Metepec
Metepec is a city and municipality in the State of Mexico in Mexico. It lies adjacent to the east side of the state capital, Toluca. Mexico City lies further to the east. The name Metepec is from Nahuatl meaning hill of the maguey plants. However, it is also known in the Matlatzinca language as "Nepinta-Tuhi" meaning 'people of corn land' and in the Otomi language as "Ntaguada"
The downtown of the city lies at the foot of the hill that gives the city and municipality its name. There has been a community here since the Otomis and Matlatzincas settled in this part of the Valley of Toluca, and the Matlatzincas reached their cultural peak between 1120 and 1450 as part of the Teotihuacan culture. The Aztecs conquered this community, along with the rest of the area by 1470 by the tlatoani (chief) named Axayacatl. The Spanish arrived here in 1526 obliterating native rites that were done on the "maguey hill" and put a church there, now-called the Ex-convento de San Juan, renaming the area San Juan Bautista Metepec. According the the Codex of Metepec the Spanish town was founded in the same year.
The Ex-convento de San Juan is the main religious structure in the town from the 16th century; however, other churches worth visiting include Las Capillas de El Calvario, La Santa Cruz, del Espiritu Santo, San Bartolome, de San Salvador, de Santa Maria Magdalena and la Parroquia de San Mateo. The 24th of June is the feast day of Metepec's patron saint, John the Baptist. In addition since 1990 the city has an international arts and culture festival called Quimera, which occurs in October.
The Cerro de Maguey (Maguey Hill) has a number of small caves with names like "La cueva del diablo" (Cave of the Devil) that can be explored. While most of the food in Metepec is typical of the region (with dishes such as barbacoa, tamales, and huaraches) it does have a unique drink called "Garanona". It is made from 15 herbs and is a strong, sweet drink. The locals say it is an aphrodisiac. The only place that sells and distributes this drink is a bar called the "2 de Abril", located in the downtown.
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