The third-largest country in Latin America, Mexico is hugely diverse, having both rural backwaters where time seems to have stood still and manic urban centers like Mexico City, one of the most densely populated and exciting cities in the world. This complex and fascinating country is where European and American civilizations first clashed. The repercussions of the meeting in 1519 between the Spanish conquistador Hernâan Cortâes and the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II, and the subsequent devastation wrought by the Spanish conquest, is still felt today.--

Russell Maddicks is a travel journalist who has spent the last twenty years exploring the countries of Latin America. Originally from the UK and fluent in Spanish, Russell has authored a number of acclaimed travel guides to a host of Latin American countries including Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.