Mexico is a country that everyone has an image of. Who hasn’t heard of tequila, tacos and cozy mariachi? You certainly see that, but Mexico has much more to offer. The country is large and also very versatile.You can read surprising facts and what things are special about Mexico in this blog, with the 10 best facts about colorful Mexico.
1. So many Beetles
If you like cars? México is the place to be! Here you can spot many many Volkswagen Beetles. You really see a lot of them in Mexico and there is a reason for that. In Germany, the last Beetle was already made in 1978, while in Mexico the last classic Volkswagen Beetle was only produced in 2003. In the year 1990 there were already 2 million Beetles made in Mexico and in Mexico City you saw thousands of Beetles driving around like taxis. You no longer see thousands of them, but much more than in other countries.
2. The problem with Coca-Cola
Coca cola is a big problem in Mexico and the country is number 1 when it comes to cola consumption in the world! In the beautiful but impoverished state of Chiapas, people drink more than two liters of it per day on average. Drinking water from the tap is scarce and cola is almost as cheap as water in the store. It is also made with cane sugar, which makes it taste even better than the cola in Europe, for example, but unfortunately it is just as unhealthy.
If you go to the city of San Cristobal in Chiapas, you will soon hear that the tap water is extremely polluted. You shouldn’t even brush your teeth with tap water, if you don’t want to get sick. In addition, the local Coca Cola factory uses an enormous amount of water and many people therefore have little or no access to running water.
3. Tequila vs Mezcal
When you think of Mexico, you think of Tequila right? Not really my favorite drink, but since the pandemic it has become more and more popular. And not the cheap Tequila that you pour in as a shot, but a better variant that you drink in a cocktail or while sipping.
Another Mexican drink that has become increasingly popular and trendy in recent years is Mezcal, which, like Tequila, is also made from the Agave plant. Tequila is always made from the blue Agave plant, while Mezcal can be made from up to 50 different Agave species. Furthermore, the Agave plant is roasted when making Mezcal, which gives Mezcal a smoky taste. And totally fine, They say mezcal doesn’t seem to give you a hangover.
4. Many different languages
The most spoken language in Mexico is Spanish, about 90% of the population has it as their mother tongue. In addition to Spanish, there are more than 60 indigenous languages( like Maya) that are also officially recognized. Within the major tourist towns you can also speak English, but in general little English is spoken. The Google Translate app is therefore also useful to download in advance, especially since you can also use that app offline.
5. Cenotes
Cenotes are a phenomenon that you only see in Yucatán. And this will probably one of the highlights of your trip through Mexico. A cenote is a cave or pool filled with clear water. There are no above-ground rivers, but there are underground rivers that flow to the sea. Because the water flows underground, the soil became porous in some places. Sinkholes formed, which are now the cenotes. There are a total of 3000 cenotes, of which 1400 have been studied and registered! You can also dive in some of them.
6. The Spanish language
In Mexico, about 97% of the population understands Spanish and it is the mother tongue of almost all inhabitants. It is quite useful if you know some words of Spanish, because few people speak English, especially outside the tourist areas.
For example in Guatemala they speak very clearly and slowly. In Mexico they speak quite quickly and not always clearly.
7. Advertising painted on the shops
This is not only typical something you see in Mexico, also in other latin Ameican countries, but it cannot be missed in this list. Want to know what they sell in a store? It is painted on the outside in a nice bright color. Billboards on the wall? That is not necessary in Mexico, because they also paint that on the wall. Very colorful and of course just as handy! Incidentally, Mexico is completely cosy, colorful, with colorful people and of course the colorful colonial houses.
8. Wonder of the World
In Mexico you will find one of the modern seven wonders of the world, Chichén Itza. It was one of the most important Mayan cities and you can still admire the most beautiful buildings from that time. It is about a 45-minute drive from the city of Valladolid and you can easily visit it yourself or with a tour. But don’t expect to be there alone. You will see it can be very crowdy and full of locals trying to sell souvenirs. You can also visit the beautiful ruins of Uxmal, Tulum, Coba and the ancient Mayan city of Palenque they are also impressive and a lot quieter.
9. Beer
This fact about Mexico could really surprise you. Maybe you know that the Netherlands is a major exporter of beer! The Netherlands is the second largest beer exporter, but that Mexico is the largest beer exporter! Mexico exports more than twice as much beer than the Netherlands, most of which went to neighboring America.