MONTERREY, Mexico – It was as refreshing as jumping in the ocean on a hot day, as revitalizing as a power nap in the middle of a lazy afternoon.

This was the Mexico as I had originally known, the one taught to me by my aunt who lived in Mexico City for a dozen or so years, the place with people as warm as the weather.

Monterrey is not on the water, does not have resorts and there's not a college student on Spring Break in sight.But what it does possess is the kind of culture, sophistication and people that I've found so lacking in other Mexican places of late. In just four days, Monterrey reaffirmed my faith in Mexico and the Mexican people.

Okay, it helped that I met a girl. A quite beautiful girl, in fact. Her long, soft black hair just sparkles in candlelight and frames a face so fantastic and a smile so sensational that it still sends chills up my spine.

She's hot, as we say in this country, though if I were to call her "caliente" I doubt she would comprehend the compliment. That is because Fatima is one of the few people in Monterrey who does not speak English. (I did, however, teach her a few California slang terms I taught her such as "right on," "sweet!," and the various meanings of "dude.")

But it wasn't just Fatima that made this visit such a special experience.

It was getting served 2-for-1 margaritas by nuns in a convent restaurant.

Being chased down by a waiter because my math sucks and the total I wrote on the credit card receipt left the him an additional $1 USD tip.

Having the guy at the hotel reception desk tell me he knows Fatima and that his name is Luis and if I ever want to talk to her, then phone him first and he will serve as our translator.

This is so opposite of some recent experiences in Mexico that it hardly seems like the same country. Recent experiences in Cabo and Rosarito had me running for the border.

In Cabo, waiters giddily bring beer to you all day long but when it's time to leave. the bill is twice as much as it should be and your "amigos" suddenly forget how to speak English. In Rosarito, the Federalies threaten to arrest you for whatever "infraction" pops into their mind at the moment unless you pull out whatever US greenback(s) is most handy (so, always have a $10 at the ready; otherwise, it will cost you $20, or even $40).

Granted, these are total tourist towns but still, I high-tailed it to Greece where I've had bartenders tell me they don't want my money as long as I have a good time (hardly an issue, by the way).

So, when Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) summoned me to Monterrey to assist with its press operations for the Tecate/Telmex Grand Prix of Monterrey auto race, I was hardly looking forward to going back to Mexico.

Still, it was a chance for me to experience a new place and so I kept an open mind. And I liked the place almost immediately.

Located in north central mainland a two-hour plane ride from Dallas, Monterrey is a stronghold of American businesses. It is very definitely Mexico but has a cool European flair with just a touch of Americana.

It's focal point is a large pedestrian square, which I was eager to explore upon arrival. I'm telling you, I must be part Magellan and part insect because I love exploring new places and I'm attracted to bright lights.

I wandered around for about an hour, checking out shops, shoppers and a Mexican song and dance show in the middle of the square before sitting down to eat at the most intriguing place I could find – a restaurant featuring nuns as waitresses. (I checked, the place served alcohol.)

It was here that I instantly regretted not having boned up on my basic Espanol before making the trip because my waitress did not speak English and I was struggling to remember even the most basic phrases ("Yo quiero uno mas margarita, por favor" should be committed to everyone's memory).The salsa had a bigger kick than Adam Venaturi, and I was in constant need of margarita attention.

My lack of Espanol preparation really came back to haunt me the next night. After a full day at the track, I set out to explore Barrio Antiguo ("Old Town"), a collection of hot nightclubs, bars and restaurants. In search of a lively spot for a meal, I stopped a couple of lovely local girls who were among the dozens of people walking the streets.

"Perdon, senoritas," I said. "Donde esta bueno cantina aqui?"

"Well," they replied in perfect English, "there's one over there, and another one down that street."

At least I tried.

Eventually, I discovered a neat little bar that had "Europe" written all over it. Cafe Galleria was small and intimate with artwork on the walls, candles providing most of the lighting, soft but hip music and a cool crowd. It reminded me of a bar in Greece (minus the dancing on the tables) where I spent a few fun evenings.

No sooner did I get my beer ($2, for those taking notes) than I met dos senoritas. They turned out to be Fatima and her sister, Yesenia. They invited me join them and it turned into one of those magic moments that deifies explanation. Fatima and I focused onto each other like a Sports Illustrated photographer at a swimsuit issue photo shoot. We did not speak the same words, but we sure understood each other.

At the same time, I as I fumbled with my Spanish and Yesina tried to inject her little bit of English, it took me back to times in Europe or communicating using a very limited vocabulary, which is one of my thrills of traveling.

They took me dancing but when the watch struck 2:30, I had to call it a night. After all, I had a race the next day. So, we made plans to meet out the next night and I would bring along an amigo for Yesina.

The next morning, I bounded over to my buddy at Honda motorsports and told him we had dates for the night. I enlisted the services of our outstanding press room volunteer, a multi-lingual Canadian named Nadia, to phone the girls to set the night. This is when I discovered a glaring error in my Espanol. Yesina turned out not to be 27 years old as I had interpreted the night before, but 17!

This sent my Honda buddy scattering,but I still met the girls out that night. For a couple of hours, Fatima and I pretty much just sat on a couch staring at each other with drinks in our hands. Eventually, Nadia showed up and brought nearly the entire bar over to sit with us.

So there I was, just three nights after first arriving in Monterrey, having fun with a dozen new friends and a beautiful girl by my side. Yes, this is the Mexico that I had been missing.

Oh, one key word Luis taught me: bonita. I said this to Fatima and she melted like butter in a hot saucepan. I'm now trying to learn as much Spanish as possible for a future meeting with Fatima. In the meantime, you should see me try and read and send her e-mails in Espanol.

The Bartender can be reached at bartender@pubclub.com

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