Mexico

Mexico turned out to be a wonderful country to visit. I am sorry it took me so long to visit my next door neighbor.

Mexico is a fascinating blend of Old World and New World cultures. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in 1519, Mexico was home to some of the western hemisphere's most advanced societies, including the magnificent cities at Teotihuacán and Chichén Itzá. Today, descendants of these indigenous peoples are still very much a part of modern Mexico, both in their own right and through the adoption of many of their customs and beliefs into the mainstream culture.

The Spanish, of course, also left a large and indelible mark of the face of Mexico. Stately structures from the colonial era grace cities such as Guanajuato, Morelia, Querétaro and, most notably, Mexico City. And then there is modern Mexico, which broke from Spain in the early 1800s.

This blend of cultures is seen throughout the country in the art, the food and the customs. Mexico is a colorful and vibrant country to visit. It seems that there is always something going on – a festival, mariachis playing in the plaza, kids running through the parks and, perhaps, some "voladores" swinging upside down from a five-story pole. But fondest memories of Mexico (aside from the food) relate to how friendly the people were, how they would readily go out of their way to help us find an address or, on one memorable morning, fix a flat tire.

Although we were in Mexico for four weeks – a fourth week tacked on at the last minute because we could not bear to leave – we saw only a small portion of this vast country. Our trip started (and ended) in Mexico City (which has now become one of my favorite cities in the world). We then made a five-day detour to the Copper Canyon (Sierra Tarahumara) to see both the spectacular scenery and the Tarahumara Indians who still populate the area. Then, with a car rented from Mexico City, we drove to Taxco, Pátzcuaro (for the Day of the Dead), Morelia, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Zacatecas and Querétaro. Along the way, we also stopped to see the Pre-Hispanic ruins at Teotihuacán, Tzintzuntzan and Tula. But there is still so much more to see. I look forward to returning again and again to this magical country.

The photos above offer some highlights of the places I visited. For more detail on any particular place, choose from the drop-down list below. Also, on this page there is one pop-up slide show with photos of some of the interesting people in Mexico.