Nicole and Eden in Santiago, Nuevo León
We visited Nuevo León, Mexico during the pandemic. This is what happened.
Monterrey, capital of the state of Nuevo León, is now Mexico’s second largest metropolitan area (both in terms of GDP and in terms of population, according to the 2020 census, surpassing Guadalajara). 2021 saw our first visit to this center of culture, education, and tourism.
11 February 2021
Brian Lüdtke
Monterrey.MX — Toluca.MX — Acapulco.MX
Despite the ongoing pandemic, we decided to travel to Monterrey, Nuevo León. Because we have several of the best Mexican domain names, namely exact-match “.MX” addresses corresponding to the country’s largest cities, we felt a responsibility to support Mexican tourism and hardworking Mexican families by showcasing the state of five million inhabitants.
In view of boosting economic recovery in 2021 and 2022, we wanted to raise awareness about Mexico’s wonderful attractions.
Eden with his crab dance. Flying my drone around “our” swimming pool in the countryside of Nuevo León near Parque Ecológico La Huasteca. Large file size, download may take time (video GIF).
The pandemic also facilitated our choice of Mexico. Although we have comparable exact-match domain names for dozens of cities and countries, most countries have closed or restricted their border crossings. Americans were not allowed to drive into Mexico, but they could fly into the country.
(Click photos to enlarge)
“Cola de Caballo” waterfall, Santiago, Nuevo León
Nicole enjoying a view of Montemorelos, Nuevo León
Eden connecting with history, Saltillo, Coahuila
Because of the violence prevailing throughout much of Latin America, my greatest concern was crime. Thankfully, the metropolitan area of Monterrey is relatively safe, with a homicide rate roughly one-third that of Baltimore (admittedly, a low bar for comparison).
We frequently encountered friendly, presumably honest police patrolling the streets or manning fixed posts. Families appearing to be middle class were everywhere, strolling casually with the latest smart phones and camera equipment.
Indeed, crime in Mexico is known to be surprisingly regional. Some places truly do deserve a reputation; a state like Nuevo León is comparable to the U.S. Chiapas, the poorest state and the southernmost state, actually has a homicide rate half that of the U.S. average.
A mixed race family; 18th century painting. Museum of Mexican History, Monterrey, Nuevo León.
San Pedro Garza García, metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León
On a cliff near the “Cola de Caballo” waterfall, Santiago, Nuevo León
Although relatively wealthy Nuevo León is known as the most expensive state in Mexico, it remains cheap by U.S. standards. While staying in the downtown area, we were able to afford a luxurious apartment with two bedrooms for only $50 per night.
With several thousand photographs and videos in my possession, I will have to write further articles related to our weeks in Nuevo León. For now, suffice it to say that we ended up making friends with about ten young professionals who lived in the apartment building where we were staying in the Villa Antigua section of Monterrey.
Why am I writing about Mexico using the “.com” domain name corresponding to the capital of Honduras? In the past, my vast collection of premium domain names has actually been a blessing and a curse. I have flitted around from project to project according to my changing interests, ultimately limiting them all.
I need to develop one site and redirect all my other addresses to that. In any case, many other publications with a regional focus will sometimes include travel content from abroad. My email address can be found below if the reader has any suggestions or feedback.
