By Athena Lucero
Had it not been for the black-tie and outrageously festive family wedding my husband Louie and I attended in Monterrey, Mexico, last spring, we might not have discovered the extraordinary traditions and culture of this under-the-tourist-radar region of the country whose inhabitants rank among the happiest in the world, according to a World Values Survey. And if the conviviality after Jessica and Cesar Ramirez tied the knot was a testament to that finding, Monterrey, the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon, has been a best-kept secret.
During the wee hours at the wedding reception an ever-so-elegant guest tapped my shoulder.
"You must stay until 6," she said. "They will pass out slippers."
Indeed, the band played, comfort food was served — chilaquiles, tacos and black beans — and white slippers embroidered with the newlyweds' names pampered our feet. Then a canopied cart rolled in with Jessica's favorite snack, nachos, a gastronomic indulgence invented in 1943 by Mexican restaurant owner Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya. Excited 20-somethings poured divine melted cheese into bags of Tostitos.
"When in Rome...," Louie and I nodded to each other, so we joined in, licked our fingers, and danced until dawn.
In keeping with the reputation of the hard-working regiomontanos, the name for residents of Monterrey (worker bees are on Nuevo Leon's coat of arms), the family did not sleep in, and by noon we gathered for brunch at Jessica's family home. Receptions lasting until sunrise are normal in Monterrey, they told me, all bright and cheery.
A perfect time to practice Spanish, I thought, but so many spoke beautiful English, like the blond-haired cousin who sounded like a fellow Californian. This young sociable group impressed me with their intellect, ambitions and impeccable decorum.
Monterrey, a metropolis of 4 million inhabitants with strong family values and religious faith (80 percent are Catholic) is sophisticated, progressive and has the country's most educated residents. It is the business powerhouse of northern Mexico, the country's wealthiest city, and home to international corporate offices, world-class medical centers, and the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Mexico's MIT, founded in 1943. With its skyline and suburbs, Monterrey is Mexico's most American-looking city.
Alejandro and Lily Garza, parents of the bride, wouldn't let us leave without seeing the remarkable treasures of Monterrey and the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains; Cerro de la Silla (Saddle Hill); the dramatic mountain backdrop and symbol of the city; Chipinque National Park; Cascada Cola de Caballo (Horsetail Falls); Parque Fundidora, a former steel factory-turned spectacular public park); Paseo Santa Lucia (think San Antonio Riverwalk); and San Pedro Garza Garcia, Monterrey's Beverly Hills.
I was keen on catching a glimpse of Cerro de la Silla's 6,000-foot-high saddle-shaped peak, also in Nuevo Leon's coat of arms. It towers over the city, yet its easy access is popular with locals and visitors in search of a good trek and spectacular city views. With the low cloud cover, however, a sighting of the saddle kept eluding me.
With the Sierra Madre as its backyard, Monterrey is called "the City of the Mountains," and its fantastic topography invites a close connection to nature — perhaps the secret to this region's warm and joyous people.
Chipinque National Park is practically around the corner from the city. Within minutes we were wandering the lush forested trails of this beautifully maintained park that is popular with hikers, cyclists and birdwatchers. There's also a hotel with a restaurant, a playground, and an outdoor gym in the forest with fully equipped workout stations.
Nearby, Cascada Cola de Caballo was yet another mystical mountain experience in the romantic colonial village of Santiago, which in 2006 received the government designation of "Pueblo Magico," explained Alejandro. The Magical Villages Program instituted by the Secretariat of Tourism recognizes towns of Mexico — about 83, including Taxco and Tequila — that by virtue of their natural surroundings, local history and lore offer visitors a, well, magical experience.
Flanking a paved walkway and flowing river, the forested canyon led us to Santiago's own secret garden — falls cascading down from 82 feet above then fanning gracefully over protruding rocks to form a wondrous horse's tail.
Back down in the capital's urban landscape, the outdoors was still the lure at Macroplaza — the fifth-largest plaza in the world and considered a monument to Monterrey's ambition.
Built during the 1980s, pedestrian-friendly Macroplaza — or La Gran Plaza — interconnects tree-lined, fountain-filled squares (rerouting traffic via underground passes), providing a place for locals and visitors to relax surrounded by city landmarks - the 1908 Neo-classical Government Palace; monumental statues at the Esplanade of Heroes; Neptune's Fountain; the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of Monterrey (the first and largest cathedral in the Americas) juxtaposed with the modern 230-foot-high Lighthouse of Commerce or Faro del Comercio; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, one of Mexico's leading modern-art venues, that opened in 1991.
Paseo Santa Lucia, Monterrey's two-mile-long river walk, is considered a world-class revitalization project. It was completed in 2007, and tour boats glide along the man-made river that weaves elegantly through the city connecting Macroplaza with Parque Fundidora, the 21st- century incarnation of the former Monterrey Steel Foundry that operated 80 years until 1986 — another gem of gentrification.
Now the centerpiece of the region, the 350-acre steel plant-turned sustainable urban park brilliantly honors Monterrey's industrial heritage with recreational and cultural offerings: A lake; walking paths; a course for joggers, bicyclists and inline skaters; an ice rink; and Sesame Street Park for children. There's also a fine restaurant, El Lingote (The Ingot), where we gathered for a pre-wedding family dinner feasting on eclectic fare and Mexican favorites (the menu is made of steel).
The crown jewel of Parque Fundidora is the Museum of Steel, built on the site of a decommissioned furnace. A joint project with British and Canadian architects and designers, it is one of Mexico's largest museums and a major educational facility, with a Blast Furnace Show and a gallery dedicated to the history of steel.
And in the hills across the highway from Parque Fundidora thrives the affluent municipality of San Pedro Garza Garcia — or simply San Pedro — the gateway to Chipinque National Park. Here, skyscrapers are neighbors with mansions, a planetarium and science center, endless restaurants, hotels, entertainment and luxury shopping venues that will impress, such as El Palacio de Hierro (the Iron Palace), an upscale department store modeled after Harrods London and Le Bon Marche Paris.
What was first a clothing store founded in 1850 in Mexico City as Fabricas de Francia (Factories of France) by Frenchman Victor Glassier evolved into El Palacio de Hierro 41years later. An institution today, it is also a registered "Clean Company" with energy-saving micro-turbine technology that will keep the air conditioning and lights on for shoppers — even in a power outage.
With Alejandro we leisurely strolled Calzado del Valle, San Pedro's main boulevard, sharing the padded walkway and shady landscaped meridian with die-hard (and handsome) joggers. Passing high-priced apartments, fashion boutiques and luxury car showrooms, we stopped for coffee and people-watched at a chic neighborhood Starbucks.
Our day finished on a residential hilltop with a view across the valley of Cerro de la Silla. At long last the clouds parted — but just long enough — to catch a glimpse of the legendary saddle.
WHEN YOU GO
For complete information about travel to Monterrey, visit www.visitmexico.com.
Athena Lucero is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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