Click on image above for tutorial (13 minutes, 150 MB)

In this screencast I explain how you can easily download and install Google Earth and then check out the Loreto Bay Agua Viva Layer. 

I heard that Loreto Bay has some kind of map application in its web site.  Since that application is only available to LB owners, I decided to create this Agua Viva Layer for Google Earth. I don't know how good the Loreto Bay map is or how it compares to Google Earth - but our Agua Viva layer is free and available to anyone.  See the tutorial below for more details.

Install Google Earth, then click the image

If you don't already have it, download and install the free application "Google Earth" from http://earth.google.com/.  Then click on the image above to open the Loreto Bay Layer for Google Earth.   If you are new to Google Earth, check out this tutorial.

History

• 6/28/2008:  Added the Founders' Neighborhood layer, 20080628-Loreto-Bay-in-3D.kmz, 3.6 MB.
• Added the Founders' Neighborhood layer on a suggestion from Drew McNabb (FN 49) - thanks Drew!
• Now we have maps for both the Founders' Neighborhood and half of Agua Viva.
• Renamed this article the "Loreto Bay Layer in Google Earth".
  
• 6/24/2008: Released a tutorial that explains some of the features of Google Earth and the Agua Viva layer. Check it out here.
  
• 6/23/2008: First version released, 20071118-Loreto-Bay-in-3D.kmz, 1.8 MB.  Included:
• Agua Viva Layer for Google Earth.
• 3D Model of Casa Brasil (the house we hope to build, located on our lot in Nopolo).
• AV 61 - with a picture of the owners, Barry and Patricia.
  

http://www.gotoloreto.com/

The site is fairly simple, it looks like a basic HTML web site you may have seen back in 1998.  But the content is pretty good: it has an updated list of restaurants, information on Hotels and places to visit, activities and more.

Note to the gotoloreto.com designer: don't use images to display content such as addresses and phone numbers.  Instead just use HTML and cascading style sheets (CSS), the information will look just as good, but visitors to the site will be able to copy and paste the data.

Loreto is listed as "numero uno" in Nuwire Investor's article on the "Top 5 Mexican Real Estate Markets".

A second article, named "Loreto: Mexico's Next Real Estate Hot Spot", makes a lot of good points on why it makes sense to invest in Loreto, including its strategic location, infrastructure, Loreto Bay's sustainable approach and its history and culture appeal.  I copy the full article below.

Loreto: Mexico's Next Real Estate Hot Spot
Nuwire Investor, Written by Elizabeth Smith, 8/8/2007, Link

If you are like most Americans, you have at least heard of—if not visited—popular Mexican destinations Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa. What you likely haven’t heard of is Loreto, a tiny fishing village poised to cash in on the next big tourism boom.

Since being selected for development as resort towns by Mexican federal tourism agency FONATUR, Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa have undergone huge tourism booms and price appreciation. FONATUR has recently turned its attention to Loreto, building infrastructure and developer relationships that suggest Loreto will soon join Mexico's list of tourism heavyweights.

A strategic location

Baja California extends south from southern California and shares many of the same attractions, including a warm, sunny coastal climate and beautiful beaches. Unlike California, however, prices are much more affordable.

"Baja is geographically the Florida of the West Coast," Jim Grogan, president and CEO of Loreto Bay Company, said. "If you can imagine an opportunity...to purchase and develop seaside resorts in Florida 100 years ago, that's the opportunity that exists in Baja."

"There's really no affordable beachfront left in southern California, and everybody's hungry for their place in the sun," Alan Axelrod, Baja investor and managing member of Axelrod Capital Management, LLC, said.

Americans are quickly discovering the charms of life across the border, along with its attractive prices. More than half a million American citizens live in Mexico, according to the State Department.

Just a two-hour flight from Los Angeles on the east cape of Baja California Sur, Loreto is located in what is still a relatively undeveloped area with low prices in comparison with California or with popular Los Cabos, which is located at Baja's southern tip.

Home prices in Loreto range from $130,000 USD to $865,000 USD, while land costs run from $40 per square meter near the highway to $200 per square meter on the water, Linda Neil, an accredited buyer representative and real estate consultant based in La Paz, said. Construction costs average about $75 to $80 per square foot for new home construction, and costs are a little higher for remodeling an existing structure, she said.

Demand for properties in Loreto is likely to increase as high prices in Los Cabos and on the U.S. side of the border cause would-be vacationers, retirees and second-home buyers to seek more affordable markets.

Infrastructure

Thanks to FONATUR, Loreto has received more than $200 million in infrastructure improvements, Grogan said. This gives it a distinct advantage over most of Baja, in which limited infrastructure acts as a "barrier to entry," he said.

Infrastructure advances have included Loreto's own international airport though which Alaska and Delta Airlines offer nonstop service from LAX and Continental Airlines offers nonstop service from Houston, Grogan said.

FONATUR also built a marina, two hotels and a golf course, and put in roads, water, sewer, utilities and water/sewer treatment plants, Grogan said. A state-of-the-art hospital is in progress and is set to open this year, he said.

In spite of the fact that Loreto has only 14,000 residents, a regional plan has already been developed that designates where the hotel district will go, where the housing will go and where the commercial nodes will be, Axelrod said.

A sustainable approach

Loreto is unique among FONATUR's projects in that FONATUR is working with Loreto Bay Company on "a different plan of development...low rise, no hotels blocking the beach, pedestrian friendly, villages with no cars...working with these sustainability principles which it had never really paid much attention to before," Axelrod said.

"There's a sustainable way of developing where you can literally improve the environment, and improve the quality of air and water, and add more biodiversity, more biomass," Grogan said.

The Loreto Bay Company's development is not the cheapest place in the area, Axelrod said. Even so, its prices are "a third the cost of a similarly situated project in Cabo, and...a sixth to an eighth of the price of southern California," Grogan said.

Relaxed zoning requirements make it easy to do thoughtless development in Baja, and the challenge is to have American investors come in and both make money and keep Baja sustainable and livable, Axelrod said.

History and cultural appeal

Loreto was the original capital of Baja California back when the state reached all the way up to the southern border of Oregon, Grogan said. "San Francisco reported to Loreto, Los Angeles reported to Loreto, San Diego reported to Loreto. It was the center of government, center of culture."

"The very first mission of all the California missions is in Loreto," Grogan said. "This is a town that has rich history, rich architectural interest and a wonderful community in this tiny little village."

Natural beauty, including the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range and the Sea of Cortez, make Loreto a natural ecotourism destination. Water sports such as fishing, diving, kayaking and swimming are growing popular, Neil said.

Opportunities

While vacation rentals in Loreto have a lower demand than those in Los Cabos, Loreto's demand should grow as Loreto develops into a tourist hot spot with more amenities, entertainment and infrastructure. As tourism grows, so will demand for rental properties.

Many people are already purchasing retirement and second homes in Loreto, which should also realize price appreciation.

In addition, raw land offers opportunity as the city grows outwards. Investors should pay attention to whether the land has access to water and has the potential for installing a septic system, in case sewer does not become available soon. 

Tourist services, such as bars, restaurants, water sports and ecotourism, are another area of opportunity, and affordable housing for service providers is yet another, Axelrod said. "It takes a lot of people to service the tourist industry, and they have to have a place to live."

Water and energy needs are an area of concern in Baja, and that may offer an investment opportunity in alternative energies such as solar and wind, Axelrod said.

Purchasing property

Mexico has laws protecting property from foreign ownership in certain restricted areas, such as zones near the coast or border. Because Baja is so long and skinny, the entire peninsula is a restricted zone in which foreigners can't directly own property, Neil said.

However, structures have recently been developed to allow foreign ownership of properties in restricted zones (see Mexican Property Ownership for details).

We're still working on our "Fidecomiso", the legal paperwork that will allow us to properly own the lot we purchased.  We've purchased the lot over two and half years ago, but there were complications.   We've decided we would not build the house until the paperwork is completely done.

Loreto Bay owners: you should appreciate the work LBC is doing for you - you don't have to deal with the Mexican bureaucracy and unsavory characters.

There are many good presidential candidates this year and I urge everyone to watch the debates and vote.  Although I have made up my mind on my choice for presidential candidate, this post only provides information and links on the propositions that are on the 2/5/20008 ballot. 

First, in addition to the Elections and Voter Information site from the California Secretary of State, there's a great wiki website with a lot of information on the propositions on our ballot:

http://ballotpedia.org/
Ballotpedia's mission: with your help, Ballotpedia aims to be an abundant and growing source of information on citizen initiatives, ballot access, petition drives, initiative and referendum for political change, and associated subjects.

Specifically, here's the summary page for the California 2008 ballot measures:

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=California_2008_ballot_measures

Here are the direct links to the Elections and Voter Information site from the California Secretary of State and to the ballotpedia.org pages for each proposition:

Finally, here are the official positions of the Democratic and Republican parties:

If you haven't already voted by mail using an absentee ballot, please vote on Tuesday 2/5/2008.  It's the people that vote that define the policies that impact our lives for years to come.

For those who can't decide between camping beneath the stars in the desert or lounging in the sun on the beach, in Loreto, Mexico, no choice is necessary.

Loreto, the oldest town in Baja California Sur, is the land where the mountains meet the sea.

Driving into Loreto along the dusty Trans-Peninsular highway it is obvious the town, located about 700 km from San Diego, is one of breath-taking contrasts.

To the right is rugged desert terrain spotted with cacti and indigenous plants rolling into the foothills of The Sierra de la Giganta mountain range. To the immediate left, the indigo waters of the Sea of Cortez lap up onto sandy white beaches that stretch for miles.

The sea has long been the main attraction to Loreto and was once called "the world's aquarium" by famed explorer Jacques Cousteau.

More than a decade later, it still rings true.

Cool stuff - I copy the full article below.

For those who can't decide between camping beneath the stars in the desert or lounging in the sun on the beach, in Loreto, Mexico, no choice is necessary.

Loreto, the oldest town in Baja California Sur, is the land where the mountains meet the sea.

Driving into Loreto along the dusty Trans-Peninsular highway it is obvious the town, located about 700 km from San Diego, is one of breath-taking contrasts.

To the right is rugged desert terrain spotted with cacti and indigenous plants rolling into the foothills of The Sierra de la Giganta mountain range. To the immediate left, the indigo waters of the Sea of Cortez lap up onto sandy white beaches that stretch for miles.

The sea has long been the main attraction to Loreto and was once called "the world's aquarium" by famed explorer Jacques Cousteau.

More than a decade later, it still rings true.

Protected by five islands, the waters off Loreto form the largest marine park in Mexico which is a nursery for blue whales and thousands of different fish species.

Most fishing companies in the town offer tours upon request for diving or snorkelling off the islands.

Depending on the company, some tours are even offered aboard comfortable cabin cruisers that include a Mexican lunch and frothy tropical drinks -- even at 9 a.m.

Gliding along the pristine waters, it's not uncommon to see a school of dolphins swim alongside the boat.

The Sea of Cortez has long been a popular destination for scuba divers, but you don't have to go down very far to come face to face with massive sea turtles, sword fish and sea lions -- which is why some tourists opt for snorkeling instead.

If you're more of a land lover, the area tour operators have a number of reasonably-priced options that will keep you entertained -- and dry.

C&C tours, owned by a young geologist named Cecilia Haugen, will take guests on winding desert hikes or to Mulege (MOO-LA-HAY) an oasis in the desert with a natural spring water pool, citrus trees and ancient cave paintings.

The company also offers trips to the serene mountain-top village of San Javier, home to a majestic mission founded by the Jesuits in 1699.

After touring the mission, a delicious lunch of goat or chicken soft tacos and homemade salsa and guacamole is offered outside by a local farm family.

Buying a jar of olives from the family who pick the fruit from the trees in the village and preserve them in a homemade brine, is highly recommended.

Despite the many gifts Loreto has to offer, it has remained unscathed by the hordes of tourists migrating to Mexican destinations such as Cancun and Los Cabos.

And because of that, it's managed to maintain an authenticity that is missing from the popular tourist traps.

The cobblestoned roads in the town are lined with shops offering hand-painted souvenirs, silver jewelry and traditional Mexican mosaic art.

The town offers more than a dozen restaurants, including El Canipole, a quaint outdoor cafe owned and run by a local family who speak no English.

But that's not a problem because the restaurant, which was the romantic venue on a final date during one season of the hit reality show The Bachelor, only offers a couple of options.

As you eat under the stars, you'll be visited by a pair of Mexican guitarists who will serenade you at a cost of $5 per song.

The Loreto Bay Company, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has purchased 8,000 acres of land. During the next 15 years the company will transform about half of it into the Villages of Loreto Bay, a series of romantic seaside villages.

The company, run by Canadian businessman David Butterfield, promises 5,000 acres will be maintained as a natural "green lands" preserve and that they will produce more energy from renewable resources than they consume.

The Loreto Bay Company has recently purchased one of the town's most prestigious beach front resorts and promises all-inclusive packages will soon be available.

- - -

HOW TO GET THERE

• How to get there: Currently the best way to get to Loreto from Calgary is to fly to Los Angeles and then take Alaska Airlines from L.A. to Loreto. The flight only departs L.A. twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays at 11:10 a.m.
• Where to stay: Loreto offers dozens of choices in accommodation, including resorts such as the Inn at Loreto Bay -- formerly the Camino Real Hotel -- or beachfront suites with kitchenettes.
• Prices vary, but www.gotoloreto.com offers photos of the hotels, as well as prices and locations.
• When to go: The city of Loreto is protected from hurricanes by the foliage planted along the shores and the five islands in the area. If you're a diver, August is the best month to go as the water is like glass. During the winter, the wind shifts the current and the water is not as clear.

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans fled a flooded region of the Gulf coast Friday, jumping from rooftops into rescue helicopters, scrambling into boats or swimming out through murky brown water.   President Felipe Calderon, flying overhead, called it one of Mexico's worst recent natural disasters.

A week of heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, drowning at least 70 percent of the oil-rich state of Tabasco. Much of the state capital, Villahermosa, looked like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, with water reaching to rooftops and desperate people awaiting rescue.

At least one death was reported and nearly all services, including drinking water and public transportation, were shut down. The flood affected an estimated 900,000 people — their homes flooded, damaged or cut off by high water.

A few days ago, I wrote an article on how to open a bank account at the Bancomer branch in Loreto (click here for the details).  I received an email today from Bancomer indicating that if you have a Bancomer account, you can easily donate online: just send your donation to Bancomer account #0427692633 (see screenshot below). 

If you don't have a Bancomer account but would like to help, you can wire the money to the above account (contact your bank for details) or just walk in at the Bancomer branch in Loreto (print this article and show them the information in Spanish below).

This article is not directly linked to Loreto, but since this tragedy is occurring in Mexico I thought I'd mention it.  See below for the full article.

900,000 Affected by Mexican Floods
By ANTONIO VILLEGAS – 11/2/2007, Link

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans fled a flooded region of the Gulf coast Friday, jumping from rooftops into rescue helicopters, scrambling into boats or swimming out through murky brown water.

President Felipe Calderon, flying overhead, called it one of Mexico's worst recent natural disasters.

A week of heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, drowning at least 70 percent of the oil-rich state of Tabasco. Much of the state capital, Villahermosa, looked like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, with water reaching to rooftops and desperate people awaiting rescue.

At least one death was reported and nearly all services, including drinking water and public transportation, were shut down. The flood affected an estimated 900,000 people — their homes flooded, damaged or cut off by high water.

Workers tried to protect Villahermosa's famous Olmec statues by placing sandbag collars around their enormous stone heads, and built sandbag walls to hold back the Grijalva River in the state capital.

But the water rose quickly, surprising residents used to annual floods and forcing soldiers to evacuate the historic city center. The dikes failed Thursday night, and water swamped the capital's bus station and open-air market.

Rain gave way to sunshine Friday, but tens of thousands of people were still stranded on rooftops or in the upper floors of their homes. Rescue workers used tractors, helicopters, jet skis and boats to ferry people to safety, while others swam through water infested by poisonous snakes to reach higher ground.

Calderon met with state officials, flew over the affected areas and visited a makeshift shelter. The extent of the flooding was clear from the sky — Tabasco state seemed like an inland sea with only rooftops and treetops protruding from the water.

In a televised address late Thursday, the president called on Mexicans to donate emergency supplies as the government trucked in bottled water, food and clothing.

"The situation is extraordinarily grave. This is one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the country," Calderon said.

Mexicans across the country responded by contributing money and supplies. Television stations dedicated entire newscasts to the flooding and morning shows switched from yoga and home improvement to calls for aid. Friday was the Day of the Dead holiday, but banks opened to accept donations for flood victims.

Food and clean drinking water were extremely scarce in Tabasco state, and federal Deputy Health Secretary Mauricio Hernandez warned that there could be outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

"With so many people packed together there is a chance that infectious diseases could spread," he said.

Officials tested for 600 suspected cases of cholera, but none was positive, he said. The waterborne sickness, which can be fatal, has not been reported in Mexico for at least six years.

The government also sent 20,000 Hepatitis A vaccinations and were giving booster shots to children to prevent outbreaks, Hernandez said.

Medical care was difficult, however, because at least 50 of the state's hospitals and medical centers were flooded.

Hotels, parking garages and other dry structures were converted into temporary shelters for those forced from their homes.

Guadalupe de la Cruz, a receptionist at the Hotel Calinda Viva Villahermosa, said the hotel's meeting rooms were being used as shelters for employees' families. She said the 240-room hotel was completely booked, mostly by people who had fled their homes.

Many people were headed to nearby cities unaffected by the floods. Highways that weren't covered with water were packed with residents fleeing in cars and on foot.

Villahermosa resident Mauricio Hernandez, 27, who is not related to the federal official, paid a taxi to go to Cardenas, 30 miles away. From there, he planned to hop a bus to the port city of Coatzacoalcos.

"We are leaving because we cannot live like this," he said. "We don't have any water, and the shelters are full. Where are we going to go?"

State officials sent 50 buses to a museum in the capital where hundreds of people gathered.

"We wanted to stay in the city but it is no longer possible," said Jorge Rodriguez, 43. "We have lost everything."

Here's more info and links related to the Camino Real Hotel Inn at Loreto Bay resort:

• Official web site: http://www.innatloretobay.com/ (you can book a room online).
• Satellite picture, right above the hotel.  The video was shot in the middle of the resort, a bit to the right of the swimming pool.
• Click here to fly to the resort in Google Earth; or if you don't have Google Earth, click here to download and install it.

The background music is a song called "Find the Cost of Freedom", by the great band Styx.

Earthquake Center » Latest Earthquakes - World »
Magnitude 4.0 - BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO

• Click here for more information on this earthquake.
• Click here for maps of this earthquake.
• Click here to view the earthquake location in Google Maps, where you can zoom in and out, pan, and see how far is Loreto.  The exact location of the earthquake was at +23° 55' 44.40", -109° 57' 3.60" (23.929°N, 109.951°W).

I haven't heard any reports of injuries or damage to property from our friends in Loreto and Todos Santos - everything seems ok.

When Janelle and I started working on the architectural designs for our house, we worried about Mexican construction standards, at least in relation to California earthquake construction standards.

But as we learned more about the process, we now feel that a 6 foot deep foundation and the rebar and concrete structures seem to handle such earth shaking events pretty well. 

I don't know what would happen if a major 6.0 or higher earthquake hit Baja, but I've heard of a few 4.0 and lower earthquakes that have occurred in the past, and as far as I know, so far Baja buildings and houses have had no problems.

A few notes:

• As always, we were amazed at the construction progress.  There are literally dozens of new structures we hadn't seen before.
• There are a lot of houses and buildings partially built, right between the Founders' and Agua Viva neighborhoods (we call this "the buffer zone").
• Notice the progress in the beach house - the rebar columns have turned into concrete.
• A few units were built right in front of the Inn at Loreto Bay - that used to be empty space where potential LB owners came and checked out the dimensions of the available units.
• Click Here to watch a similar video, shot in May 2007.
• Click Here to watch a similar video, shot a year ago in September 2006.  Notice how much structures are only partially built and compare the streets and the progress made as you watch the video above.

The background music is "Boa Noite" (Good Night), by Djavan, a well-known Brazilian blues singer/songwriter.  Check out his Wikipedia page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djavan or his official site at http://www.djavan.com.br/.

Note: if you are running Windows Vista, you can just click on the XPS file to view it; if you are running Windows XP, you'll need to download and install the free Microsoft XML Paper Specification (XPS) Essentials Pack.

The ad was included in a special real estate advertising section and was apparently purchased by "Rock Cliff" (www.rockcliff.com), a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area.  It's funny that they advertise homes starting at $280,000 - I don't think you can buy an empty lot today for less than $300,000.

 
The local Bancomer branch in Loreto, Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico

Well, things have changed, and today in Loreto, it's a lot simpler.  You can go to the local Bancomer branch and open a bank account.  Bancomer is the only bank in town, but it offers all of the services you may need.  Having a bank account allows you to pay anyone in town, pay your utilities and more.

In this article I'll describe how you can get a few services from this Bancomer branch that will allow you to even pay your bills online.  There are different types of accounts you can open, but this is the configuration I suggest:

• A checking account (in Mexican pesos).
• A savings account (in US dollars).
• An online account to manage the accounts above.

Before I opened the above accounts, the only way I had to pay anyone was to either bring cash/travelers checks to Loreto or to wire the money directly (and that costs $30 per wire transfer).

One of the ATMs Bancomer will give you when opening an account

Having a savings account in US dollars makes sure your funds are not losing their value, since, over time, the Mexican peso tends to become weaker than the American dollar.  You can wire a relatively larger sum to your savings account in US dollars and transfer funds online as needed to your checking account in pesos.

If you are interested in opening a bank account in Loreto, Mexico, read below.  I'll give you information on how to open the accounts and how to access them securely online.

Here's what you'll need to open the bank accounts:

• Your US or Canadian passport.
• Copies of every page of your passport.
• Your Mexican FM3 visa.  
• Copies of every page of your FM3 visa.
• A utilities bill with an address in Loreto.
• Cash for the checking account (I suggest at least $500 US Dollars).
• Cash for the savings account (I suggest at least $1000 US Dollars).

As mentioned above, you will need a Mexican FM3 visa to open a bank account in Mexico.  As a foreigner, a FM3 visa allows you, among other things, to legally be a resident in Mexico, open a bank account and bring in goods.  Nellie wrote about FM3 visas here, and here's someone who wrote about the process.   I will also write about our experience in getting our FM3 on a separate thread.

Sometimes it's great just to enjoy the A/C at the Bancomer ATM 

Once you have the above, make an appointment with Mr. Orlando Pivas, who's responsible for opening bank accounts for foreigners (note: Mr. Pivas was the bank clerk handling our case, you may end up working with someone else). 

You can also work with a "FM3 handler", someone who can help you with the paperwork and the language barrier.  A great company in Loreto is Baja Boss - they can help you with the FM3 residency visa, give you tips and make an appointment as well.  We've worked with Alfredo Cristo from Re/Max and Nellie Hutchison from Baja Boss, and we strongly recommend Nellie Hutchison and her staff from Baja Boss (hat tip to Jeanny Pinedo, she's great).  

Make sure you describe what you want to Mr. Pivas: the checking account in Mexican pesos, the savings account in US dollars and the web account for online access; I also requested a checkbook.  Most current employees of the Bancomer branch do not speak English, but I was told Bancomer is opening a new branch specifically for Americans and Canadians, and they will have employees fluent in English.

It took Mr. Pivas about two hours to process my paperwork and open the bank accounts, so if you have friends or family with you, tell them to get a cold drink at Cafe Ole.

A Bancomer ATM card for your savings account in US dollars

2 - Activating the accounts and ATM cards

Once Mr. Pivas is done with your paperwork, you will receive:

• An ATM card for the checking account.
• An ATM card for the savings account.
• A PIN code for the checking ATM card.
• A kit to activate your web account online.  This includes a card with table codes for online access (more on that later).

The process is a bit convoluted, you must then activate your cards:

1. First you go to one of the tellers (Mr. Pivas will tell you which number) so you can deposit the cash into your accounts. 
2. You should request from the teller a PIN ("NIP" in Spanish) for your savings account ("Ahoro" in Spanish); that's the account in US dollars.  The PIN code is printed in a very small print, so don't hesitate to ask the teller or Mr. Pivas to show you the exact PIN code.
3. You then need to walk outside and go into the ATM machine, where you should activate both of your ATM cards using the PIN codes you received.  You must do this for each of the cards, or your accounts and ATM cards won't be activated.

3 - Activating the accounts online

Once you have your ATMs activated, you need to activate your online account.  I suggest you do this while you're still in Loreto: in my case, there was a problem with the setup and I had to go back to the Bancomer branch downtown and ask Mr. Pivas to fix it.  There are a few Internet cafes downtown and the Inn at Loreto Bay, which also has free wireless.

You only need to activate your account once, to get started, point your browser to:

  http://www.bancomer.com.mx/

Then click on "Activacion" in the top right:

Then choose "Persona Fisica", and a window will pop-up"

You'll need to enter your checkings ATM card number (16 digits), your checkings account number (pesos account) and your checkings PIN; then click on "Continuar".

Note that the Bancomer web site is available in Spanish only.  That's another reason to work with a handler or Baja Boss, they can help you bypass the language barrier.  A few lessons of Spanish wouldn't hurt: most of the screens are fairly simple and if you practice your Spanish while in Loreto, you could probably get a handle on the Bancomer web site.

On the next screen, you'll setup two passwords ("Contrasenas" in Spanish):

• A login password: this password is used for authentications purposes when you're logging in at http://www.bancomer.com.mx/
• A transfer password: this password is used when you're making transfers to a third party account, either in Mexican pesos or US dollars.

Make sure you keep all of this information secured and saved somewhere.  You'll need your ATM card numbers, your PINs, your login and transfer passwords, your code card and everything else.  To store such information I use a program called "FlexWallet", which you can find here: http://webis.net/products_info.php?p_id=wallet

3 - Accessing the accounts online - Login Process

Once your account is activated, you can access your accounts online anytime.  Point your browser to:

  http://www.bancomer.com.mx/

Then click on "Personas" in the top navigation:

You will then need to enter your ATM card number ("Numero de Tarjeta") in the top right:

Note that this is your 16-digit ATM card number from your checkings account (in Mexican pesos).  Enter the number and click on "Entrar" - you will then be asked for your password.

In the "Contrasena" field, enter your online password (not your transfer password), and click on "Entrar" again.  You will then be asked for numbers from your code card:

As part of your web kit, Mr. Pivas should have given you a card that looks like this:

It contains a table with columns from A to J and rows from 1 to 10, and an extra row from K to T.   Enter the requested numbers (in the screenshot above it's the code in the cell "J2", and the number from the row L) and click on "Entrar" again.

If all went well, you should see the screen above.  Click on "Aceptar" and a new window will popup - that's it, you're logged in!

Once logged in, you have a lot of options, such as:

• Check your balances and activity.
• Transfer from one of your accounts to another - this includes selling US dollars to fill up your Mexican pesos account.
• Transfer money to a 3rd party - you can transfer pesos or dollars, but the recipient account must match the type of funds you're sending.
• Transfer to other banks.
• Pay bills online.
• Apply for a credit card.
• Change your preferences
• And more...

4 - Transferring money to a 3rd party account

One of the main reasons we opened the bank accounts in Loreto is the ability we now have to easily make payments from the San Francisco Bay Area.  We no longer need to pay $30 for every wire transfer we make, and making a payment is faster and easier.

In this section, I'll show you how easy it is to make such a payment.  After logging in, click on "Transpasos a terceros" on the right and a sub-menu will appear:

You may choose to transfer from your checkings account in Mexican pesos ("Moneda nacional") or from your savings account in US dollars ("Dolares").  You can only transfer from an account in dollars to another account in dollars, or from an account in pesos to another account in pesos, so make sure you know which type of account you're transferring to.

Regardless of whether you chose to transfer from your checkings account in Mexican pesos ("Moneda nacional") or from your savings account in US dollars ("Dolares"), you will be presented with the screen above, where you need to enter the recipient's account number.

Once you enter the account number, click on "Procesar" and verify the recipient's name.  You can then re-use this recipient for future transfers; from the main menu, click on "Mis traspasos frecuentes".

You're almost done: just choose from which account you'd like to transfer (checkings/pesos or savings/dollars), enter the date, choose the recipient account and enter an amount.  Then click on "Continuar" where you'll be asked for your transfer password and you'll need to retrieve a couple of number from your card code.

Isn't the Internet great?

5 - Conclusion

My grandfather used to own a newspaper in Romania before World War II.  He survived the war, but when the Russian communists invaded Romania in 1947 he was sent to Siberia and lost everything he had.

Years later he was released and I'm told that for the rest of his life he had a habit of opening a bank account in any city he visited.  He wanted to make sure he'd always have something left over somewhere if things turned sour.

Well, you don't need to open an account in every city you visit, but opening an account in Loreto is fairly easy and the features Bancomer offers online will allow you to take your financial transactions in Mexico to another level.

Good luck!

The celebrity news in Loreto this week was 20 Cardinal football cheerleaders were in town for the weekend. I heard this was a combination promotion for the Loreto Bay Sales Weekend, the kickoff of the Continental flight from Houston, Texas, and they were doing a photo shoot for next year’s calendar.

There was a special event at the airport on Thursday, which I missed but apparently every man in town heard about! All day Friday the local men were walking into my office asking me where they could get a glimpse of these beautiful American girls. Unfortunately, I do not have the clout to get them to Nellie’s Place Bar … otherwise, I would have!

I just received an email from Google News that announced that the calendar is now ready. 

 
A few of the Arizona Cardinals cheerleaders
hang out at the Camino Real's Inn at Loreto Bay pool

You can purchase a calendar for $15 USD by pointing your browser to the Arizona Cardinals web site:

http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=1960

I hear the owner of the Arizona Cardinals owns some property at Loreto Bay, so it's great he brought the Cardinals cheerleaders to a photo shoot in Baja. 

By the way, a few weeks ago, I was at the season opener where Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals on a last second touchdown on Monday night football at Candlestick park!  Sweet.

I copy more information on the calendar below.

As I slowly awoke to the buzz of my alarm, my mind raced with anticipation of the next days events. Passport and Starbucks in hand, I boarded Continental flight 3113 with 13 of my teammates eager and ready to kick-off our 2007 swimsuit calendar shoot. Destination: Loreto Bay, Mexico.

After a long flight, I was refreshed by the sight of the natural beauty that is Loreto Bay, Mexico. Breathtaking scenes of aqua waters and lush green islands coupled with the muted tones of the slopes of the Sierra de la Giganta Mountains sprinkled atop the Sea of Cortes, were nothing short of amazing. As the locals say, Loreto Bay is “where the mountains come to swim.” I knew this was going to be an experience I would never forget!

As we taxied toward the seaside airport, thatch-roofed tiki huts and a welcoming committee of firetrucks, locals and the Mayor of Loreto Bay, C. Rodolfo Davis Osuna, greeted us. I quickly discovered that not only was Loreto Bay a true paradise, but the people of Loreto were strongly dedicated to tradition and the preservation of their culture. Through the narration of our flight attendant, we learned that this was the inaugural flight of Continental Airlines to Loreto Bay. As we slowly approached the terminal, we were showered with water from the fire trucks to christen the planes arrival! Within minutes of arriving, I could tell Loreto Bay reflects the great history that defines this legendary part of Mexico.

In fact, very little has changed since it was founded in 1697, as California’s first settlement. Jesuit priest and explorer Juan Maria Salvatiera harbored an intense desire for the evangelization of lower California. He founded the Mission de Nuestra Senora de Loreto Concho by placing an image of the Virgin of Our Lady of Loreto on a cross decorated with wildflower garlands. Loreto served as the capital of California for over 130 years and served as the base for further expansion of the Jesuit mission system. The history of Loreto is alive and evident in every part of this seaside community.

After arriving at our ocean-view Inn, we were greeted by our director, Heather Karberg, with the news that I and Kathy Metcalf, also a third year veteran, would be the first shoots of the trip! After a cup of coffee and quick snack, my teammates helped Kathy and I prepare for our shoot.

The aqua hues of the Spanish-style mosaic fountain I waded in for my first location, perfectly complimented my swimsuit. With my lips glossed, hair teased, and the energetic direction from our photographer, Robert Konieczny, I gave “the look” in hopes of catching the perfect shot. With a few more clicks of the camera and the nod of approval from our director, it was on to the second location.

The heat of the setting sun definitely got our attention, and Kathy and I were glad to be playing in water for our second shots. Kathy was knee-deep in a shallow pool while I posed in a rustic terra cotta shower. With my shoot complete, I reflected on the time and dedication put into preparing for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

An all expense paid trip to an exotic resort location with good friends may sound great, but it was a lot of hard work to get there. Through the help of our trainer, Chris Powell, our entire team took part in a nutrition and workout program that motivated and prepared us for the calendar.

Along with physically preparing, you must mentally prepare. Through personal goals and the support of my teammates, I truly obtained a confidence that I hope will shine through in my pictures.

In celebration of a job well done, I helped myself to home-made guacamole and tortillas, which I soon found out, were more addicting than potato chips.

For the rest of our time in Mexico, we soaked up the sun on the beach, swam in the ocean, and assisted our teammates with their shoots. Between hair and makeup, lighting and positioning, and inspirational affirmations, we were becoming quite the production team. I found myself in awe of the amazing experience of shooting a swimsuit calendar and owe a lot of my experience to everyone who helped this dream come true. Our calendar is more than just beautiful women in swimsuits; it’s also about who we are individually, our goals, and our dedication to making our team the best it can be.

I am so honored to be a part of such an amazing group of woman and to represent the Arizona Cardinals. The experiences, friendships and life-long memories I have made are invaluable.

The new hospital in Loreto, Baja, Mexico

The hospital is located on the main Baja highway, between the bridge and the entrance to Loreto when coming from Nopolo.

The building looks great, but it looks like there's a lot of work to be done.  I didn't see anyone working on the hospital while I was in Loreto, maybe it's because it was really hot (my visit occurred end if August, beginning of September 2007).

You can view the pictures at:

http://pictures.ehuna.org/v/public/loretohospital/

Note: I did not see any signs and did not get any confirmation from anyone that this is really the new hospital being built.  I received information from a couple of local Loreto residents, but they were maybe playing a joke on me.