31 reasons to love Mexico
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/thisw...
Our correspondent offers a state-by-state guide to his favorite sites
By LAURENCE ILIFF
October 14, 2005
NUEVO VALLARTA, Mexico ? The bridge that connects Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco to Nuevo Vallarta in the state of Nayarit is a 15-minute
taxi ride from the airport, but it took me 15 years to get there.
Beach-swept Nayarit was the only state I hadn't visited during my time in Mexico as a student, local reporter and foreign correspondent.
It completes my informal travel collection of all of this nation's 31 states and its one near-state: Mexico City, which has a legal status similar to
Washington, D.C.
As I crisscrossed the country, Mexico has defied every stereotype. I've found much more than postcard images of sandy beaches and Aztec temples.
Nearly every town revealed a claim to fame (food or ruins or surf or crafts) that locals wanted to show off.
But the most important thing I've learned is that Mexico is always surprising, which makes for great traveling. Here's the Mexico I've come to
love.Picking a favorite state is tough, but Michoac?n (19 on the map; pronounced mee-choh-wah-KAHN) in central Mexico heads my list for now. It's not,
however, so much for the colonial capital, Morelia, with its massive cathedral, or its Indian magic and Day of the Dead celebrations that parallel
Halloween.
I'm drawn by the lesser-known city of Uruapan (UR-wa-pen) to the west, with its gorgeous swimming holes and a variety of local dishes that make it a
great spot for "food tourism." (Uruapan calls itself the avocado capital of the world.)
White pozole, a stewlike dish with meat, corn and a variety of condiments, is one-of-a-kind. Black atole, a hot drink made with cocoa rinds and anise,
is a regional favorite. All that and a steak dish, barbecue cecina, can be found in a downtown food court that's open until the wee hours of the
morning.
The state of Nayarit (13, nah-yar-REET) is most famous for domestic tobacco production. But its Pacific shores are stunning new hot spots for foreign
tourists and retirees looking to escape the Canc?n crowds.
Too many people are scared away from Chiapas (23), which made headlines a decade ago because of an Indian rebel movement. Visitors find jungle, ruins,
Mayan crafts and several Indian languages spoken alongside Spanish.
You'll also hear European languages, because the area has long been popular with overseas visitors drawn to its mountainous provincial capital, San
Crist?bal de las Casas.
With cobblestone streets, cafes, restaurants, bars and markets, it's both hip and sophisticated. Lodgings are cozy and relatively cheap. And the brief
violence of 1994 is long gone, although the Zapatista political movement lives on.
If you go to Chiapas, don't miss the Palenque (pah-LANE-kay) ruins where one is transported back in time to the ceremonial center of one of the
greatest civilizations ever: the Maya. Palenque is often shrouded in fog. Birds screech, insects chirp, and the sultry tropical climate intoxicates.
Yucatan (28) is another Mayan state, but on a peninsula (by the same name) that reaches toward Cuba. The capital of M?rida is both modern and old. It
was the first "American Capital of Culture," sanctioned by a Spanish nonprofit group and the Organization of American States. And it deserves the
title for its music, art, culture and hospitality. There's a decent beach at nearby Progreso.
But the Celest?n preserve, home to pink flamingos and the best seafood I've ever had, is an out-of-the way beauty that shows off Mexico's world-renown
ecological diversity.
Veracruz (31) on the Gulf Coast is best known for its biggest city and port, also called Veracruz. Caribbean-inspired, it's a nonstop celebration of
music and food and art that some have compared to New Orleans. But the lesser-known capital of Jalapa (also spelled Xalapa) has a world-class
anthropology museum, a university atmosphere and a cool climate because of its high altitude (4,557 feet). River rafting is popular even higher up.
A former tourism minister once told me that Jalisco (16), which stretches from the Pacific Coast to central Mexico, is the capital of mixed-race
Mexico.
Its capital, Guadalajara, is a gem, and perhaps Mexico's most livable big city.
There's a mariachi festival every September, huge plazas filled with churches, and tequila, tequila, tequila. Craft shopping in nearby Tlaquepaque
(tlock-ah-pah-KAY) and Tonal? is unparalleled.
On the Pacific Coast, Puerto Vallarta is belatedly becoming one of my favorite beaches. It took three trips there, but I finally discovered the
laid-back zona rom?ntica, with its restored hotels from 50 years ago, along with sidewalk cafes, slick bars, art galleries and reasonable prices.
The same former tourism minister told me that Oaxaca (22) state is the best example of Indian Mexico, and its capital, also called Oaxaca, is rich in
ceramics, textiles and crafts. Bring plenty of money and an empty suitcase to haul back your finds.
The central plaza is so beloved that locals successfully protested plans to open a fast-food restaurant there. Visit the many nearby towns and check
out their craft specialties, such as Arrazola with its painted wooden animals.
Nearby Monte Alban, with its subterranean tombs, is one of Mexico's top cultural sites.
Nonetheless, my favorite remains are the Teotihuac?n ( tay-oh-tee-wah-KAHN) pyramids, in Estado de Mexico (17), a state that surrounds Mexico City
much like Maryland does the District of Columbia. The ruins tower above flat plains, and from the top, puffy white clouds floating in blue skies seem
almost within reach.
There's magic and mystery here, since researchers are still trying to determine why the thriving city was suddenly abandoned centuries ago.
Mexico is not all about culture, however. It's also about rippin' beaches, and none are better than those in the Caribbean state of Quintana Roo (29).
Canc?n is a classic. Yes, it can feel like Miami Beach. Yes, the Spring Breakers can be too much. But it's a great place to hang, swim, eat, tan, go
out, sleep and do it all again. For a more European flavor, Playa del Carmen, just down the road from Canc?n, is the new hot spot.
In fact, the entire Riveria Maya that runs from Canc?n to the Mayan ruin of Tulum is unequaled for its warm, turquoise water and great hotels.
An island off the coast, Cozumel, is another great Quintana Roo location. It's easy to snorkel or scuba dive (cheaply) along one of the world's great
ocean reefs, Palancar.
While Acapulco, in the state of Guerrero (20), may not have Mexico's best beaches, it tops my list for best beach town. Stunning Acapulco Bay makes
for views not available elsewhere, and the night life is epic. Lodgings range from a youth hostel to the plush Mayan Palace. Come here if you want to
hang with the Mexicans and practice your Spanish.
Back in central Mexico lies the state San Luis Potos? (10). One of the most exotic places I have visited is an Indian town, Xilitla, where an
eccentric Scotsman built a park full of metal sculptures. His house is now a bed-and-breakfast. The whole experience is surreal. It's a little off the
main tourist path, but the payoff is huge.
Northern Mexico is often overlooked, and recent border violence hasn't helped encourage tourism. But just a few miles across the border are wonderful
sites. One of my favorite spots is in the city of Chihuahua (4), the capital of the state by the same name. It offers delicious, huge burritos and is
great for walking around.
Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo Le?n (6), is a modern, livable city with a lovely downtown. If you go on business, stay an extra day.
Tijuana, in Baja California (1), is tainted by violence, but I still love it. When I lived in San Diego, I went often for my Mexico fix, but it was a
quieter place then. Nearby Rosarito Beach and Ensenada have great, cheap lobster.
La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, (2), has a quaint, funky old town that reminds me of my hometown in Santa Cruz, Calif.
And my new hometown, Mexico City, is a country in and of itself. Be careful, but don't be afraid. A lot can be experienced in a very short time:
museums, the central Z?calo plaza, Chapultepec Park, the renovated historical downtown, the constantly changing and kitschy Zona Rosa.
By now the choices should be clear: Mexico, like the United States, stretches from sea to shining sea.
And likewise, Mexico the Beautiful's dozens of states offer a lifetime of unforgettable experiences.
16 more great states
Aguascalientes (14 on the map): The capital by the same name has a walking downtown without cars.
Campeche (27): Famous for its Gulf coast and seafood c-cktails such as sea snails and octopus.
Coahuila (5): Capital city Saltillo has a quaint downtown and popular Desert Museum.
Colima (18): Manzanillo is an underrated beach town with a working port and mucho charm.
Durango (8): Desert countryside gives way to green hillsides and real cowboys (vaqueros).
Guanajuato (15): Dolores Hidalgo, birthplace of the Mexican Revolution, trumps San Miguel.
Hidalgo (24): Real de Catorce is a former British mining town worthy of a full day?s visit.
Morelos (30, pronounced moh-RAY-los): Cuernavaca lives up to its reputation as the ?city of eternal spring.?
Puebla (21): The capital, also called Puebla, has a Roman Catholic church on every downtown corner.
Quer?tero (12, ker-et-TER-oh): Colonial Mexico finds a unique expression in the modern capital, Queretero - no accent.
Sinaloa (7, SEE-nah-loh-ah): Mazatl?n is famous for Pac?fico beer and laid-back beaches.
Sonora (3): Guaymas is a quiet coastal town, scene of my first Mexico road trip.
Tabasco (26): Rainy and rich with agriculture and oil. Beautiful landscapes.
Tamaulipas (11): Far from troubled Nuevo Laredo is Tampico on the sultry coast.
Tlaxcala (25, tlaks-CAH-lah): Famous for pulque, a cactus beer, and quaint towns such as Huamantla.
Zacatecas (9): Near the capital, also called Zacatecas, you can visit abandoned desert mines.
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