A Cultural Mosaic.

Mexico's rich heritaqe apparent everywhere

Business travel in Mexico can he a pleasure, especially when you can tack on a few days of R&R. Mexico's rich cultural heritage is apparent in the churches, the food arid the faces of its people, not hidden in a dusty museum.

The varied terrain offers endless opportunities for exploring, and out side huge metropolises like Mexico City, colonial gems like Cholula and Tlaxcala provide a friendly reminder of Mexico's relaxed, warm, and sincere hospitality, Whether you're traveling raveling to Monterrey. Guadalajara or another of Mexico's large cities, seeing the sights-from the magnificent pyramids at Teotihuacan to the artisan town of Tlaquepaque--will give you greater insight and an appreciation for the coo country's complex beauty.

The first step in appreciating Mexican culture is to slow down your mental clock. Social appointments tend to start late, and small talk about family members, the weather and Mexico's charms provide an important preliminary to business negotiations. Use courtesy titles such as licenciado or ingeniero whenever appropriate. And expect to be warmly and affectionately greeted with abrazos (hugs) by those with whom you've done business.

Business services (including secretarial, copy services, and modems for fax and email) are widely available. As in the United States, electrical current is 110 volts. Hotel guests are commonly asked to produce a charge card and sign a blank charge slip for expenses incurred during the stay. Sales tax (IVA) is 15%. Gasoline is sold by the liter: only cash is accepted, and there is no self-service. Tip the attendant a few pesos, as is the custom. Unfortunately, crime in urban areas remains on the increase, especially in Mexico City. Leave valuables in hotel safes and don't carry extra cash or credit cards. However, bring at least US$20 so as not to anger any thief truly intent on making some quick cash.

As for your intestinal health, exercise common sense! Drink bottled water and wash your hands before meals. If you do come down with turista, local pharmacies sell anti-diarrhea drugs. Most important: Don't get paranoid about becoming sick, or you won't enjoy your trip. And there's lots lobe enjoyed-tacos of meats grilled over an open flame; delicious salsas of dried or fresh chilies, prepared daily; rich desserts and sweetbreads; and agua fresca: delicious drinks made of fruits both familiar and exotic.

There are a few additional caveats for those traveling to Mexico City, which sprawls seemingly without end across the vast, bowl-like central valley. Although not often visible because of the city's smog, the high plateau is surrounded by snow-covered volcanoes. Take it easy the first few days; at more than 7,000 feet, the altitude and air pollution (most severe between December and May) may dip your wings. In the rainy season, afternoon showers freshen the air.

Because of the significant pollution problem, driving in the capital city is restricted according to the last digit of your license plate; each car is prohibited from circulating at least one day a week. Check into this when renting a car, and don't forget to buy auto insurance.

If you prefer to travel by taxi, use radio taxis or those from an authorized stand whenever possible. Avoid roving cabs unless you're in a pinch, as a number of locals and foreigners have been mugged or set up by cab drivers. Official taxi stands at the international airport and first-class bus stations are reliable and sell set-price tickets.

If you must take a street cab, the green and white ones are generally in good condition and are required to use less-polluting, unleaded gas. But beware of fast stops. Because many taxis are Volkswagen Beetles, enterprising drivers have removed the front passenger seat to allow you some legroom--and, unfortunately, a faster meeting with the windshield in a sudden stop. Look for an older driver, advises one experienced local; he's less likely to be a thug who will rob you.

Once your business has been accomplished, take some time to reconnoiter. Although huge, Mexico City is not as intimidating as you might think. You can easily spend a day exploring lively Chapultepec Park, whose 2,000 square acres are home to 11 museums and three lakes, as well as itinerant vendors hawking everything from colorful helium balloons to cheap sunglasses. Within the park, visit the impressive Modern Art Museum, with its great gift shop, and the Rufino Tamayo Museum, where works by the Oaxacan master and other moderns are augmented by rotating exhibits. Near the latter is the stunning Museo Nacional de Antropologia, a world-class museum where 3,500 years of Mexican history is displayed on three levels surrounding an open courtyard. The complex has a good restaurant and an excellent bookstore, All three museums are closed on Monday and free on Sunday.

The amazing pyramids at Teotihuacan are just 50 km from the city center. Climb the 248 steps of the Pyramid of the Sun, the world's third-largest pyramid, for a view of the site. From this vantage point, imagine the Avenue of the Dead, below, as it was in the Aztec city's glory days: bustling with commerce and lined with brightly painted temples and dwellings. On a clear day you can also appreciate the active, snow-covered peak of Popocateptl volcano, just 65 km beyond.

Less than 60 years after the Spaniards began razing the temples in Tenochtitlan in preparation for building Mexico City, they christened a tiny settlement in northern Mexico Ciudad Metropolitana de Nuestra Sefiora de Monterrey. Now known simply as Monterrey and capital of the state of Nuevo Leon, this city has been the country's industrial center since the first steel mill was built nearly a century ago.

Today more than 8,000 businesses operate in Monterrey. Among them are the major industrial names of Mexico, such as Cemex, Fernsa, Vitro and Imsa. From Monterrey come most of the country's important manufacturing products, including steel, cement, fibers, beer, and petrochemical and automotive products.

The social, commercial and political center of town is La Gran Plaza, where 40 decaying blocks were leveled during the 1980s to make way for housing, retail space, and government and business offices. Green spaces, restaurants and theaters have followed, making the area an enjoyable place to wander or have an afternoon coffee or drink. Especially pleasant is the Zona Rosa, a 10-block pedestrian-only zone just west of the historic center. Traffic has been diverted underneath the city's main square, where there is parking as well.

In sync with the United States because of its dedication to commerce and business, Monterrey also loves its baseball and beer. This city of 3 million souls is home to the Cuauhtemoc Brewery, makers of Bohemia and Carta Blanca beers, among others. If you're a fan of beer or baseball, a visit to the old brewery is in order. The Hall of Fame (Salon de la Fama) celebrates Mexican baseball heroes on both sides of the border, and the Sports Museum (Museo Deportivo de Monterrey) is dedicated to boxing and rodeo, as well as other sports. If drinking beer is your game, tour the factory and taste the different brews Tuesday through Friday (usually at 11 a.m., noon, and 3p.m.). The complex has a lovely garden and an art museum with rotating exhibits.

For three centuries during colonial rule, Guadalajara was a major center of commerce and trade in Mexico. In modem times, the country's second-largest city is home to major manufacturers, serving as a kind of Mexican Silicon Valley for international computer and high-technology companies.

Business notwithstanding, the "City of Roses" is closely identified with many of Mexico's most cherished cultural traditions--mariachi music, charros (cowboys), classic Mexican dishes, and even tequila. You can savor all of the above at the yearly Mariachi Festival, usually held in the last week of August and the first week of September. Sample tequilas and regional cuisine, listen to roving mariachi bands, or take in a performance by the state philharmonic orchestra.

The rest of the year, you can still get your fill of mariachi music in the city's many plazas, including the Plaza Tapatia, where you can also admire the murals of Guadalajara's own Jose Clemente Orozco. Those who want to shop should visit Tlaquepaque, where boutiques are filled with quality ceramics, glassware, and other handicrafts from Jalisco and throughout Mexico. This sparking satellite town, where wealthy tapatios (people from Guadalajara) once had their summer homes, has now fused with the city proper. Just beyond Tlaquepaque is Tonala, a pristine and self-assured suburb with more quality handicrafts. Northwest of the Guadalajara's city center, Zapopan is worth a visit for its basilica and the adjoining museum of Huichol art, where beaded masks and yarn paintings are for sale at reasonable prices.

Whether you spend your leisure time shopping, savoring spicy tacos, or sipping a well-aged tequila, remember to relax and enjoy the moment. What you don't fit in today--well, there's always manana.

* POPULATION: 95.8 million

* AREA: 1.97 million sq. Km.

* GDP [*] (1998): US$ 430 billion

* GDP [*] PER CAPITA: US$ 4,487

* EXPORTS (1998): US$ 117.500 million

* IMPORTS (1998): US$ 125,242 million

* LITERACY RATE: 89.6%

* LIFE EXPECTANCY: 72 years

* LANGUAGE: Spanish

* TELEPHONE COUNTRY CODE: 52

* TELEPHONE CITY CODE: Federal District: 5, Monterrey: 8, Guadalajara: 3

* CURRENCY: US$1= 9.32 Pesos (As of May 21, 1999)

* JANUARY MEDIAN TEMPERATURE: Federal District: 12.5 Centigrade, 54.5 Fahrenheit. Monterrey: 14.5[degrees]C/58.1[degrees]F, Guadalajara: 25[degrees]C/77[degrees]F

* JULY MEDIAN TEMPERATURE: Federal District: 17.5[degrees]C/63.5[degrees]F, Monterrey: 27[degrees]C/80.6[degrees]F, Guadalajara: 31[degrees]C/87.8[degrees]F

(*.) 1995 constant prices