12 Best Things You Don’t Know About Mexico

Yes, Mexico is the proud owner of 35 UNESCO world heritage sites. Out of which 27 cultural sites, 6 natural sites and 2 mixed sites. It is the 7th country in the world to have over 30 sites marked by UNESCO to be of great natural and cultural value. These heritage sites include Chichen Itza which is, in fact, included in the list of Seven Wonders of the World.

While the world’s largest volcano is in Hawai’s big island, Mexico is the home to the world’s smallest volcano – Cuexcomate. It is located outside the city of Puebla and is 43 feet tall like a small hill. You can even find a rare rabbit species there, called volcano rabbits. Also, interestingly, do you know that Mexico is located in the most volcanic zone of the earth. It stands on the “Ring of Fire”, where almost 90% of the world’s earthquakes and about 81 % of the planet’s volcanic eruptions take place.

Mexico City is the oldest city in North America and guess what, it is built on a lake bed. Thousands of years ago, when Aztecs built the city, they built a system of dikes and canals to control the floods. This system kept the natural fresh water supply intact. But when the Spanish conquerors conquered the city, they drained all of the lakes. This, in turn, resulted in making the lake bed on which the city is built to be the only source of fresh water. Hence, Mexico City is sinking at a rate of 10 inches a year as pumps draw water out for the city’s growing population. Shocking, right?!

Mexico is known as the chilli capital of the world. It is a country that is home to 150 different varieties of chillies. From jalapeños to habanero, Mexicans are known for having spicy dishes. This country is the Mecca for chilli lovers from all over the world. Also, many chilli ferias or festivals are held here around the year.

You must be thrilled to know that it was Mexico who introduced the chocolates to the world. The cacao plants were first found here and Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate. It was used as a medicine, a holy drink, and even as an aphrodisiac since the cacao seeds were considered to be the gift of god.

As soon as we hear the word “pyramid”, the first thing that comes to our mind is Egypt. Undoubtedly, Egypt has the most number of pyramids in the world and it is the home to the world’s tallest pyramid. But to your surprise, you would be glad to know that Mexico has the world’s largest pyramid – The Great Pyramid of Cholula. It is located in Cholula, Puebla, Mexico.

Mexico is the land of Chihuahua and Jaguar. The world’s smallest breed of dog – Chihuahua has its origin in Mexico and is named after a Mexican state of the same name. Another popular and rare animal found here is jaguar. Jaguar, being the largest wild cat of North America, can be found roaming in the jungles of Mexico.

The ‘Day of the Dead’ falls on 2nd November every year and is celebrated as a National holiday in Mexico. It is locally known as Día de Muertos. It is an annual tradition to remember and honor the deceased family members. There is a parade where people dressed as zombies, ghouls and ghosts participate with great fervour. Families set up altars or visit graveyards of the deceased and  take offerings of calaveras (sugar skulls) and marigolds to place them at the graves.

Caesar Cardini was a French-inspired Italian chef who immigrated to America and then moved to Mexico to escape prohibition. Cardini opened a restaurant across the border in Tijuana, Mexico where he served alcohol and escaped Prohibition. It was in Tijuana, Mexico that Caesar invented this salad with his limited stock of ingredients.

Mexico was the birth place of Felix Gallardo who formed the most famous cocaine distribution system in Mexico. The Guadalajara cartel, Mexican drug cartel, connected with another powerful cartel founded by Pablo Escobar in order to ship cocaine and marijuana to the United States. Weed delivery systems have stopped now since you can buy weed from shops now and even order weed online in Hamilton and other big places in the US.

Corn has been an integral part of Latin American countries from long ago. Corn was first originated in Mexico and its cultivation was done nearly 9,000 years ago. Early civilizations of Mexico like Maya, Olmec, Aztec, and Inca associated corn with being the plant of life. Hence, corn in Mexico is highly valued by the farmers. Today, you can find 59 varieties of corn in Mexico. Corn is available in different shapes, sizes, and colors like – white, blue, purple, etc.

If it wouldn’t have been for Mexico, the world wouldn’t have the colour tv now. We would still have been watching the black & white tv if one Mexican man named – Guillermo González Camarena wouldn’t have invented the color tv. He was a 20th-century Mexican electrical engineer, responsible for the invention in 1939 of the “chromoscopic adapter for television equipment” or color TV, as well as of other three color television systems.

So, these were some of the top most interesting things about Mexico. Hope you enjoyed knowing about them!