¡hasta luego! See you later!
As I had coffee on my deck in Loreto Bay this morning, I relished in the complete solitude and silence. Even at 7 am it is 84 degrees with 95% humidity with no relief of breeze or shade. There is no person, bird, or animal as far as the eye can see and not even the sound of crickets or bees to break the trance-like state of being. As I look out onto the lush green golf course and waves lapping against the beach in the distance, surrounded by the backdrop of mountains … I realize that this is a desert and it can be a lonely place.
It is a wonderful reprieve for a short vacation or even an extended stay for a month or more, to get away from reality and the worries of everyday life. No matter where you live it is the same juggling of priorities between family, finances, career, and pleasure. For those that chose to make Loreto Bay our home, it has become a revolving door of unfilled expectations.
The remaining employees of TSD Loreto Partners are gone and the company ceased operations last week. All Loreto Bay email addresses and phone numbers have been terminated, so no point in calling or writing. Elvis has left the building.
Sometimes I feel like the last person remaining, and it is no prize. There are many good friends and people that contributed to the dream over the years that have moved on and will always fondly remember being part of something great. There are a few who are choosing to stay and start new ventures in the hope of finding what they are looking for. To each it is different. This is definitely a rough patch for everyone. For some it appears subliminal and others feel the Fight or Flight Response. For me, it is more of an awakening.
Having absolutely no idea what to write about this Sunday, I checked out my horoscope. Not something I live my life by, but hey… sometimes clarity comes when we least expect it. Today it read …
Ironically this is exactly how I was feeling. I am not giving up on my goals of community, prosperity, and quality of life. However, it is time for me to let the Loreto Bay vision go. The dream was not a mistake, or even a failure. It allowed thousands of people the opportunity to step outside the box and commit to an unknown promise, and I truly believe we are all better for it. Loreto Bay Company put this area on the map and helped many Mexicans with jobs and increase their land values and living standards. There are many positive signs for the future here.
The Loreto Bay Homeowners are united under the Condominium Regimes and are meeting their challenges together to create a great place to live. Remember all the issues that are surfacing now were here for quite sometime. The only difference is now homeowners are empowered with the knowledge to make a difference. It is my personal opinion that what has transpired over the last month should have happened a year ago when it was clear RePlay was not the white knight. However, it is difficult to convince people who want to continue to believe that the problems would go away or be solved by those that created them.
Since there is no more Loreto Bay Realty Company; DORADO Properties Loreto is now the only Real Estate Company able to adequately represent the true value of these homes. We are increasing our sales team for the fall when we expect to see increased activity, and it is important that we maintain stable pricing as we still believe there is terrific value in these homes and future development.
Several weeks ago FADESA the Spanish group developing San Bruno 30 kms north of Loreto, had an open meeting in Loreto to announce that it was again starting its plans to move forward. The discussion was mainly around changing their MIA (Urban Plan) and Environmental Impact Assessment to fit better with the limitations of the area. Their plan is still for hundreds of homes, golf course, and a multi million dollar development. It could be two years before they start construction and/or sales, but times passes quickly.
The group that own the old Whales Inn Hotel, which was doing sales under the J.W. Marriott flag, are still around. They are simply putting the project on hold until the economy improves.
The VILLA Group in Ensenada Blanca is continuing with its construction and already starting the second floor of their first building. They have quite a set up with their own cement plant, worker accommodation and are self contained. Their new Santa Fe Hotel downtown next to Domingo’s Steak House is expected to be open this October.
Dorado Properties Loreto represents a new project called Amala which is located at the mouth of Baja Concepcion and consists of 30 one acre parcels on the beach, starting at $400,000 USD. We are marketing this property to those that want space, a truly environmentally sustainable product, and common care services (ie. housekeepers, cooks, shoppers, gardeners, etc) living on the premises to take care of the residents.
Fonatur is busy putting in a new malecon in Zaragoza (between Loreto and the airport) and have many large trucks and heavy equipment in doing what it does best… build roads.
People know that I avoid rumors and misinformation whenever possible; however, the latest one seems to have merit from inside sources. It will be interesting to hear the announcement of the new owner and watch the reactions of both local and foreigners. Change is never easy, but it is necessary and usually takes us to a better place.
People visiting often want to know my opinion or what I know about the latest gossip. I tell them: "Any information more than 5 minutes old has expired". Living in the past or future doesn’t leave much attention for the present. I intend to live in the present and seize the moment.
Considering that I had writer’s block this morning, it appears that I have run on quite a bit. It seems inappropriate for me to comment further on past or future speculations in this public forum. It also feels uncomfortable for me to write about my adventures and trips away when there is so much angst around us. So, I will be taking a break from this blog for the summer to focus on ramping up my Property Management and Real Estate companies for the fall. Will I return to writing Where In the World Is Nellie? Quien Sabe?
Thank you for tuning in and sharing my journey. It has not ended, just taken a detour and respite. Have a great summer!
See you in Loreto!
Miss Nellie
As I had coffee on my deck in Loreto Bay this morning, I relished in the complete solitude and silence. Even at 7 am it is 84 degrees with 95% humidity with no relief of breeze or shade. There is no person, bird, or animal as far as the eye can see and not even the sound of crickets or bees to break the trance-like state of being. As I look out onto the lush green golf course and waves lapping against the beach in the distance, surrounded by the backdrop of mountains … I realize that this is a desert and it can be a lonely place.
It is a wonderful reprieve for a short vacation or even an extended stay for a month or more, to get away from reality and the worries of everyday life. No matter where you live it is the same juggling of priorities between family, finances, career, and pleasure. For those that chose to make Loreto Bay our home, it has become a revolving door of unfilled expectations.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
The remaining employees of TSD Loreto Partners are gone and the company ceased operations last week. All Loreto Bay email addresses and phone numbers have been terminated, so no point in calling or writing. Elvis has left the building.
Sometimes I feel like the last person remaining, and it is no prize. There are many good friends and people that contributed to the dream over the years that have moved on and will always fondly remember being part of something great. There are a few who are choosing to stay and start new ventures in the hope of finding what they are looking for. To each it is different. This is definitely a rough patch for everyone. For some it appears subliminal and others feel the Fight or Flight Response. For me, it is more of an awakening.
Having absolutely no idea what to write about this Sunday, I checked out my horoscope. Not something I live my life by, but hey… sometimes clarity comes when we least expect it. Today it read …
You are a lover of the mystery of life, yet sometimes you long for straightforward answers. Unfortunately, there's no easy way out; you must be satisfied exploring for a solution to your questions, rather than finding exactly what you're looking for today. However, keep in mind that this is not about giving up; it's about letting go.
Ironically this is exactly how I was feeling. I am not giving up on my goals of community, prosperity, and quality of life. However, it is time for me to let the Loreto Bay vision go. The dream was not a mistake, or even a failure. It allowed thousands of people the opportunity to step outside the box and commit to an unknown promise, and I truly believe we are all better for it. Loreto Bay Company put this area on the map and helped many Mexicans with jobs and increase their land values and living standards. There are many positive signs for the future here.
The Loreto Bay Homeowners are united under the Condominium Regimes and are meeting their challenges together to create a great place to live. Remember all the issues that are surfacing now were here for quite sometime. The only difference is now homeowners are empowered with the knowledge to make a difference. It is my personal opinion that what has transpired over the last month should have happened a year ago when it was clear RePlay was not the white knight. However, it is difficult to convince people who want to continue to believe that the problems would go away or be solved by those that created them.
Since there is no more Loreto Bay Realty Company; DORADO Properties Loreto is now the only Real Estate Company able to adequately represent the true value of these homes. We are increasing our sales team for the fall when we expect to see increased activity, and it is important that we maintain stable pricing as we still believe there is terrific value in these homes and future development.
Several weeks ago FADESA the Spanish group developing San Bruno 30 kms north of Loreto, had an open meeting in Loreto to announce that it was again starting its plans to move forward. The discussion was mainly around changing their MIA (Urban Plan) and Environmental Impact Assessment to fit better with the limitations of the area. Their plan is still for hundreds of homes, golf course, and a multi million dollar development. It could be two years before they start construction and/or sales, but times passes quickly.
The group that own the old Whales Inn Hotel, which was doing sales under the J.W. Marriott flag, are still around. They are simply putting the project on hold until the economy improves.
The VILLA Group in Ensenada Blanca is continuing with its construction and already starting the second floor of their first building. They have quite a set up with their own cement plant, worker accommodation and are self contained. Their new Santa Fe Hotel downtown next to Domingo’s Steak House is expected to be open this October.
Dorado Properties Loreto represents a new project called Amala which is located at the mouth of Baja Concepcion and consists of 30 one acre parcels on the beach, starting at $400,000 USD. We are marketing this property to those that want space, a truly environmentally sustainable product, and common care services (ie. housekeepers, cooks, shoppers, gardeners, etc) living on the premises to take care of the residents.
Fonatur is busy putting in a new malecon in Zaragoza (between Loreto and the airport) and have many large trucks and heavy equipment in doing what it does best… build roads.
People know that I avoid rumors and misinformation whenever possible; however, the latest one seems to have merit from inside sources. It will be interesting to hear the announcement of the new owner and watch the reactions of both local and foreigners. Change is never easy, but it is necessary and usually takes us to a better place.
People visiting often want to know my opinion or what I know about the latest gossip. I tell them: "Any information more than 5 minutes old has expired". Living in the past or future doesn’t leave much attention for the present. I intend to live in the present and seize the moment.
Considering that I had writer’s block this morning, it appears that I have run on quite a bit. It seems inappropriate for me to comment further on past or future speculations in this public forum. It also feels uncomfortable for me to write about my adventures and trips away when there is so much angst around us. So, I will be taking a break from this blog for the summer to focus on ramping up my Property Management and Real Estate companies for the fall. Will I return to writing Where In the World Is Nellie? Quien Sabe?
Thank you for tuning in and sharing my journey. It has not ended, just taken a detour and respite. Have a great summer!
See you in Loreto!
Miss Nellie
