What country have you visited that turned out not to be what you expected?

Mexico.

In the movies you are used to seeing something like this:

Deserts like places with poverty, some chickens running around and violence. I think some places are in fact like that (mainly along the border). But when I went on vacation to Mexico, I watched this instead:

Arteaga/Montereal – The Mexican Alps. We rented a cabin and went skiing! The mountains were huge.

Zacatecas – It feels exactly like walking in Italy.

Zihuatanejo – A fishing town along the Pacific. Really beautiful.

Taxco – No, it’s not Spain, I promise. It’s actually prettier (and with tacos!).

Cholula – Next to Puebla. Some of the best food and cuisine on the continent is found here. As well as views of the volcanoes that have their own legends, pretty cool.

Cenote Hibiki – Well actually the Yucatan Peninsula has hundreds like this. You just can’t run out of things to do here. For many people the Peninsula means only Cancun (more specifically the Hotel Zone). But I’ve been there 10 times and I still have a lot of things I need to do (more activities than in London). Also, I have visited some of the caves in Gracia, however it was an expensive 10 minute boat ride and you couldn’t swim (it was crowded as hell). Just go to Mexico thank you very much. Also, did you know that the Mayan language is still spoken? I hear it on the radio all the time and it’s what the natives talk about!

Tamul Waterfalls – Our last stop. We kayak here. In Mexico there are many, many beautiful waterfalls. By chance we came here for a friend. It was not a disappointment.

Usually:

Is this how you imagined Mexico?

My perception of Mexico at the beginning was that it would be more arid, poorer, and hotter. It’s actually a mix of Europe and Asia and South America! Some places felt the same as being in Europe. Other places made me think I was in Costa Rica. Then in Thailand, then in the Caribbean. Lots of mixed emotions. As it happens, Mexico is one of the most diverse countries in the world and also has one of the best cuisines (UNESCO Heritage).

Unfortunately, these are not even the best places to visit Mexico. Far from it. Yes, there are even more beautiful and cool places there! This list is very long. What does this mean? I can’t wait for my next vacation in Mexico 🙂

Also, did you know that each state has different traditional dresses? Here is my favorite, from Chiapas.

There is a lot about Mexico. The diversity of the people, the cultures, the celebrations, the traditions, the day of the death, the native languages, the diversity of the food, the cowboys (yes, there are also cowboys!*). It breaks my heart a little to have dreamed that a Spanish person once told me that in Mexico there are only cacti and nachos!!!

Fun fact: Did you know that many northern Mexicans experience culture shock when visiting southern states and vice versa? The north of Mexico has bigger roads, a cowboy culture, and a love of meat and barbecues (carne asada) while the south of Mexico is more colonial, traditional, festive, and has more native people speaking their native languages. !