Mexico

We visited Mexico in Oct'10. Mexico has never been on a traveler's map until very recently. The city (Mexico city) is still crime infested and there are a lot of border issues. Though ours was not a 'vacation' in the true spirit (we had family there and we spent catching up ) nevertheless i would highly recommend Mexico if

a) you are a big fan of mexican street food - which is not your typical 'mexican cuisine' and is NOT vegetarian

b) you like artifacts, handicrafts, junk tribal jewelery

c) margaritas.

If you live in the US, a trip to Mexico is definitely worth it. Also, you no longer need a visa and you can get one on arrival. How convenient!.

Like i mentioned in my previous posts, you don't need to like these to go on a holiday to Mexico. These might just add more 'value' to your trip!. Of course, places like Cancun and Cabos are true 'holiday' destinations and very touristy. I recommend adding any of the places below to complete your itinerary because these cities truly bring out the Mexican culture.

We stayed at Queretaro. It is a state in central México and is one of the popiular non beach destinations and is a very small village. Unless you have family there - nobody visits. Just to give you a comparison, would you recommend say Arakonam to somebody visiting south India? The State of Querétaro offers many interesting cultural and natural attractions, thanks to its diverse geography and to its crucial role in Mexican history. Three World heritage sites, a Pueblo Bernal, the first vineyards in America (Tequisquiapan and surroundings), beautiful haciendas as well as lush natural scenery are only part of what visitors enjoy.

Guadalajara

Our next stop was at Guadalajara - Mexico’s second-largest city.It is the ultimate fusion of the past and present. Guadalajara’s heart is the CentroHistorico, where meticulously preserved buildings from the colonial era provide a picturesque backdrop. The city has brightly coloured walls in red orange and blue and Mexican ice cream is a must have. Once can spend the day just by eating local fare, shopping trinkets and paying a visit to the lovely churches around.

Teotihuacan

Our final destination was the ancient city of pyramids.The early history of Teotihuacan is quite mysterious, and the origin of its founders is debated. For many years, archaeologists believed it was built by the Toltec. Other scholars have put forth the Totonac people as the founders of Teotihuacan. There is evidence that at least some of the people living in Teotihuacan came from areas influenced by the Teotihuacano civilization, including the Zapotec,Mixtec and Maya people. The Pyramid of Sun and moon is definitely worth a climb (i stopped half way. it was really steep!).