In Depth

Mexico is so close to the United States, yet so different. Flying into Mexico City, you'll see what I mean when you catch a glimpse of majestic snowcapped volcanoes with the strange-sounding names Popocatépetl and Ixtaccihuatl. You're entering an exotic land of volcanoes and pyramids, mountains and jungles, where ancient civilizations have left more than just ruins and strange-sounding place names. Millions of native Mexicans still speak their languages -- Náhuatl (Aztec), Maya, Zapotec, and others -- and their customs and beliefs have shaped a national culture that's different from any other in the Spanish-speaking world.