria, and a tapas wine lounge. Mind you, nothing (thankfully) will soon replace taco stands — does Loreto have the best fish taco in the world? But there is a quiet sophistication emerging that dovetails neatly with the past that promises, at least in the humble view of this observer, to make the town like no other in the Baja, or even Mexico for that matter.

This is the first of a five part series chronicling my observations of Loreto, the Loreto Bay development, and the experience of buying and owning a home in the Baja.

Part 1 – The Loreto Bay Development

OK, let’s answer this one up-front. Is the Loreto Bay development alive?

Yes. Very much so. The original developer (The Trust for Sustainable Development or T.S.D.) is out of the picture, at least in terms of day-to-day construction. The shell company still exists, and there is still a question of how many assets (if any) the company owns. Regardless, on the ground you’ll see scores of workers across the development finishing homes and starting new homes. There are at least a few cranes (an unusual site!) in Loreto Bay.

Home owners are living in their homes, vacationing in Loreto, and enjoying some beautifully finished neighborhoods (notably in the first phase called “Founders’ Neighborhood”).

Have real estate prices dropped?

Absolutely. No doubt, most who purchased a home circa 2005/2006 have seen a 30-50% drop in price. If you’re considering an investment in the area, now is the time to act. The HOA is well organized and strong, and the development continues to expand. With Homex planning to build nearby (and having purchased additional assets in the community including, at least according to word on the ground, the two unfinished condo buildings) there is the potential for scale and stability.

Homes in Loreto Bay now start in the $200K range (US dollars) and go up from there, typically to $400K or so depending on lot, floor plan and options.

What about amenities – are there any stores, or restaurants in Loreto Bay?

Stores, yes. Restaurants, no. There are also no bakeries, cafes or Best Buys for that matter. Baja On-site, a small corner store, is conveniently located on the paseo, and offers most of the items you might find at a 7-11, plus additional goods that new home owners will appreciate such as pillows, coffee machines, etc. An electrical store is now open. In addition, there are several furniture showrooms.

For just about everything else you’ll need to head North on Highway 1 for about twenty minutes in to town.

How do I get to Loreto?

If you want to channel your inner Larry Ellison, try racing a yacht down the Pacific, then get on a Baja-style buggy and power drift your way across mountains and deserts before you arrive hours (possibly days) later at Loreto. Or, do what most of us do, and buy a ticket on Alaska/Horizon out of LAX.

Air lift is always a hot topic. It’s a chicken and egg. The more lift, arguably, the more ways people can get to Loreto, and hence the more potential for tourism. However, before more flights are added, of course, existing ones must be at (or close to) capacity. A classic issues of supply and demand. There are many other factors at play, but the bottom line now is you can get to Loreto on a flight, seven days a week — and this wasn’t always the case.

Many drive, sometimes caravaning, from San Diego. It’s not uncommon to even see license plates from Alberta, Orgeon, and Washington as many make a journey of it.

I heard Loreto Bay is sustainable. What does that mean?

Fair warning before I answer this one. First, I’m all for the environment. Sure, we need it, no? We have solar panels at home here in Silicon Valley. We recycle. We plan to buy a hybrid for our next car. Sure, we’re far from perfect. So it’s easy to be critical. But when it comes to the whole notion of “sustainability” at least related to what you might’ve heard out of Loreto Bay Company, I say: good on you marketing department. What other marketing team in the world could sell the idea that a massive development (remember, original plan was for over 5,000 homes) could make the environment better… that it could leave the land and local ecosystem in a better state? You know, because things like digging the land, running power underground, changing the water table, pouring concrete all over the desert, etc. are all things that contribute to sustainability.

There were smart people involved who did, in fact, make some good decisions related to the environmental foot print of Loreto Bay. But again, in my humble view, sustainability as related to the Loreto Bay Company was a monster marketing coupe.

What do you do in Loreto?

* Fish
* Whale watch
* Take a day to head over to the San Javier mission
* Explore cave paintings
* Sweep dust
* Enjoy fresh tortillas
* Search for the best fish taco in town
* Head to the islands (Coronado for example) for a dreamy day on white sand beaches
* Snorkel!
* Bike
* Rent a 4×4 and cruise the Malecon
* Margarita time
* Practice your Spanish
* Take some Zumba lessons
* Re-paint your home that turned out to be “Mexican Primer” – not Sherwin-Williams “Gardenia”
* Head to La Paz for the day
* Have a beer shoot out: Tecate vs. Modelo vs. Corona vs. Pacifico
* Get involved with the community: support Animalandia, Eco Alianza, and other local non-profits
* Stroll the downtown shops
* Siesta!

Loreto, Baja: The little town that could

BajaNews - 12-12-2010 at 01:36 PM

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/11/loreto-baja-part-2-the-l...

Coronado Island, like the Baja and like Loreto, has a way of seizing your soul.

by Clinton Stark
11.30.10

The history here in Loreto — the little town that could — is palpable. You see it everywhere. Our Lady of Loreto, the Baja’s first mission (Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto), sits at city center. Next to it, the historic El Camino Real road begins, and winds all the way up the Baja across Southern California, through San Jose (where it’s home to car dealers, Sushi houses, Taco stands, and even some Silicon Valley start-ups) before ending in Sonoma, smack dab in Northern California wine country.

It can send chills down your spine.

Imagine: the year is 1697 and Jesuit missionary Juan María de Salvatierra establishes the “head and mother” of all Spanish missionaries. I’m guessing he liked fish. If they plan a sequel to The Mission (the 1986 film starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons) they could very well shift it to the Baja and start the story at the stone church. That today you can still walk through it, touch it, and absorb the rich heritage surrounding you here in Loreto is awe-inspiring.

Metamorphosis

But then a Hummer H2 bustles down the tiny, bumpy (but beautifully re-finished) streets and you realize that times have changed, even for a sleepy fishing village of 11,000 (or so) people.

Over the last four years, I’ve been to Loreto at least twice, sometimes three times, annually. Ironically, although change here can be characterized as watching grass grow, or simply “Mañana”, a lot has changed since 2006.

As I mentioned in an article yesterday (Loreto, Baja Part 1: An on-the-ground report from Loreto Bay), there is a nouveau Loreto emerging, driven by a new generation of entrepreneur. True, they’re likely less concerned with Jesuit history and culture then with capitalizing on the growing tourism and appetite for resort living, but nevertheless they bring a level of business sophistication possibly not seen by the town before. Mind you, the siesta, that famous Mexican period in the afternoon where naps and relaxation reign supreme, are fully intact I can assure you of that.

Loreto Airport invites the world

With its large shiny new arched terminals, LTO, the Loreto airport, is a hugely symbolic, and functional demonstration of this change. The original palapa version with its laughably (albeit charming!) arrival area still sits off the tarmac, another artifact worth celebrating. When we arrived for our 10 day vacation earlier this month, we were in awe of the terminal which, at least up until the latest renovation, might have even given a smaller airport in Silicon Valley such as SJC / San Jose a run for the money — well, ok, almost, but still it’s darn impressive work.

Gazing at the soaring ceilings and expansive hallways, Loni and I both agreed the thing was overbuilt, but for a reason: Loreto is growing, and the Mexican Government (and it’s tourism development arm Fonatur) see it as a shining example for the future of what’s well and good about vacationing and owning real estate here. Now you can travel 7 days a week via LTO, which even less than a few years ago was not possible.

Where are you from?

Look, I try to be positive. On Stark Insider, we tend to celebrate the good stuff in life — be it the latest show in San Francisco, or a new wine release in Napa, or an interview with James Franco at the Mill Valley Film Festival (yes, plug) or the latest lust-worthy gadget — but one thing deserves to be called out. And that is the overbearing, aggressive, and, ultimately, annoying Villa Group timeshare sales guys that cloy and get in your face. Without even seeing them, you can feel their presence bearing down on you. Sales pitch imminent… again.

I don’t blame the guys out on the streets trying to earn a living. They’re doing their job. I blame the company’s management for employing tactics that are completely out-of-touch with today’s buyers and the Internet economy. Like white alligator shoes and used car salesman, it’s time for something new. I know they’re trying to move product, but trust me, it’s more of a turn off then anything (although, it must work, no? Otherwise why employ the ruse?).

UPDATE (12/2/10): I found the flyer that was handed out to us that I couldn’t find when I originally wrote this article and wanted to provide a quick note on how to do it right. As Loni and I walked back from the Malecon, we were again approached. This time it was for Arturos Sport Fishing — a respected local operation. But unlike the pushy timeshare technique Arturos simply asks us if he may give us some information. We said yes. So he hands us a brochure, he smiles, and we’re on our way… no under-handed attempts to make phony small-talk. It left me with a positive impression of him and his business, and low-and-behold here I an now reading the flyer and talking about Arturos…!

But it’s a minor point, and not uncommon to many tourist destinations, so why, I ask myself, do I get side tracked on these things?

La Giganta looms

A mystery awaits up in those mountains that seemingly surround Loreto. As if watching, waiting, they loom. What exactly is that feeling I get when I’m walking downtown, that there is an untold secret? Like the expanse of the desert outside of Las Vegas, stories remain to be told, only these are contained somewhere in the rugged ravines, the sun blasted arroyos… I may never know, but one day I will find out.

It’s a Hammer and Nail, and Fishing Economy … but it’s evolving

I don’t have hard fast numbers on the economy here in Loreto (if someone has GDP, income, growth numbers, etc. I’d be very much appreciate to know of them), but I don’t think it would take an economics laureate to figure that it’s very much a labor-driven, blue-collar economy. And it, like most Mexican economies, is cash driven.

There are no less than three (maybe more) hardware stores alone in Loreto. The only franchise in town is a an impossible-to-miss, large blue Sherwin-Williams paint store. New homes need paint. And, corollary: existing homes need paint too. The Baja climate with its scorching sun, sea salts, strong winds, and hurricane season is no friend to your home’s exterior should you own or ever decide to buy one here.

A rich culture

Considering its roots as a fishing village, and a noble role in expansion of the missionary system, Loreto is quite progressive when it comes to the arts, reading and, obviously, hand crafts. As luck would have it, on our last visit we enjoyed strolling through an art exhibit celebrating the women of the revolution. Could it be here that Quentin Tarantino finds inspiration for Kill Bill IV?

Good morning Malecon!

One of the most glorious sights in all of Loreto (and there are many) is the morning sun reflecting off the Sea of Cortez by the malecon, the town’s boardwalk. It’s not to be missed. Park benches line the walkway giving you prime time viewing of what surely has to be one of the most awe-inspiring vistas. Was it here, I wonder, that Jacques Cousteau called it the world’s aquarium?

Many restaurants and hotels line the Malecon. On our visit Loni and I once again stopped in to the always amiable Las Mandiles for a late breakfast. The coffee was piping hot, and our eggs came Mexican style which is to say with lots of sauces (green and red) and plenty of beans, tortilla and cheese. Little Kazoo momentarily perched on my shoulder to remind me of a place called the gym. But scurry off I say, this is vacation time.

Ghosts of Coronado

Coronado Island, like the Baja and like Loreto, has a way of seizing your soul. Maybe it’s the heat? But standing here, wading in ankle high water I could swear that I’ve seen mysterious dark figures — nomad-like — scrambling in the trees, somewhere in the bushes and trees a few meters back from where Loni is sitting on the beach, swiping infinitely on her iPhone. Suntan lotion burns my eyes, so I’m the first to admit my vision is slightly blurred.

And that scorching sun can do wonders to my pale, freckled skin, not the least of which is to bring on migraine-size numbness.

Look, sure you can’t believe everything you read, but I’m telling you (and I hope to convince you over the coming weeks and months) there is more here than meets the eyes.

The People of Loreto

Ask anyone about the people of Loreto — the shop owners, the kids playing in the streets, the hospitality staff, the fisherman enjoying a frosty one at Mike’s Place after a long day — and they will tell you they are among the friendliest, most proud they know. And that best sums up the little town of Loreto. Optimism pours onto the streets thanks to the passion of the people that call it home. I know there are some who shun us, the gringo tourists who flock into town wearing loud shirts, and (at least in my case) goofy sandals, but most are embracing the evolution of the town.

Cypress - 12-12-2010 at 01:36 PM

Loreto Bay is a blight on Loreto.:no:

Loreto, Baja: If these walls could talk…

BajaNews - 12-12-2010 at 01:48 PM

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/12/loreto-baja-part-3-if-th...

Now, I’ve never told anyone this story, no one.

by Clinton Stark
12.01.10

If these walls could talk, they’d ask how you feel about dust, dirt and drifting Baja sea salts. Amathophobians, run. Or they might tell you a story or two about “Mexican engineering” — the kind you would never see in Germany or Japan. Owning a home in the Baja, specifically Loreto, everyone’s favorite little fishing village along the Sea of Cortez, requires an understanding of several principles.

#1 – When all else fails: Margarita

Owning a home here, nestled between the De La Giganta and the wonderful blue sea to the East means leaving your American (or Canadian, or European, or Asian… or Newfoundland) sensibilities back at LAX, with the pink pajama suits and never-ending Johnny Depp/Angelina Jolie movie posters (The Tourist… you might’ve heard of it). It’s not that they don’t have Diet Coke. They do. Or Internet access. They do. Or friendly places to eat. They do. Or nice rental cars. They do. Or even trendy espresso shops and bakeries. They do. It’s just that things take time. You will eventually be satisfied — probably thrilled — with the result, be it a fix to your home, a new piece of furniture, or a piece of long awaited official paperwork. Just be prepared to wait and to smile. There are friendly people here, but this is Mexico. It’s not our culture. And I keep telling myself I must learn Spanish. Okay, early resolution: 2011! Meantime, Margarita.

#2 – When you leave your Loreto home, you’ll immediately want to return

At first I didn’t want to head down to Loreto for ten days. I almost convinced Loni, and we came within a hair of canceling the trip.

All I could think of was the dust, the construction, the lack of good wine.

Then I realized that I was acting like a spoiled boob.

After twelve years in Northern California, had I become what all New Yorkers so readily accuse us of being? Soft! I’m a softie!

It could be true. Over the last 12 months, I had been rear-ended in a car accident, torn my MCL in a hockey game, been rushed to the hospital for chest pains (I’m seizing!) that turned out only to be a muscle cramp, and continue to lose day-to-day faculties such as hearing, sight and critical thinking.

Plus, I wondered how on earth we could keep Stark Insider running with an Internet connection that was the equivalent of average dial-up speeds from 1991.

Well, all worries for not.

When you land at LTO, that first breeze — like the first swig of Diet Coke, Blue Moon or Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — is euphoric. Why is that? Maybe it’s because there are about 32 million less people here, hardly any cars (although the ones that are here are not likely to pass the DMV smog test anytime soon), and you just know you’re going to be surrounded by lots of quality people – the locals, fellow home owners, shop keepers.

Then there is the landscape.

It’s at times breath-taking, but at others quite nomadic. I know it’s different. Downtown Vancouver, for example, can be just as (if not more) astounding with its stellar views of Whistler. Same when you gaze across the Golden Gate Bridge to San Francisco on a foggy day, with the Pacific Ocean below. There are a lot of beautiful places on earth, and chances are many are at home. So I guess with Loreto, yes, it’s ruggedly stunning in its own way. But most of all it’s different from home, and that’s probably one reason why it makes for a satisfying getaway.

So on the last day of our November vacation, we found ourselves doing what my Mom always does, and it puts a smile on my face: “Where did the time go… I can’t believe we’re headed home already.”

#3 – Leaks, crazy angles, cracks – “Charm”

You know how there’s no such thing as Canadian or British food, per se. Well, I think it’s safe to say we can apply that logic to Mexican engineering. Don’t get me wrong, the homes here are full of character, and we love our little casa. But, just because it’s made of concrete “Perform Wall” (many of the earlier Loreto Bay homes are made of Adobe brick, an altogether different story) doesn’t mean it is better than a North American home built using drywall and two-by-fours.

No use getting up in arms (see #1 above) about minor things that will smooth themselves out over the years. “Charm” is the word.

#4 – It’s all about the adventure

Don’t come to Loreto for blissful beach time. Yes, you can have that here if you like. The real idea is about the action. Activity. There’s so much to see and do here it’s almost a crime not to get out there and live a little. Like the time a guide drove us across the desert, up and over the Sierra de la Giganta mountains to reach the small town of San Javier, population 142. I’ll never forget that morning.

It was a blazing-to-barnyard scorcher, probably around 100 degrees, but with the humidex my pale Canadian skin was telling me I was cooking like a moose stuck in a microwave.

Our little white jeep looked like a tiny Tonka toy against the mountain range.

When we finally did arrive at San Javier, I was bathed in sweat. The ride is at times nerve racking, the dirt road weaves precariously, right next to straight drops, with no guard rails in sight. I sought out the nearest cantina. Cerveza!

A scene right out of a film, a broken down Jeep sat in front of the mission and the poor sod was working on the engine in the blistering heat.

Loni and the guide decide to go explore the region while I hunt down that beer. I finally found a small hut, behind what looked like a long-forgotten junkyard (then again, do we ever remember them?).

Now, I’ve never told anyone this story, no one. Not even Loni. Admittedly I feel somewhat apprehensive even writing about it, which is why I prefer to include here in this post a little further down from where I expect most will see it.

And, yet again, like the time I was semi-conscious watching Loni on the beach while wading in the Sea by Coronado Island, my head was ready to explode. Ever have that feeling where you’re slightly dizzy, and dotted lines appear out of your peripheral vision? Regardless, I needed to sit and drink a beer.

So I find this makeshift bar top. No one else is around except for this long-haired blonde guy — get this — dressed in a suit. A suit! It’s 100-plus degrees and I’m thinking like Sean Connery at this point. You must be joking. Here’s the other part. He speaks with what sounds like a Nordic accent. Maybe Swedish, I don’t know. Ok, so this was not your normal taco stand. I didn’t care really. So I ask for a beer, and he serves up a Heineken. No Pacifico? Wow, interesting.

But all of that pales in comparison to what happened next. I admit, I began to feel somewhat nervous for some reason, and I had lost track of Loni and the guide long ago.

“You’re from San Francisco, right?” he asks.

Interesting that he knows. Well, down right freaky really. I nod slowly, then chug half the beer in what feels like one of the most triumphant and refreshing moments of my life. I’m already asking for a second as I finish it moments later.

So he pulls out a brochure, and shows me what looks like some kind of club, maybe a spa or something.

“You know Scorpion Bay, right?”

I tell him no. He proceeds to tell me that he knows about our “little” web site that “propagates the American scam,” and that’s he been watching and has something very important for me to do. It could be dangerous he says. Are you kidding, me?! Remember, I’m soft. I’m soft.

Turns out we have an investor friend in common, in Atherton in Silicon Valley. He wants to arrange a wire transfer that he’s (allegedly) arranged to fund the next phase of a complex he and his “syndicate” of partners are building. The problem is a Baja official has not approved the zoning. But he tells me the guy only claims to be an official, and that he’s really not.

Here I am, on my second beer, wondering where this conversation is going, how I ended up here, and realizing there is no hope in hell I can get an AT&T signal out here. At times like this I wonder if it’s really worth putting ourselves out there on Stark Insider… the videos, the stories, the personal exposure. The risks.

When he pulls out and shows me a photo of Loni I almost pass out.

#5 – To be continued…

Loreto, Baja: Dragsters in the desert

BajaNews - 12-12-2010 at 01:59 PM

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/12/loreto-baja-part-4-drags...

In February 2006 we bought a home in Loreto Bay. Almost five years later, I’m ready to tell the whole story.

by Clinton Stark
12.02.10

Quentin Tarantino would have a field day here. When it comes to the Baja, there is a never-ending parade of visuals that boggle the mind. The contrasts are staggering. Take for example, Del Borracho, the local hamburger joint/biker bar/live stage located virtually in the middle of nowhere. Well, almost; perhaps a bit of a slight exaggeration as the place is less than five minutes down the road from Highway 1, which in turn is about fifteen minutes away from the town of Loreto.

But here’s a saloon that literally sprouted from the desert.

There is nothing behind it, beside it, or in front of it aside from cacti, desert brush and sand as far as the eye can see.

One time when my wife Loni and I pulled up for a bite and a beer, I swear I was on the set of From Dusk Til Dawn… we could vaguely hear a cover band playing Free’s All Right Now. All right now baby, it’s all right now / All right now baby, it’s all right now…. The place was rocking. Yet, just a few hundred yards prior we were virtually alone cruising down a crumbled highway with not another soul in sight.

Saloon

Mike, the owner, is a story just waiting to be told. He built the saloon himself, as well as the guest rooms out back. The real eye-opening jewel, however, sits in a shed adjacent to the bar… more on that in a sec.

By the way, the hamburgers here are meaty and delicious. The service fun, fast and friendly. There’s no place like Del Borracho. Home owners from Loreto Bay can regularly be seen eating hearty American style breakfasts here. Because of its proximity to LTO, the airport which sits between town and Nopolo where Loreto Bay is being built, it’s a convenient place to stop in for a farewell memory before heading home.

I don’t know Mike well, I’ve only met him once. He strikes me as a hard-working guy. The desert entrepreneur I’d call him. I’ve heard (and not sure how much of this is true) that he’s actually a serial desert entrepreneur and that he moves from town to town, building bars, operating them, then selling them before moving on to the next town. And if Loreto and the Baja is all about history, then so is his spacious bar. Photos, mementos, and nick-nacks adorn the wall in just about any direction you look. Some are worn from the sun and time, faded faces hanging in front of bikes, in a boat, or at the Baja-1000 perhaps. Trophies even.

About that “jewel” I mentioned… Mike took Loni on out back to show us the place. He opened the doors to this large shed, and what do we see?

A dragster.

An amazing dragster with a beautiful paint job, massive rear tires and full-on, wicked engine. Now I realize dragsters are not exactly rare fossils, but remember this is Del Borracho, a bar in the middle of the desert. I immediately had so many questions. How did it get here? Where does he race it? Does the thing operate on fuel you can find here in Baja California Sur?

Like I said stories to be told. Stories for boys. And more of that for another time.

San Javier and the man in the bar

Now back to my story from yesterday. If you recall I was in the middle of revelation. Call it therapy for the body and soul, telling something that I had not told anyone. Not Loni. Not my parents. Not even my alter ego. No one knew of the events that transpired. If you want to read about it click here, but again I’m not entirely keen on word getting out about these events.

As I thought about what happened next and how to best tell the rest of what happened, I realized that to do it justice I had to give it some context, because you really need to know the backstory… there’s so much here. I began to connect the dots. San Javier. Scorpion Bay. The nomads on Coronado Island that I would later run into and realize their connection to the man in the suit, plus there is a neat little chase in the town of Loreto that began outside of La Michoacana, when a little boy kicked me in the shins before running off with my ice cream. Like I said, wild stuff. There is a connection to home too (as you’ll note when reading my update from yesterday). In Silicon Valley, I’d learn about a fund that was connected to Baja. It was also involved in a project related to brain research up in Livermore at the labs there. I’ll get into that soon too.

It took several years to piece all of this together. Here I was thinking we were just buying a little casa, a vacation home in a development called Loreto Bay. I had no idea — none whatsover I tell you! — of the adventure that was in store for us.

So a while back I began to take notes; I was piecing together the various events, concepts and oddities that had transpired. Amazingly, over time, it all began to make sense. Vivid imagination? Oh sure, partly possible. And trying to recall all the details a la Memento, especially with that torrent Baja sun, the humidity, the Pacifico… I admit it can play games.

When I took a few steps back to assess my outline, my recollection of those years in Loreto (up to and including just last week even) I decided last night (while watching Shrek the Musical in San Francisco no less) that it was time to get it all out in writing. I would, in essence, tell it all; and I mean everything I know or believed to know or recall. At least to the best of my ability. They say the can’t believe everything you read, but when you see the Baja in person it tells you all you need to know.

So I would merely transcribe here: buying the home from Loreto Bay, the process of dealing with local businesses to get the home built, the personality types, the mystery surrounding Scorpion Bay, the “syndicate,” the footchase in Loreto, my discovery of things that I believe no one else knows about (although I could be wrong about that), the potential danger I was in when I met my friend in Atherton to help facilitate a venture deal that involved Livermore Labs, a Swedish investor group (that I later learned was a front for a radical right-wing movement) and a compound on the Pacific side of the Baja. Sitting back and thinking about all this, I now sheepishly realize that choosing a color scheme for our Loreto Bay Home (called “Casa Del Lagarto Azul”) or wondering if any of the white wines here would be any good was trivial by comparison.

In February 2006 we bought a home in Loreto Bay. Almost five years later, I’m ready to tell the whole story. And it starts tomorrow.

Loreto, Baja: Scorpion Bay “Coronado Island”

BajaNews - 12-12-2010 at 02:05 PM

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/12/loreto-baja-scorpion-bay...

My heart is pounding now, and I’m not sure why.

by Clinton Stark
12.03.10

They say you can’t believe everything you read. But seeing is believing, right? I don’t trust my eyes though on this day, wading here in the Sea of Cortez a few hundred feet from the white sandy shores of Coronado Island. Call it the Baja mystique. Jacques Cousteau dubbed the blue waters here “the world’s aquarium,” and John Steinbach wrote famously of adventure and discovery. To me, though, on this sweltering day, it just feels muddled.

It doesn’t help that once again my pale, freckled skin is burning under the rays, or that suntan lotion is dripping furiously into my eyes.

Almost blind, I squint and look for my wife Loni who was somewhere on the beach last time I checked, swiping her iPhone endlessly. But she’s not there. Shakira’s mega-yacht is, however, still docked a mile or so off-shore. Small jet-skiis buzz around like so many water bugs.

The story of buying a home in the Baja had turned out to be much more complicated and far more adventurous then I ever anticipated. Choosing paint colors and selecting furniture packages would pale in comparison to what would happen next.

Panga boats bob up and down against the shore. A few hours earlier guides whisked us across the Sea. A school of dolphins appeared ecstatic to have a visit as we passed through, so close we could almost pet them.

But now something didn’t feel right. Blasted leg, again, was itching like mad.

It’s 2009. Three years earlier we had bought a home in the Loreto Bay development. Actually it was a plot of dirt, a dream really. One that would ultimately see the construction of some 5,000 homes along the relatively untouched desert land in a place called Nopolo, twenty minutes south of the town of Loreto. Us go-happy vacationers would buy into the vision, and plunk down hundreds of thousands over several years in painful construction draws, each one a theoretical step closer to a reality of a two-bedroom getaway, a little home we’d later name Casa Del Lagarto Azul.

It wasn’t the first time waves of incongruity would consume me. Partially dazed here in the warm waters, I found it peculiar that now it would all start to come together, the various events, encounters, and oddities that at the time were perplexing to me. Twisted logic, perhaps. Bizarre now became somewhat normal, or so I thought. A venture fund called Misty Trails II based out of Atherton back home in Silicon Valley is where a lot of the trouble started. I may never know why I had come to be in the middle of a deal that involved Nordic investors, a complex of questionable motive over in Scorpion Bay, and an experimental brain research project at a lab in Livermore, California. At least I could begin to connect the dots.

My heart is pounding now, and I’m not sure why.

What started as a conundrum was becoming crystal clear in its definition. I really never thought I was in danger mind you. The man in the bar in San Javier; the little boy I chased down Benito Juarez in Loreto to a small home where I made the most unlikely of friends; the wild party in Atherton with the pool party and chocolate fountains; and the time I inadvertently stumbled upon a somewhat shocking “operation” in an underground research facility in Livermore… it all seemed benign. Years later, context changed all of that and possibly the noxiousness of being in the wrong places was finally catching up to me.

I still can’t see Loni. Where is she? At shopping malls I can understand the disappearing act. That’s the m-o. You go into the store, and I wait. And wait. Then wait some more, before deciding to come in for a “rescue operation.”

Come to think of it, where the heck did the Panga boats go? I can still smell the BBQ from the makeshift grill the cook had assembled for a pleasant afternoon of surf-and-turf.

The itching in my leg had become unbearable.

When I looked down, my head dizzy from the heat and onrush of thoughts, I saw tiny droplets. They were beautiful, exploding into red tendrils and slowly fading into the crystal clear sea. Gorgeous nature, I thought. Fascinating and resplendent. My faculties moving in slow motion it took almost a minute — at least it felt that long — to realize the blood was coming from my leg. Lots of blood: light red, medium red, and dark red. It spilled from my leg into the sea.

Loreto Bay: Water colors and Sharon Stone

BajaNews - 12-12-2010 at 02:11 PM

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/12/loreto-bay-water-colors-...

My friend Murphy, turns out, would have more than a small role in the troubles that would transpire over the next few years.

by Clinton Stark
12.12.10

Before the blood of Coronado. Before the man in the white suit who handed me a beer in San Javier. And way before I began to “connect the dots” during a five-year Baja adventure that would lead me high into the Sierra de la Giganta, down the backstreets of Loreto where I’d make the most unlikely of alliances, and exactly one day before my buddy, the ultimate playboy, Murphy Gamble* would hold an outrageous, over-the-top Silicon Valley party (at least from what I can recall) celebrating the launch of a new fund, there were … watercolors.

How do you start a sales pitch?

You need to sell the dream. Engage the emotion and fan the flames. The goal: wide-eyed lust; with a pinch of fairy dust for good measure.

It’s kind of like Al Pacino in the film Glengarry Glen Ross when he seduces a reluctant buyer in a dimly lit lounge. Poetic language, getting to yes, and artfully deflecting objections are all part of the game.

The dance.

Oh, and, yes, alcohol most certainly helps. It is the ultimate inhibitor reducing agent.

When it came to the Loreto Bay development, the sales and marketing team would propagate one massive happy dance. Buyers would line up, after a day of touring under the sizzling sun and downing margaritas, and frantically place red dots on their chosen lots, which, back in 2005 were literally lines in the rough sand next to the Sea of Cortez. Yay, they let me spent $1.5M on a seaside lot! It was like winning the lottery; at least at the time it felt that way.

The euphoria by the sea would extend far beyond just the tiny seaside village of Loreto, of course, as the nation — and the world — were swept up in perhaps the largest real estate craze in the history of civilization. The hangover was massive. Institutions like Goldman Sachs and Citibank that could not, would not fail, failed. The banking system, heretofore a model for the free world and an icon of Western democracy, collapsed. It seemed like everything was a mess: the Public sector, the auto and health-care industries, and venture capital here in Silicon Valley was dead and buried.

About those watercolors then. Who else but a long-haired, soft spoken, artistic type — possibly still living in the 60s — could create a dreamy vision of what Loreto Bay, a massive 5,000 home resort development with planned beach club and Venice-like estuaries, might look like some day, far into the future?

Ayrie Cunliffe was just that artist. His watercolor renderings of the villages, with European-inspired walkways, blue skys and neighbors chatting were winners. The proof was in my wife Loni’s wide, lustful eyes: this is paradise!

So when Manny Cordova*, our energetic and personable sales representative, presented the large 26-page spiral-bound brochure to us at a coffee shop across from Loni’s office the deal was pretty much already closed. Where is this magical land where dolphins might jump out to greet us (page 6)? Or where artisan, handcrafted “cupolas” sit atop small casas where they can cool the home and an Ecoscapes nursery sits nearby, seemingly replenishing the land (page 7)?

Tread softly, live fully – indeed.

The easy part was selecting the floor-plan. Loni and I like to buy in on the low end of any development. It was a strategy that had worked well in the past, in Vancouver, and I was impressed with the real estate acumen Loni had accumulated over the years. It wasn’t for me really, but I was a willing spouse — in marriage, “willing” takes on whole new meaning, yes? My vote: what she says.

A few years later, I’d be deep into my own set of problems, amazingly connecting the meeting taking place this day with a research lab in Livermore, California and then back to the most mysterious of compounds being built by some Nordic syndicate over in Scorpion Bay, which sits on the Pacific side of Baja California Sur.

My friend Murphy, turns out, would have more than a small role in the troubles that would transpire over the next few years, and his connections and interests were just as secretive as they were impressive: the Citibank resort investment arm, Kleiner Perkins, his friendship with Larry Ellison and their shared love for racing yachts, his affinity for Hollywood culture and “glam girls” as he called them, and his work ethic which seemingly meant simultaneously working and partying twenty-four hours a day.

The Nueva Chica (or “New Girl” for those North of California) on page 13 was pretty much the entry level (aside from the Casa Verde or as the Loreto Bay sales reps would jokingly refer to it: the ”cement tent”) so this would be the floorplan we were interested in buying. After all, this was to be a future vacation home, a getaway. Unlike Silicon Valley, there was only one narrow, two lane highway in Loreto. It would be a most welcome refuge from our daily grind up and down 101, sitting in traffic for hours upon hours, inching our way up to Palo Alto, or over to Berkeley, or across the Bay Bridge to San Francisco where we’d sometimes sneak north to Bodega Bay as fog descended on the Golden Gate Bridge.

“So how much?” Loni asks our sales rep.

Manny waved his finger, and smiled, “I’d love to tell you, but before I can reveal the pricing, you need to sign up for the POP!”

The what? No doubt, a well-oiled sales machine, Loreto Bay Company, or the Trust for Sustainable Development (T.S.D.) as it was known legally, had perfected the art of the velvet red-rope. Cachet — you want even more what you can’t have easily. POP we learned stood for “Priority Opportunity Program.” Potential buyers had to pony-up $5,000 for the privilege of joining. A better name might have been the “Tequila Fund I”. No doubt, these up-front commitments did qualify buyers, but somehow I’m guessing it also afforded many a liquid lunch.

The following month when we did finally head to Loreto for the first time in February of 2006, we’d be wined and dined, finding ourselves with a taco and margarita in our hands seemingly only 30-seconds after hitting the tarmac at the little LTO airport.

But first, we had a few more questions, like where do we buy groceries?

It’s European style, you walk to the local bakery, pick-up a baguette, some cheese and wine, then head back to your casa where you can enjoy a tranquil evening watching the sun set.

What about energy consumption, and things like utilities to the home?

We’re all about sustainability. The land will be even better off after we’ve dug it up and built the homes. See that on the map, up there in the hills? That will be a bio-energy facility that generate everything from wind and solar. The estuaries will create ecosystems.

Where do we park…

But before we could finish the presentation at the coffee shop in downtown San Jose, my BlackBerry was ringing. It was Murphy Gamble.

“Clint, get your ass up to Atherton — tomorrow night, 1am after the game. There’s some people I’d like you to meet at the party.”

Typical, I thought as I smiled. Murphy was all about the excitement, no time for small talk. I found it quite amusing that he knew that I had a hockey game in Fremont. The guy was in the know. Our chemistry and timing always seemed in perfect sync. Either that or I was living vicariously.

I agreed to drop by, and was about to hang up, when he told me he was wrestling with a critical issue that required my vote.

“Sharon Stone just finished filming Basic Instinct 2. My date and I are heading up to Berkeley now to meet her for dinner. What do I take? The Ferrari 550 for the glitz, or 911 Turbo for the power …?”

Bastard.

* Some names have been changed to protect the innocent, and possibly even the not so innocent. I continue to go by “I.”

Terry28 - 12-12-2010 at 04:37 PM

This long winded infomercial should be banned, period. What a waste of space...

Say what, "mon' ?

djh - 12-12-2010 at 05:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Terry28
This long winded infomercial should be banned, period. What a waste of space... "Live slow mon."


So . . . the site administator should be banned . . . ?

Wow. "Live smart mon" . . . :cool:

Or as my grama used to say "Don't shoot the messenger" (especially when he's the MON, mon . . ."

Bajahowodd - 12-12-2010 at 05:53 PM

Obviously paid PR hype. Don't get me wrong, because I love Loreto to death, but in my opinion, the toxic combination of Fonatur infrastructure investment(with the legend of success) and the ill-fated Loreto Bay development has done nothing more than to make Loreto a much more expensive place to visit or live.

BOLARNR - 12-13-2010 at 07:53 AM

What happened to the golf course? Fonature in Spanish means Scam, right!

capt. mike - 12-13-2010 at 03:41 PM

does Mexico and its agencies have TARP?

or do they just print $$ ala Keynesian econ policy and deficit financing?:lol:

wilderone - 12-16-2010 at 09:48 AM

self-serving, ego-driven . . . basically, his HOA fees are waaay too high and the Fore Sale signs are warding off prospects, and he wants more Canadian suckers to buy in. His commentary brims with enthusiam over everything that starts to make Loreto like Silicon Valley; and then as he slowly - over four years - ventures out of his neighborhood to discover the real Baja, he acts like it's news. Amateur.

Loretana - 12-16-2010 at 03:56 PM

Do the Starks happen to notice the mess the infrastructure is out there? It looks like a war zone.

Not to mention all the contractors who got screwed on jobs completed that were never paid for. I have some folks who did cabinetry, doors and windows in mind. I heard it was over a half a million dollars.

And of course, all those workers who were unceremoniously dumped one Friday afternoon with no paychecks or a way to get back home to "Peores Nada".

Cowards, your names are Butterfield and Grogan.

mtgoat666 - 12-16-2010 at 04:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaNews
Owning a home here, nestled between the De La Giganta and the wonderful blue sea to the East means leaving your American (or Canadian, or European, or Asian… or Newfoundland) sensibilities back at LAX, with the pink pajama suits and never-ending Johnny Depp/Angelina Jolie movie posters (The Tourist… you might’ve heard of it). It’s not that they don’t have Diet Coke. They do.


I like my american sensibilities. Leave what pink pajama suits? Is this a clothing-optional resort? Angelina Jolie is hot. Life without Diet Coke would be a miserable life; glad to know the CC&Rs allow Diet Coke!

djh - 12-16-2010 at 10:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Loretana
Cowards, your names are Butterfield and Grogan.


THAT is the whole truth ! ! ! Excellent, Diane.

The scoundrals should be invited to a Memorial LB ROAST . . . with all their prior contacts (screwed customers, screwed contractors, screwed workers).

What a grand party / cook out THAT could be. I can think of the perfect white meat to roast for the many guests who would come to feast ! ! ! !

Seems the worst white collar crime so often takes a walk . . .

djh

Nappo - 1-2-2011 at 09:39 PM

Didn't read all these long, long posts, but check air fare for an update on Loreto - No planes from San Diego, the plane from LAX is about $485 (you can almost fly to Europe for that $$)and coming from anywhere in the country they hook up with that plane, Nice new terminal but no planes... remember the old days when you could fly out of SD for free after attending a "lecture" on the building south of the airport - now no air....And I checked but no planes out of Tj - ...So unless you want to drive and stay a long time the tourist industry is hurting. Oh yeah, Alaska out of LAX trimmed down it's plane to a Horizon Air. Less seats more $$.

motoged - 1-2-2011 at 11:39 PM

I don't know who Clinton Stark is (or who is pretending to be Clinton), but the read started out like some seduced shill....

And then I knew the guy was a phoney when he said you could see Whistler from downtown Vancouver :lol:

This name-dropping snob offers a disjointed story (he had me reading it for a few minutes) that started to irritate me....

Just sayin.....

ncampion - 1-3-2011 at 09:19 AM

Maybe he's just trying to "pump up" the place so he can recover his investment.

flyfishinPam - 1-3-2011 at 09:32 AM

youz guyz are sayin' pretty much what I was thinking ever since these long winded desperate and amateurish pieces were posted. Thanks!

as one who is in the tourism industry yes, there are way fewer tourists here than I've ever seen before (operating since 1996). I know why that is and the fact that most of it is out of my control was depressing at first but now I am actually enjoying life more. When we first started out we strictly worked seasons yellowtail or dorado and the rest was in between time and more or less down time. When there was a constant stream of people coming in throughout the year that came with this asinine real estate boom, all we did was work and we didn't have time to enjoy what's around us. also our expenses were much higher so it cost us more to operate and keep up with the flow of tourism. Now I'm spending more time with my family exploring more around here fishing more often and getting to know my friends and neighbors better. We're back to working strictly seasonal again, back to our roots. its all cool!

Geo_Skip - 1-3-2011 at 08:02 PM

I see that the Nomads are smarter than the average, based on the comments to the "Puff Piece" posted at the beginning of this thread.....

A damn fine group of people!

Thanks, you help me keep up my faith in humanity!

motoged - 1-3-2011 at 08:13 PM

Oh, poop!!! I think we chased this guy away before he told us about the Swede in the suit at San Javier, the basement "operation" in Livermore, and how come his leg was bleeding at the beach.

I guess I will have to buy into the Loreto PLAN, meet this guy, and get the rest of the story. How much for a lot? A two bedroom with a view?