Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo Leon, defies the romanticized images of Mexico. There are few winding cobbled streets and colonial buildings here--wide roads and modern architecture define the city. Nestled in a small valley in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains, it is both jarringly modern and painfully decrepit, struggling to translate its industrial strength into prosperity for all its residents.

In the midst of the peace and the chaos of this city are intense, if somewhat secret, preparations for the United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD) in March. Ten to fifteen thousand people are expected to descend upon Monterrey on March 14 to 22 for the conference and its side events.

"It's not the dream city, and I don't think it's particularly romantic," said Tim Wall, Information Officer at the UN. "But it's the economic powerhouse of Mexico. They [the Mexican government] chose a city that's prospering by developing country standards and has a can-do atmosphere. It has taken advantage of global trends rather than be victimized by them."

In fact, Monterrey is not an especially popular tourist destination, but it is important for Mexican and international businesses. Almost 10 percent of manufactured products in Mexico come from here, including 75 percent of the glass and 50 percent of the beer. The Cerveceria Cuautemoc Moctezuma, where Tecate, Sol and Indio beers are produced, is probably one of the destinations popular with tourists and business people alike. Monterrey was also the site of the first steel mill in all of Latin America, run by the Fundidora Company from 1900 to 1986. The UN conference will actually take place on the grounds of the reopened Fundidora Park.

Everyone in Monterrey seemed aware of the "Congreso del ONU" (UN Conference), though few knew the specifics, least of all what the thousands of delegates will discuss. I spoke to taxi drivers who assured me that the city would be entirely shut down; others were hoping to interact with high-level officials and make a lot more money, an appropriate goal given that the conference is about financing. People working at the Parque Fundidora didn¹t know if they would come into work during the conference because of security measures. The one thing everyone was sure of was that the city of Monterrey and its people would dazzle all those who come for the meeting.

Not quite convinced by their enthusiasm, I set out to see what the city has to offer. Calle Morelos, the main pedestrian shopping street near the Barrio Antiguo, is packed with strolling shoppers and bored vendors on the weekend. Apart from a large number of shoe shops, any number of balloon-selling street vendors and lots of snack food, there wasn't much to buy in the stores along the cobbled street.

Shops sold trendy clothes that all looked the same. I thought I was walking around in circles until I realized that almost every clothes shop was selling "Lavoro" brand clothes, apparently a popular brand in that area. The identically dressed mannequins lined the store-windows all the way down the six or so blocks of Morelos, live versions reflected in the glass as groups of teenagers walked by laughing.

The street-vendors, with masses of balloons and useless trinkets laid out before them, were not especially aggressive in approaching shoppers. Instead they were fascinated by noisemakers they were selling--two heavy plastic balls held together by thick white string, made to click-clack loudly by some mysterious law of physics. Perhaps the click-clacking was a way to attract curious children, maybe it was an unspoken contest to see which vendor was more adept at making the contraption work faster, but the steady sounds followed me up and down Morelos as I tried to find a restaurant.

Most of the eating establishments in the center were either snack bars or fast food joints. I made the mistake of ordering only one gordita--thick soft bread--and it turned out to be the size of a one dollar coin. One tiny bite later I was still starving, but a little embarrassed because I had refused a larger portion. I always have to remind myself that, outside the US, small actually means small- not 'large enough for one person, unless you're in training for sumo.'

Instead I opted to try some 'elote,' a mysterious substance in a styrofoam glass every second person was buying from small stands. I asked for 'un elote chico' and watched as the women ladled out some of the steaming white grain into my glass. Turns out 'elote' is corn--Mexican white corn--shaved off the cob and steamed. I asked the bemused vendor what to do next and she wasn't quite sure what I meant. "Add whatever you want," she offered. Most of the other people at the stand had 'elote' that was bright red from all the chili powder they had sprinkled on it. Other sauces and toppings include mayonnaise, cheese (queso amarillo,) sour cream (called crema,) hot salsa, jalapeños and lime. I wasn't very impressed by the dish--it's boiled corn with some sauce and that's what it tastes like. But it is addictive. The next day I was craving more elote and by the end of my trip I'd tried just about every variation on it I could imagine--except for the preferred Monterrey way of having some corn with chili powder. I'd recommend some queso amarillo, some sour cream, a little chili, a touch of salsa and some lime on top. Go easy on the salsa, it doesn't come with a warning label.

Hunger satisfied--and tongue burning--I continued my exploration. According to the guide book there are thirteen museums in the city including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MARCO), the Museum of Mexican History and the Museum of Glass. The MARCO is an imposing modern rust-colored building. Huge canvases by Sean Scully fill the cavernous halls of the temporary exhibit; lonely giants are ignored by the groups of school children on field trips. There was a striking lack of tourists at the MARCO and the other museums. Labels and captions are rarely bi-lingual and chances are you won't find someone who speaks English. But the art speaks for itself, and the MARCO and the Mexican History Museum are worth a visit.

>From one corner of the central patio in the MARCO (be warned that every twenty minutes the central pool is filled by a terrifyingly loud gush of water masquerading as a fountain) the Cerro de la Silla, considered a symbol of Monterrey and Nuevo Leon, was clearly visible. Its distinctive silhouette is said to look like a saddle, hence the name Saddle Mountain. Initially I thought the name meant 'Chair Mountain,' since silla also means chair, and the symbolism of the mountain entirely escaped me. "The mountain is very important," said Vicente, my first taxi driver in the city. "It's a symbol of the city and it's also beautiful."

The Cerro is just a hint of the natural beauty that surrounds Monterrey. If the city is not romantic and aesthetically inviting, then surrounding mountains and parks make up for that. Cañón de la Huasteca, less than an hour from the center of the city, offers a spectacular view of the Sierra Madre mountains as well as a good opportunity for photography, hiking and repelling. Cola de Caballo--waterfalls that descend from the Sierra Madre 40 kilometers to the southeast of the city--offers visitors the highest bungee jump in Mexico (at 70 meters). The cascade of water is said to resemble a horse's tail, hence the name. There are several other places around the city which offer outdoor sports, horseback riding and the chance to get away from the concrete jungles of developing cities.

Back in the concrete world, one of the most unusual places in Monterrey itself is the Parque Fundidora. The Fundidora Iron and Steel Company owned and ran the park from 1900 till 1986. Ana Cristina Hinojosa, who works at the park office, said that when the park was first set up it was on the outskirts of the city but, as Monterrey expanded, the polluting and noisy factory found itself in the middle of a crowded city. It was finally shut down by the government, in no small part due to the flagging economy. Now old blast furnaces, chimneys and warehouses stand on the park¹s 114 hectares, a silent reminder of the past glory of La Fundidora. The silence in the park, a two-minutes walk from a main highway, is astounding.

Reopened by the state government in 1998 as a public park and major convention center, the Fundidora has a strange magnetism. The old blast furnace, a rickety black metal monstrosity, dominates the landscape on one edge of the park. On a rainy Monday, with the Cerro de la Silla rising behind the building, it was easy to imagine what it must have been like half a century ago--smoky and busy, the silence replaced by clanking machinery and the shouts of working men. Apart from serving up art and non commercial cinema in the Cineteca, the park is now a place for sports, cart racing and conventions.

The Cintermex, a huge convention hall in Fundidora, is the site of the UN Conference. Built to accommodate thousands of people, the three-story sprawling structure has a total surface area of nearly 700 thousand square feet. Salvador Gutierrez, State Coordinator for the UN Conference, who expects at least 5,000 delegates and nearly a thousand press people at the meeting, said the convention hall will be filled, but comfortable. "The park will be completely closed to the public," he said, "but those who work in the different offices will be allowed to enter the grounds. There will also be a few offices which can be used as VIP offices for heads of state and government."

There will certainly be a need for VIP offices. According to Sanjay Acharya, Outreach and Communications consultant to the UN for the conference, nearly 40 heads of state and government are expected at the meeting, including US President George W. Bush. But the people in Monterrey aren't especially worried. "It's exciting," said Juan Saenz, a taxi driver and native of Monterrey, "but it'll be over quickly. We need to see more business and tourists. You have to bring your friends with you when you come back."

"Sure," I promised, "maybe I will."