Despite the long and porous border Mexico shares with the United States, it's a world apart from its northern neighbor. Flying into Mexico City, you'll see what I mean when you catch your first glimpse of the snowcapped volcanoes below and hear their majestic but strange-sounding names -- Popocatépetl and Ixtaccihuatl. They're emblematic of this nation's exotic landscape, with its pyramids and cenotes, mountains and jungles, where ancient civilizations have left behind a wealth of ruins, place names that twist the tongue, and more.
Millions of native Mexicans still speak their pre-Columbian languages -- such as Náhuatl (Aztec), Maya, Zapotec, and nearly 60 others -- and their customs and beliefs have shaped a national culture distinct from any other in the Spanish-speaking world. The past is inescapable even in sprawling cities such as the capital, which buzzes with 21st-century innovation and technology, and supports a sophisticated and vibrant film, music, and visual arts culture that remains uniquely Mexican, even as it absorbs influences from around the globe.
