SHOPPING IN MEXICO:  Mexico, population app. 109,000,000, is situated predominantly in North America, with the United States to the North, the Central American countries of Guatemala and Belize to the South, and long coastlines on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the East and West, respectively. Mexico City is the largest city and the capital, with one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world.  In ancient times, through the 16th century conquest by Spain, the land was home to great Mesoamerican empires, including the Aztecs, Olmecs and the Mayas, and travelers invariably frequent the fascinating ruins of these once-great societies.  Shopping in Mexico strongly reflects the influence of native cultures, particularly in the smaller towns and roadside kiosks.  Hand-made items and crafts of all kinds abound, and those shopping in Mexico will have no trouble finding interesting items to bring home.  There is a significant textile industry in Mexico, and visitors shopping in Mexico will find a tremendous variety of colorful, high-quality clothing, as well as very well-priced leather goods.  Shopping in Mexico also includes fabulous hand-woven rugs and blankets that are decorative as well as utilitarian.  The silver industry is world-famous and shopping in Mexico affords an endless selection of well-crafted sterling and alloy pieces.  Pottery is a favorite for those shopping in Mexico, and the beautiful work is a fine combination of age-old techniques and modern technology.  The larger cities have a great number of more familiar department stores, fashionable boutiques and up-to-date malls that provide those shopping in Mexico a nice blend of Latin American, European and U.S. venues and merchandise.  Flea markets are also popular, where shopping in Mexico takes on a more casual and bargaining-oriented flair. Mexican cuisine—which is far more varied than the “Tex-Mex” style familiar in the U.S—is sure to please the palate, and those shopping in Mexico will certainly enjoy the well-seasoned food and a refreshing Mexican beer!