Mexico has 31 World Heritage sites: 27 cultural heritage sites and four natural heritage sites. Teotihuacan, one of the cultural heritage sites, is located approximately 50 kilometers to the northeast of Mexico City, about an hour and a half by car, and is the ancient site of Mexico's largest religious city state, constructed around the second century BC. The Pyramid of the Sun is 65 meters high, and some are of the opinion that it was built by aliens due to its mysterious, imposing form. Teotihuacan is reputedly also a place of power worthy of the name City of the Gods and on weekends bustles with so many people seeking health and vigor that lines even form for the steep 248-step staircase. The great view that can be enjoyed from its summit is definitely splendid, and you can unmistakably shake off the daily din and get refreshed in body and mind.

Further, the Tarahumara, an indigenous people who live in Mexico's north and are called "the people who run," run stupefyingly long distances in sandals that resemble house slippers, and it is said that some runners run more than 400 kilometers in two nights. It is a puzzle.

No. 1 in Severity of Traffic Jams
Mexico City was ranked number one in the world with Beijing in the recently announced IBM Commuter Pain Index ranking for this year. Might the frequent demonstration marches be the cause?

No. 1 in Cola Consumption
Mexico's most favorite drink is cola. Whether at mealtime or as a way of beating the heat, everyone—from kids to grown-ups—drinks it like water, making Mexico number one in its consumption worldwide. The effectiveness of cola's carbonation and sweetness against the intense sunlight and dry climate might be what attracts people.

Intensely Patriotic Mexico
Mexico has no inheritance taxes, and the disparity between the rich and poor has not been solved at all. However, according to Newsweek in its special issue on the world's best countries, a ranking of the top 100 countries according to growth capacity, level of happiness, and other criteria, Mexico is ranked high among countries with large populations. Incidentally, Mexico garnered the number one ranking for the world's most beautiful flag in 2008. Seeing people wave the flag, whether at home or abroad, offers a sense of their patriotism.

Mexican food consists of core indigenous dishes influenced by Spanish cooking and is well known for its spiciness. I recommend soups from among these dishes. The diverse varieties include tortilla soup (sopa de tortilla), which is made by adding fried tortillas to simmering tomato soup made with onions, garlic, and tomatoes; seafood soup (sopa de mariscos), made by frying seafood, garlic, saffron, and other ingredients in olive oil and then simmering; and posole, a corn and pork soup to which you add as much lime and as many chilies as you like when eating. They are all exquisite! Definitely give them a try.