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Monterrey is the capital of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico. It is a metropolitan city located about two and a half hours drive from the border with the USA.
I was born and raised in Monterrey. We travel there several times a year to visit our relatives and friends. We usually spend summers in Monterrey, the kids enjoy spending vacation time playing with their cousins while they practice Spanish. You can check some of my favorites free things to do in Monterrey.
I’m a proud Regia, as women from Monterrey are known, and I’d like to share with you some interesting facts about this Northern Mexican city.
Fun Facts About Monterrey, México
The Language
- Local people are called Regios (regals) or Regiomontanos.
- Kids in Monterrey are called huercos or güercos.
- In Monterrey, you call your friends compadres (Godfather) or comadres (Godmother).
- Different from other Mexican cities, Regios use a lot of basic English words in their vocabulary.
The People
- It is believed that people from Monterrey are very sensitive about money, sometimes stingy, and don’t spend money easily, so they have the nickname Codos.
- No, we are not angry. Monterrey people speak loud and have a strong cadence. If you are not familiar with our accent you can think we are angry, but don’t worry we are very friendly, this is just the way we talk.
- Monterrey has two professional soccer teams: Rayados and Tigres. When they play against each other in the Clásico Regiomontano there’s always a big party in the city.
- Due to the city proximity to the US border, a lot of Regios go shopping very often to US cities, such as Laredo and McAllen.
- Although the most traditional food in Monterrey is Cabrito al Pastor (roasted goat kid), Carne Asada (grilled steak) on weekends is king in this city.
The Sights
- The iconic symbol of the city is the mountain El Cerro de la Silla, but it is located at Guadalupe, an adjacent city. It has its name because of its saddle shape.
- Fundidora Park is a huge park in the middle of the city with lots of activities for the family, located on the grounds of a very important former steel company that went bankrupt some decades ago. There you can find green areas, several museums, bike rentals, playgrounds, an ice rink, and a convention center (Cintermex).
- Santa Lucía Riverwalk is an artificial river that joins the Macroplaza, another monumental park, with the Fundidora Park. You can ride a boat while hearing about Monterrey’s history and legends for a few pesos (Mexican currency).
- Next to the Macroplaza is the Barrio Antigüo, it is a neighborhood with well-preserved houses from the 19th century with nightlife, cultural centers and even an antique market on weekends.
- El Río Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina river) is a wide river, usually dry, that separates Monterrey into North and South.
- Four hours away from Monterrey is South Padre Island, the Regios’ favorite beach destination. Regios pack the Texas Island on Semana Santa (Good Friday weekend).
There’s a lot of fun things to do with the family in Monterrey. If you want to learn more about what to do in this city, some of their traditions and typical food like my grandma’s picadillo de res recipe, visit my blog mejorandomihogar.com (now in English).
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Very nice and informative for every users