shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Tourist development....from a local prospective in BCS
I just watched this disturbing documentary...very well done, enlightening and complete...and very very sad..I wish all of you spoke enough spanish to
understand what is being said...but those of you who speak spanish will find it interesting. Juan watched it to and expressed his concern that it
could happen here...in san roque for example where ejiditarios are wanting to sell the coastline.
http://detodoguerrero.com/2011/08/documental-baja-all-exclus...
comments?
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David K
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How about a summary of what it is about Shari?
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Curt63
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They may want to sell, but credit markets are tight and long term investors are going to want to see infrastructure (Roads, water, electricity,
airports). Not Big dreams and big signs that turn into nothing (Escalera Nautica)
Upscale tourists dont ride Mexican busses or even a limousine for 8 hours.
I dont think remote areas of Baja are likely to be developed anytime soon.
And I'm glad.
No worries
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Osprey
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I was video interviewed for this presentation but I didn't expect to see my face in it -- the interview went fine (I didn't break the camera) but I
wondered how important were my views and thoughts, as a 15 year retiree from Nevada, on resort impact.
The All Inclusive resorts are surely killing Cabo San Lucas -- you need only visit there now to see how all the local merchants are suffering because
resort clients never leave their resort vacation destination.
When resorts spring up far from major cities in Mexico, they need to offer all the comforts the surrounding area cannot yet offer and the client's
credit card laydown often goes out of country, overseas, to offsite specialty contractors --- employees are recruited from all over Latin America but
few local people get a shot at special jobs with real money attached.
While that's happening the resort uses up local natural resources like water and fish, certainly curtailing chances for steady and orderly natural
growth the area enjoyed before the venture moved in. Locals probably see little good coming from camel rides, zip lines and golf courses as the
resorts proliferate.
While mega companies like Cabo Cortez are stopped in their tracks for lack of funds, while the Magote sinks into the sea, locals need more and more
information like the video to remind themselves (and regulators) that the 50 or more projects planned for the beaches of Baja Sur are straining at the
leash to become a part of the next presentation, win, lose or draw.
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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one of several of the issues addressed is that local fisher families are being displaced from their beaches to crappy little government boxes or
shanty towns in high risk arroyos...
their places they have lived for generations are being sold to foreign corporations illegaly and they are being run off their land...
beach accesses are being closed off so they cant launch their pangas or spend a day at the beach with their families...
golf courses and big developments are using up precious water while the locals have to pay exhorbitant prices for trucked in water to their shacks.
marine preserves are being threatened by big development
etc etc etc.
locals are fed up and trouble is definately brewing
hey osprey...are you the mexican gringo?
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DianaT
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Thanks for the summary-----with this internet connection, we cannot watch any videos--------too slow. But has this one been around for a while? It
sounds familiar.
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Osprey
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Shari, I don't know. I'll watch the video again and let you know. The lady who videod Cabo Riviera here was almost arrested here, planned to interview
me on my patio. She called me from La Paz to cancel the interview because when she was here they got her car license plate number and when she got
back to La Paz there was an arrest appearance notice on the door of her apartment.
We met in a lovely home in Buena Vista (thanks to a gracious Nomad friend) a couple days later to do the interview.
That was at a time when things were dicey for the developers and they were very aggressive -- as in death threats, coercion, etc. Things have settled
down now that they have sold some lots and are moving ahead (years behind schedule).
At a public meeting, way back then, the developer/owner was there and so were the fishermen. When the fishermen asked that they be allowed (in the far
future) to take their boats to the safety of the marina if a hurricane was threatening, the owner said "Not while I'm breathing."
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El Jefe
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Osprey, you are spot-on about the All Inclusive Resorts in Los Cabos. Some years back when we were building our house we stayed at the Presidente in
San Jose del for a few nights. Lounging in the pool I got to talking with the tourists. They had a hard time believing we were going to live here.
Then one fellow asked, "So, is there a town nearby?"
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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redmesa
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Thanks Shari, I watched it and got most of it. There are lessons to be learned from around the world about how and how not to develop tourism and
coastlines. I have watched beach access be closed on the Texas coast, the California coast and , yes, even here in Canada. We are fighting a coal
mine presently here in the Comox Valley and other environmental issues. This is really a global problem that has to be settled locally.
Unfortunately, many of the meetings we have gone to are fruitless. There are many good people talking to deaf ears.
I hate golf courses! ok mini golf is okay!
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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what tugged at my heart the most was that those families who grew up free on wild beaches are now confined to little coloured boxes or shacks in dried
up arroyos (till it rains)...how sad to be forced off your land so it can be an exclusive resort for foreigners...it just aint right.
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Osprey
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Shari, luckily I couldn't find me in the video. I'm not the Mexican Gringo. I think Carmina Valiente of 7 Filos in La Paz did an excellent job on this
and it will endure to shine a light on the problem.
I'm going to call her and ask if I can buy the still picture of the barrio with the Cabo arch in the backround. Don't have the words to tell the story
that picture spills all over the southern part of this state. Maybe she also has a stock photo of a resort limo parked in Cartonlandia.
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AmoPescar
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Shari...
Isn't much of this to be blamed on the Mexican government?
Haven't they created the plans for and pushed the development of tourist meccas along all the coasts of the Mainland AND Baja? ...I thought they had
mapped out and planned development in many (every?) beautiful beach and bay areas in the hopes of drawing tourists and their dollars into Mexico.
Isn't the Escalera Nautica that was planned an example of this type of govt. project going ahead? ...Wasn't it planned to draw rich boaters and
sailors to travel up and down the coasts of Baja? ...Spending their dollars while doing it.
Miguelamo 
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Bajaboy
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Hate to say it, this is old news. Take a look at The Corridor, Loreto, and Playas/Rosarito area.
In the US, many local communities are fighting the big box stores such as Walmart saying they destroy local businesses. I suppose it all depends on
which side of the street you reside.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Amo Pescar....yup...the government is/was in it for the big bucks...money talks and the locals walk...dang.
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