Overview

Introduction

Mexico is popular with travelers from all over the world. They go there for reasons almost too numerous to mention: sunshine, blue seas teeming with fish and coral, crystal-white beaches, lofty mountains and volcanoes, jungles full of exotic wildlife, world-famous museums and painters, collectible folk art, postcard-perfect Spanish colonial cities and the breathtaking remains of ancient cultures. And some go for a less lofty reason: Mexico can be cheap, although you may have to get out of the popular resort areas to enjoy big savings.

Popular destinations in Mexico include Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan Peninsula in the east, and Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo on the Baja Peninsula in the west. Between those two peninsulas lie such cities as Guadalajara, Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and Oaxaca. Many visitors also take the train ride through Copper Canyon.

The megalopolis of Mexico City is Mexico's capital and lies roughly in the middle of the country. Approximately 10 million people live in the city limits, but at least twice that number call metropolitan Mexico City home: By most estimates this is the fifth- or sixth-largest city in the world.

We're compelled, of course, to remind would-be visitors of Mexico's unevenness. It remains a land of baffling contradictions. Just down the street from a five-star resort, families camp in ramshackle buildings without plumbing. Burros, with rough-hewn carts in tow, amble alongside express highways. Serious pollution problems confront some cities, and a huge population strains its resources. The economy is growing and the middle class is growing along with it, but there is widespread poverty, and people are yearning for a better standard of living.

Through it all, Mexico endures with patience and a laid-back, "live and let live" attitude.

Geography

Mexico is a large country with diverse landscapes. Much of the northern part of the country is on a high plateau and is made up of the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. Two mountain chains—the Sierra Madre Occidental, to the west, and the Sierra Madre Oriental, to the east—extend for a good length of the country. Between these and some smaller mountain ranges are several plains and valleys that hold many of the country's major cities.

Mexico also features arid coastal plains, the famous Baja Peninsula and the thick tropical jungles of the Yucatan and Chiapas. The country has long and alluring coastlines washed by the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of California and the Caribbean Sea.

History

Mexico has one of the most fascinating histories in the Americas. The first residents reached the area more than 20,000 years ago. In time, the descendants of these first immigrants produced monumental architecture, incredibly precise calendars and advanced agricultural accomplishments (they gave the world corn, vanilla, chocolate and tomatoes).

Beginning around 1200 BC, a series of great civilizations waxed and waned along the Gulf Coast and southern portions of Mexico, including the Olmecs and the Maya. The Toltecs and a number of other groups came later.

The Aztecs began their rise to power around AD 1300, establishing their capital at Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) and eventually conquering all other groups in central and southern Mexico. Like some of their predecessors, they were a warrior civilization. Rivals who were forced to pay tribute to the Aztecs were looking for an opportunity to throw off their rule, and that opportunity soon presented itself.

Hernan Cortes first stepped ashore on Mexico in 1519 and established the town of Veracruz on the Gulf Coast. With just 500 followers, the conquistador engineered the downfall of an Aztec empire by forming alliances with the Aztec's enemies, which swelled his army to more than 5,000. Diseases that the Spanish brought with them, such as smallpox, also overwhelmed the Aztecs. It took Cortes two years to defeat the Aztecs, and with his victory, Mexico came under Spanish rule.

Spanish-Mexican Indian intermarriage yielded a new mixed race of people—mestizos. Their culture was influenced by the mother country in its language, architecture, traditions and religion. The Spanish colonial capital—Mexico City—was literally built from the rubble of Tenochtitlan, as Aztec temples were dismantled to build royal palaces and churches. For the next 300 years, the city served as the center of the vast colony of New Spain.

Mexican patriots started fighting for freedom in 1810 and gained independence from the Spanish crown by 1821. The ensuing decades were turbulent for the new country: Mexico passed through years of dictatorship and instability. From the 1830s through the 1850s, Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana ruled the country. During this period, Mexico lost half of its territory in wars against rebellious Texans (in 1836) and against the U.S. (in 1847).

In the 1850s, the country was embroiled in a civil war that eventually resulted in Benito Juarez being elected president. One of Mexico's most progressive presidents, Juarez instituted a liberal government and the separation of church and state in a political movement called La Reforma. He also led the fight against French invaders, who ruled the country for several years and placed Emperor Maximilian on the throne before they were forced to withdraw, leaving Maximilian to the firing squad.

The modern era began in 1910 with the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution. The decade-long conflict produced some of Mexico's most enduring figures, including the rebel leaders Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) held power through the next seven decades, giving Mexico one of the longest-lasting governments in Latin America, some say with near dictatorial status.

The 1990s were unstable for Mexico. After years of state control, the government began liberalizing the economy, joining the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. For a time, the economy seemed to be booming, until a massive devaluation of its currency dragged the country back into crisis in late 1994. Earlier that year, a small group of rebels in Chiapas State, calling themselves Zapatistas, staged a rebellion that drew international attention to the poverty endured by the country's Maya Indians. A series of high-profile political assassinations rocked already waning faith in the government.

After several prominent victories by opposition candidates in local and regional elections, Vicente Fox was elected president in 2000, breaking the PRI's hold on power for the first time since the revolution. Fox's party, the PAN, a conservative centrist group, went on to win the next election in 2006 when Felipe Calderon was elected president. Winning by less than 1% of the vote, Calderon's victory was hotly contested by his opponent, Manuel Lopez Obrador of the leftist PRD party. Lopez Obrador tried unsuccessfully to set up a parallel government in the months following the election but failed. The Electoral Institute supported Calderon's win.

Then in 2012, Mexico did an about face by electing PRI candidate, Enrique Pena Nieto, president based mostly on his platform of reform. Although he has been praised internationally for standing up to big business monopolies and putting behind bars one of the country's most notorious drug lords, "El Chapo" Guzman, his popularity at home began to wane following an announcement in 2014 of turning the government-run energy sector over to private investors.

In 2018, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was elected president.

Snapshot

Mexico's attractions include its historical sites, archaeological ruins, cuisine, fiestas, beaches, fishing, watersports (scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing), golf, bullfighting, shopping, handicrafts, music, dance, relaxation and moderate prices.

If you're interested in a unique culture and enjoy sand, sun and surf, as well as history, dance, music and friendly, fun-loving people, you'll love Mexico. Do be aware that you may fall prey to an upset stomach or other illness that can occur where sanitary conditions are less than optimal, though the risk gets a bit lower each passing year. You should also be prepared to see extreme poverty, especially in rural areas. If you become unhappy when service isn't prompt and efficient or when things don't quite go as planned, you may not enjoy a trip to Mexico. If you go with the flow and delight in surreal experiences, you will.

Potpourri

The two rebel heroes of the Mexican Revolution, Emiliano Zapata and Francisco "Pancho" Villa, were both treacherously assassinated—Zapata in 1919 (at the direction of then-President Venustiano Carranza) and Villa in 1923. Villa also was Mexico's first movie star, starring as himself in the 1914 Hollywood-produced The Life of General Villa.

The Tarahumara Indians, who live in the vicinity of Copper Canyon, are renowned for their fitness and stamina, which have been honed by years of running up and down the region's steep mountains. One of their many festivals includes an all-night run of more than 100 mi/160 km.

You can tour several tequila factories in the town of Tequila, birthplace of the quintessential Mexican drink. The Mexican government sponsors the Tequila Trail tour through five well-known tequila-producing towns. There's also a "Tequila Express" tourist train from Guadalajara to the Herradura distillery.

Los Cabos has become the party town of such celebrities as John Travolta, Jennifer Anniston and Oprah Winfrey.

The Fairmont Acapulco Princess in Acapulco became a refuge for eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes in the 1970s before he fled to Nicaragua.

Some say the word "jalopy" comes from the 1920s, when old U.S. cars were shipped to the capital of Veracruz for reconditioning and resale. U.S. longshoremen pronounced the destination, Jalapa, as ja-la-pa (rather than with the Spanish pronunciation, ha-la-pa). The mispronounced word evolved into "jalopy."

According to one legend, the margarita was invented in the town of Taxco at Bertha's Bar, which is still standing today. The drink reputedly started out as a hot toddy. Other stories claim the honor for Mexico City and Tijuana (where it was supposedly inspired by Rita Hayworth, then known by her original name of Margarita Cansino).

Mexican icon Frida Kahlo married and divorced her husband, famed muralist Diego Rivera, twice. Kahlo also had affairs with Russian intellectual Leon Trotsky and dancer Josephine Baker, among many others.

Overview

Introduction

Mexico City, Mexico, embodies the word megalopolis. It is one of the world's most populous cities, at the same time modern and cosmopolitan yet sprawling and ramshackle. Its industry, traffic (with accompanying smog), hotels, restaurants, museums, architecture, historic sites (both Spanish and Aztec) and performing arts are everything you'd expect of a world-class city.

However, Mexico City's poverty-stricken neighborhoods are textbook illustrations of the problems encumbering developing nations. Although Mexico City does present challenges for visitors, its rewards make a visit well worth the effort, and there's a clear sense that this is a city on the upswing. Crime continues to decline, the air is cleaner each year, infrastructure improvements are accelerating, and the city's reputation as Latin America's "Tech Hub," is bringing new life and money to the capital.

Those who dive into the fray often become addicted to the city's energy, food and attractions.

Must See or Do

Sights—The Zocalo (main plaza, with its surrounding Historic Center); the magnificent pyramids of Teotihuacan, a short ride from the city; Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, a spectacular presentation of Mexican music and dance.

Museums—The outstanding Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Chapultepec Park; Museo Dolores Olmedo Patino, containing works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera; Museo Frida Kahlo, located in the famous blue house in which Kahlo grew up and later lived with Diego Rivera; Museo de Franz Mayer, housed in a restored 16th-century hospital; the Museo de Arte Popular, which has the best collection of folk art in the country.

Memorable Meals—High Mexican cuisine at Pujol or Dulce Patria; Spanish fusion at Biko; regional folk music and huachinango a la Veracruzana (red snapper, Veracruz-style) at Fonda del Recuerdo; Oaxacan-influenced cuisine and a hip setting at Los Danzantes; churros and hot chocolate at Churreria el Moro; tacos pastor at El Tizoncito; seafood at Contramar; Italian in a gorgeous mansion at Rosetta; breakfast in the historic center at La Casa de los Azulejos.

Late Night—Hot salsa nights at Mama Rumba Cuban bar; the mind-altering mescal of La Botica; margaritas and a piece of history at La Opera Bar downtown; pricey cocktails that help pay for the sensuous nighttime vistas from the rooftop bar La Terraza at Condesa D.F.

Walks—Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park), a delightful place to walk, although no one should try to cover all of its 2,100 acres/850 hectares at one time; the pedestrian-friendly, park-dotted neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa; Centro to Alameda Park.

Especially for Kids—The Zoologico de Chapultepec (the zoo); kid friendly art displays at the Museum of Popular Art; rollercoasters at Six Flags Mexico City; the Papalote Museo del Nino (the Children's Museum); Mexico's largest aquarium, Acuario Inbursa.

Geography

Mexico City lies in Mexico's central valley, roughly in the middle of the country. The heart of the city is the Zocalo, a large plaza flanked by the Cathedral and the National Palace. Surrounding it is the Centro Historico (Historic Center), which is where you'll find the heaviest concentration of sights, including the Aztec Templo Mayor and an abundance of Spanish colonial buildings. The park just west of the Zocalo, Alameda Central, is lined with museums, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes is at its northeastern corner. Paseo de la Reforma, the city's most famous and elegant boulevard, runs near the western edge of the Alameda Central. From there it travels southwest to Chapultepec Park, the site of several museums and the zoo.

There are many points of interest in other colonias (neighborhoods) southwest of the Historic Center. About halfway between the Historic Center and Chapultepec Park is the Zona Rosa, a once-flourishing commercial neighborhood of restaurants, shops and nightspots, though it's looking more down-market these days. Just south of Zona Rosa is Condesa, a nice residential area that also has its share of trendy restaurants and bars, which bleed into Roma, the next area to take the hip and trendy baton.

North of Chapultepec Park is Polanco, a posh neighborhood with many fine hotels, restaurants and luxury shops. The northern part of the city is newer, sleeker and still growing, with high-profile architecture and burgeoning museums and attractions. About 6 mi/9 km south of the city center are Coyoacan and San Angel, both with lovely colonial buildings housing museums, galleries, cafes and shops. There are many other colonias in the city, and knowing them by name is often essential in finding your way to an address. You'll often see them noted with the abbreviation Col., as in Col. Roma.

Its size and complexity make Mexico City difficult to navigate, at least for the newcomer. If you want to explore it in its entirety, consider buying a comprehensive map such as the Guia Roji, available in bookstores and newspaper stands in the city center, and consider navigating the colonias by foot—Mexico City is a wonderful walking city. Naturally, a smart phone map can make navigation easier: get one that works offline or buy a local data SIM card for an unlocked phone.

History

Mexico City's history holds more than 600 years of destruction and rebirth. It began as Tenochtitlan, the clean, well-ordered capital of the Aztec empire. In 1521, it was razed by Hernan Cortes and his conquistadors to make room for a European-style colonial capital, with an enormous central plaza and a neo-Gothic cathedral. For the next 300 years, the Spanish rulers prospered while the Aztecs and mestizos lived in poverty, marginalized by the ruling elite.

In 1810, resentment toward the Spanish exploded into war. After 11 years of fighting, Mexico won independence from Spain, then plunged into almost a century of political violence. During this period, the city was invaded first by the U.S. and then the French, who left behind an Austrian archduke as emperor Maximilian II. Maximilian and his wife, Carlota, refurbished and lived in the castle of Chapultepec, and Maximilian laid out the grand Paseo de la Reforma before he was executed in 1867 by forces loyal to reforming President Benito Juarez.

The unrest came to an end only after strongman Porfirio Diaz took the presidency in 1877. The 33-year presidency—many say dictatorship—of Diaz was a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity for the city, much of which was rebuilt. But Diaz's rule was oppressive; he banned political opposition, democratic elections and a free press, and the city's prosperity was enjoyed by an elite minority.

The Mexican Revolution of 1910-20 finished all that. During the fighting, parts of the city center were leveled, and residents lived in constant fear. When it ended, Alvaro Obregon, a revolutionary leader from Sonora, became president for a four-year term of national reconstruction. His successor, Plutarco Elias Calles, angered Catholics by closing churches and convents and passing laws against religious displays in public. This led to more violence, known as the Cristero Rebellion, which lasted until 1929.

At that time, Calles organized the National Revolutionary Party (PNR), a precursor to the Institutional Revolution Party (PRI), which ruled the country—with sometimes despotic methods—for the seven remaining decades of the 20th century. (Mexicans still recall 2 October 1968, when perhaps as many as 400 protesting students were massacred by police near the main plaza.) Prosperity returned for a time, thanks in part to the discovery of large oil deposits in the country's south. Development focused on the capital, and the poorer suburbs swelled with migrants from the countryside who sought work in the new factories.

Growth could not be sustained, however, and a series of currency devaluations plus a flight of capital to foreign real estate and banking institutions spread a pall of neglect over the once-elegant city center. In 1985, an earthquake killed more than 10,000 people and leveled dozens of buildings. In the wake of the tragedy, Mexico implemented stricter building regulations, and these laws have become the foundation for a safer, sleeker skyline.

In 2016, Mexico City dropped its federal designation and held its first mayoral elections. The political plurality has revitalized the city, and political activism flourishes. As a result, Mexican voters broke the PRI's seven-decade lock on the presidency when they elected Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN). The PAN triumphed again when Felipe Calderon narrowly defeated former Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD). In protest of the election result, Lopez Obrador and his followers camped out in the central Zocalo plaza and along the Paseo de la Reforma for months, snarling traffic and angering some residents. He even tried to set up a parallel presidency, which failed. Mexico's political pendulum continues to swing and in 2018, following Enrique Pena Nieto's one-term stint, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was elected as Mexico's president.

For good reason, Mexico City has earned the nickname Silicon South, and the tech boom has fueled construction in Mexico City proceeds at a breakneck pace, and in the historic center, efforts are ongoing to refurbish the colonial buildings, clean up parks, improve lighting and safety, wash off centuries of grime and attract new investment. It is working: The center is getting livelier all the time and the change in appearance from a decade ago is dramatic. Hip boutiques and hotels are opening in the center, while skyscrapers battle to be the tallest along Paseo de la Reforma.

The city, meanwhile, has been spreading westward—upscale residential neighborhoods, hotels, company headquarters, shopping malls and major banks have opened in Sante Fe, once the site of the biggest city dump with accompanying poverty. It now looks much like an office park area of San Jose, California, much to the joy of those who zip in and out by car.

Potpourri

On 29 January 2016, President Enrique Pena Nieto removed Mexico City's status as a Federal District, though many locals still refer to the city as "D.F." With its new status, the capital now boasts 16 boroughs, each with its own mayor and city council members. The city's logo, CDMX, stands for Ciudad de Mexico.

The word zocalo, commonly used to refer to Mexico City's central plaza, Plaza de la Constitucion, literally refers to the base or pedestal of a statue or sculpture. Legend has it that in 1843, then-president Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna ordered the architect Lorenzo de la Hidalga to build a monument in the plaza to honor the heroes of Mexican independence. But because of the political instability of the time, the architect had to cease construction after building only the base to the monument. Locals have referred to the plaza as the Zocalo ever since.

When it comes to pilgrims, only the Vatican boasts more visitors than the Basilica de Santa Maria de Guadalupe.

The pedestrian alleyway that borders the Casa de Azulejos (House of Tiles), near the Palacio de Bellas Artes, is known as the Callejon de la Condesa (Alley of the Countess). It is said that the alley was once reserved for the royal carriages. Yet another legend has it that once, many years ago, two noblemen entered the alley in their respective coaches, from opposing ends. Upon meeting in the center and realizing there wasn't enough room to pass, each insisted the other retreat to the opposite end of the alley—and each refused, unwilling to cede any noble pride. Supposedly their impasse lasted three days, until it was ended by the viceroy himself, who ordered them both to retreat from the alley simultaneously.

Founded in 1325, Mexico City is the oldest capital city of the Americas, though it was the Aztecs, not the Spaniards, that put it in the record books.

According to city authorities, some 500,000 unlicensed vendors operate on the capital's streets, representing roughly 40% of local economic activity. They sell just about anything, from pirated software to clothes to electronics. Certain areas used to be so clogged by vendors that there was practically no room for pedestrians to pass through, but regular crackdowns have moved the activity to designated park areas and wider main thoroughfares.

Only London has more officially recognized museums than Mexico City.

If traffic is hopelessly snarled and it's not rush hour, especially on Paseo de la Reforma, chances are that a protest march is under way. Protests are a part of daily life in Mexico City—don't be surprised to see people shouting and waving banners, especially near the center, and don't assume that the sight of police in riot gear means there is anything dangerous going on. The demonstrations are sometimes colorful or strange—for example, one group of farmers annually strips to their underwear in front of national monuments. Don't expect Mexican friends or contacts to have much information on what's going on—most city residents have trouble keeping track of the dozens of protests that take place during any given week.

Overview

Introduction

We can't confirm or deny the incident, but if aliens did crash their UFO in Roswell, they certainly picked the right state: New Mexico is knee-deep in the mystical and the mysterious. Disappearing civilizations, secret atomic test sites, Native American healers, divine dirt and miraculous staircases are just some of the things you'll find that are hard to explain.

The unknowable can be fun, but it's only a part of New Mexico's allure. Whether or not they hold powerful energy vortexes, the mountains and desert are beautiful to look at and thrilling to hike, bike, ski or raft through. Whether or not Pueblo people have the remedy for the ills of civilization, their art is engaging and their communities fascinating. We think you'll have a completely enjoyable time taking New Mexico's scenery and activities at face value. If you happen to gain some spiritual insight (or meet an alien) along the way, so much the better.

Geography

History

One of New Mexico's oldest mysteries is the fate of the Ancestral Pueblo people (sometimes called the Anasazi, although that term has fallen out of favor), who developed an advanced civilization beginning about AD 800. Their famous multitiered adobe dwellings housed as many as 1,500 people, and some were constructed in breathtaking settings atop cliffs and mesas. (You can see several of these structures at Chaco Canyon and Bandelier National Monument, among other places). Yet by about 1200, their dwellings were abandoned. Various explanations have been offered for the sudden end of the Ancestral Pueblo culture, including drought, warfare among communities and the rise of a new religion.

When the Spanish explorer Coronado first came through the region in 1540, he found sizable communities dispersed along the upper Rio Grande. The inhabitants of these settlements likely were the descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans. Spain's first settlement, at San Juan Pueblo in 1598, was followed 12 years later by the founding of Santa Fe. From the outset, relations between the colonists and the Native Americans were strained and, at times, brutal and bloody. In 1680, the oppressed pueblos staged a successful revolt. Although the Spanish would eventually regain control, the pueblo uprising was one of the most substantial resistance movements among Native Americans. It deterred Spanish colonization for 12 years.

The Spanish territory became a possession of newly independent Mexico in 1821 and was passed to the U.S. after the Mexican-American War. New Mexico grew more slowly than other western U.S. territories (it didn't become a state until 1912), but the discovery of uranium and other energy resources stimulated growth and revenue for the state and gave it a prominent place in the nuclear age.

As with other major cities in the Southwest, Albuquerque has grown steadily in the past 30 years, while Santa Fe and other mountain areas have become popular travel and retirement destinations. Down south, the climate and border location of Las Cruces make it a popular choice for both retirees and new businesses. The state continues to attract investment attention, with moviemakers focusing on the mountains and cities of New Mexico because of tax breaks and other incentives. Aviation, technology and increasing trade with Mexico are all part of New Mexico's modern mix.

Snapshot

New Mexico's main attractions include Native American and Hispanic culture, adobe architecture, spectacular mountain and desert scenery, festivals (celebrating everything from hot-air balloons to grand opera to folk art), Santa Fe, art galleries, Carlsbad Caverns, ghost towns, Taos, Native American pueblos, ancient ruins, Albuquerque, casino gambling, skiing and distinctively spicy cuisine (often made with green and red chilies).

New Mexico will satisfy any traveler interested in the Southwest. An American locale with European and Native American roots, the state gives tourists a sense of place and community lacking in many other parts of the U.S. Those who are looking for watersports, big-city entertainment or short drive times between attractions may find the state less to their liking.

Potpourri

If you want to ride a steam train through beautiful alpine scenery, make reservations for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colorado. It has been called the most spectacular mountain railroad in North America. The line operates late May-late October, with occasional rides in wintry December.

New Mexico is the oldest wine-growing region in the U.S. and has 21 vineyards and wineries. Many offer tours and tastings. We're especially fond of a sparkling wine made in Albuquerque called Gruet.

Drive about 50 mi/80 km west of Socorro on Highway 60, and you'll see the shape of a large "Y" in the far distance. It's the Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope: Some 27 huge dish antennas (each of them 82 ft/25 m in diameter) lined up across the desert. (It was seen in the film Contact, starring Jodie Foster.) The telescope is used to photograph distant galaxies. A visitors center is open at the site, and tours are available.

Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur, was once New Mexico's territorial governor.

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is the only town in the U.S. named after a game show. Its name was officially changed in the 1950s as part of a publicity stunt that benefited both the TV show and the town.

The Lightning Field, in southwestern New Mexico, is an internationally recognized piece of art by sculptor Walter de Maria. Viewing its gridlike pattern (advance reservations and an overnight stay are required) amid a vast expanse of sky can be life-changing.

Smokey the Bear was New Mexican, found as a cub in 1950 after a forest fire in the Capitan Gap. He later lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and became the beloved firefighting symbol of schoolchildren across the U.S. He died in 1976 and is buried near Capitan.

New Mexico's second and final statue for U.S. Statuary Hall, is of Pope (pronounced poh-pay), who led the successful Pueblo Revolt in 1680.

Virgin Galactic and New Mexico have teamed up to build a Spaceport near Alamogordo.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson holds the world record for most hands shaken in a day: 13,392.

Overview

Introduction

No trip to New Mexico is complete without a visit to at least one of the state's 19 Native American pueblos. Although they are centuries-old dwelling sites, they are also modern communities whose residents deal with modern issues. One of those issues is gambling: In addition to the attractions that focus on traditional culture, many of the pueblos operate gaming casinos—complete with entertainment and high-stakes play.

Perhaps the best introduction to the pueblos can be found at two of the state's better museums, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe (the majority of pueblos are fairly close to these two major cities). Both museums will give you a good introduction to pueblo beliefs and history, as well as demonstrate the varied craftsmanship of both ancient and modern Native Americans.

One of the more fascinating aspects of visiting the pueblos is learning about the particular traditions that have shaped the techniques and styles of local craftwork. If you can visit a pueblo on its feast day (usually tied to a Catholic saint—a remnant of Spanish colonialism), the dances and ceremonies will only heighten your appreciation of the communities.

In addition to the Acoma and Taos pueblos, consider the following:

Cochiti, southwest of Santa Fe, is famed for finely crafted ceremonial drums and "storyteller" figurines. Don't miss the Tent Rocks, a spectacular canyon and geological formation near the pueblo. Its feast day is that of San Buenaventura, held on 14 July.

Isleta, just south of Albuquerque, is the largest of the Tiwa-speaking pueblos. The feast days of St. Augustine are celebrated there on 28 August and 4 September.

Jemez, northwest of Albuquerque, is the only tribe that still speaks the Towa language. You'll find a number of recreational areas open to the public, as well as offerings in sculpture and polychrome pottery. The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels is held on 2 August.

Laguna, on the eastern border of the Acoma reservation, is actually six villages where residents produce pottery resembling that of the Acoma Pueblo. The feast of St. Joseph is observed on 19 September.

Nambe, north of Santa Fe, is known for its exquisite jewelry, employing turquoise and silver, but you'll also find sculpture, beadwork and micaceous pottery (containing flecks of mica that cause the pottery to glitter in the light). Nambe celebrates the Feast of St. Francis on 4 October.

Picuris, southwest of Taos, was a hotbed of resistance during the pueblo revolt of the 1600s. Today, it's known for its micaceous pottery. The Mission of San Lorenzo, whose feast day is celebrated on 10 August, is located there.

The craftspeople of Pojoaque, northwest of Santa Fe, produce pottery, embroidery, jewelry and beadwork. The Poeh Cultural Center in Pojoaque tells the story of the Rio Grande Pueblos. They celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on 12 December. The Poeh Museum features the story of the Native world from the Native American perspective in one of the few tribal-run museums in the country.

Sandia, just north of Albuquerque, operates the Bien Mur Indian Market Center, one of the better places to shop for Native American crafts in New Mexico. The Feast of St. Anthony is held on 13 June.

San Felipe, which is north of Albuquerque, produces fine beadwork and heishi (jewelry made from strings of small tiles of semiprecious gems). The feast day of St. Phillip is celebrated on 1 May.

San Ildefonso, northwest of Santa Fe, is a complex of some 200 buildings, including a reconstructed church from the 1600s. This pueblo was the home of Maria and Julian Martinez, who were famous for their rendering of the distinctive black-on-black pottery. (The Martinez family continues the tradition.) The Feast of San Ildefonso occurs on 23 January.

Among the 700-year-old buildings of San Juan, also northwest of Santa Fe, you'll find the headquarters of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, which includes Nambe, Picuris, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Santa Clara, Taos and Tesuque. The council publishes an excellent guide to the northern pueblos (write ENIPC, P.O. Box 969, San Juan Pueblo, NM 87566). It's home to the O'ke-Oweenge Crafts Cooperative, featuring crafts from each of the eight pueblos (San Juan itself is known for redware pottery). The Feast of San Juan is held on 24 June.

Santa Ana Pueblo is known not only for its polychrome pottery but also for the recreational offerings available at the Santa Ana Golf Course and Jemez Canyon Dam. The pueblo itself is open to the public only a few days each year—one of the best times to visit is on the Feast of Santa Ana—26 July.

Santa Clara, another of the northern pueblos, is known for both black-on-black and redware pottery. The Santa Clara Recreation Area (with streams, lakes and trails) and the impressive Puye Cliff Dwellings, which date back to AD 1250, also are nearby. The cliff dwellings are a national landmark owned and maintained by the pueblo: You can explore dwellings both along and atop a cliff face. Self-guided tours are available, and in summer, you can take guided tours that include a pueblo feast (book at least five days in advance). The Feast of St. Claire is on 12 August.

Santo Domingo, north of Albuquerque, is known for jewelry, silverwork and heishi. Its feast day is held on 4 August. It also hosts a popular arts-and-crafts festival on Labor Day weekend.

Tesuque is the smallest of the villages where the Tewa language is spoken. It is located just outside Santa Fe. The craftspeople there are known for rain-god figurines, micaceous pottery, sculpture and painting. The Feast of San Diego is celebrated in Tesuque on 12 November.

The traditions of Zia Pueblo have contributed to the state's symbol, the stylized sun you'll see all over New Mexico. Zia is also known for its polychrome pottery. The Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption is held on 15 August.

The original Zuni Pueblo was the largest in the region when the Spanish arrived, and its size probably helped inspire the myth of the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola—the tale that inspired Francisco Coronado to explore the area. The inhabitants abandoned their original pueblo in 1670, but you can still visit it with a Zuni guide. Today, the Zuni people are known for stonework, jewelry, needlepoint and fetishes (animals carved out of stone and semiprecious gems). Shalako, the most important Zuni feast, occurs in late November-early December.

Other Native American groups in New Mexico include the Jicarilla Apache of northern New Mexico, who are highly regarded for their basketry and beadwork; the Mescalero Apache of southern New Mexico, who own and operate the Ski Apache ski area and the Inn of the Mountain Gods resort near Ruidoso; and the Navajo people, famous for their rugs and silverwork.

Please remember that the pueblos are not theme parks or living-history museums—they are real communities, where families live and work. Their requests for a few basic standards of behavior are reasonable and easily observed. Do not photograph or videotape residents of the pueblos unless you have first obtained permission from the pueblo's administrative offices. There is sometimes a small fee involved. There may be certain ceremonial occasions when cameras (even sketchbooks) are not allowed at all. It's a good idea to call in advance of your visit to confirm the hours that the pueblo is open to visitors: They sometimes close for special religious occasions or for funerals of tribal members, and most ask visitors to leave by around sund