Monterrey, Mexico's third largest city and the so-called "Sultan of the North" is, in fact, a truly surprising city. A powerhouse of business and industry, this city is one of the most important production and trade centers in the country. But there is much more to Monterrey than just business and industry.
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Originally the majestic valleys and mountains were inhabited by indigenous Chichimec and Otomi Groups, but in the year 1531 the Spanish arrived. The combination of the natives and the Spaniards gave birth to a state, small in size, but immensely rich in culture, history, sights and landscapes that include grottos, deserts, waterfalls, and forests that a lifetime would not be enough to explore: This state is Queretaro.
Founded in 1531, Queretaro has become "the window into the geographic and cultural diversity of México". And in 1996 the UNESCO declared the downtown area of the city a world heritage site. All over the state one can see impressive buildings that date back to Queretaro’s past. Los Arcos, the city’s aqueduct from the18th century, is one of the many examples, and like los arcos, temples and grand villas were built by order of the Spanish viceroyalty. Moreover, just 7km outside of the city centre one can find the pyramid of El Cerrito, the biggest one in the central region of the country.
Read more: Queretaro: Where the Past and the Future Converge
West of Veracruz, beyond the coffee and vanilla plantations, the road climbs to the high plateau of central Mexico.
Tlaxcala is where the indigenous natives and Europeans first mixed. Nearby is the city of Puebla, the ‘Culinary Capital of Mexico,’ where their cuisines mixed; it is also where I was born and where I learned to cook.
Mexico / Quick Facts
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United Mexican States
 Population: 112,468,855 (2010 estimate) Capital: Mexico City Area: 1, 964, 382 km2, 758, 425 sq mi Largest cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Ecatepec de Morelos, Puebla, Netzahualcóyotl Ethnic groups: Mestizo (Native American-Spanish), Amerindian, European Ancestry, Other Languages: Spanish (official), various indigenous languages, English Religious affiliations: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 3%, Other 8% Education expenditure as a share of gross national product (GDP): 5.5% (2005) Number of years of compulsory schooling: 10 years (2007) Monetary unit: 1 nuevo Mexican peso (Mex$), consisting of 100 centavos Economy: Agriculture (Maize, beans, sugarcane, sorghum, wheat, barley, rice, oranges, coffee, tomatoes, potatoes, cotton, livestock), Mining (petroleum and natural gas, silver, zinc, fluorite, copper, lead, salt, celestite, antimony, bismuth), Manufacturing (motor vehicles, food products, iron and steel, chemicals, beverages, electrical machinery) Major trade partners for exports: United States, Canada, Germany, Spain, and Netherlands Antilles Major trade partners for imports: United States, Japan, Germany, Canada, and China |
