OpenCourseWare Consortium Conferences

Here are some essential pieces of information about hotel and travel for the OCWC Global meeting in Monterrey, Mexico. The conference presentations will be taking place on April 21-23, 2009. Friday, April 24th will be available for optional sightseeing. The OCWC board meeting will be on April 24th and 25th, with optional sightseeing in the afternoon on the 25th.

Also, to assist the members and the board with the hotel reservation and doubts about the traveling and the conference, arrangements have been made with Profesionales en Convenciones, an event fulfillment company.

Beginning Tuesday, March 17, any interested in the conference could call or write to:

Cecilia Villarreal
Phone: +52 (81) 8369-6585
Fax: +52 (81) 8369-6727
E-mail: cecilia.villarreal@proconvenciones.com
Office Hours: 8:00 to 18:00 hrs of Mexico Central Time (GMT-6:00)

Event Hotel

CAMINO REAL MONTERREY
2492 Diego Rivera Ave.
Colonia Valle Oriente
San Pedro Garza García N.L. 66200
Phone: (011 52 81) 8133 5400
Fax: (011 52 81) 8133 5408

Airports

There are two international airports: General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (served by major international carriers and moving more than 6.5 million passengers in 2007) and Del Norte International Airport, a primarily private airport.

Monterrey is linked through frequent non-stop flights to many Mexican cities and to key United States hubs (Atlanta, Austin, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Los Angeles, Houston-Intercontinental, and JFK/New York). There is also a twice a week non-stop service to Madrid, Spain, operated by Aeroméxico and to Rome, Italy. Monterrey is the second most important city for the operating routes of Aeroméxico.

Taxis

For your convenience and safety at the Monterrey International Airport you will find only booths of authorized taxi and transportation services. The rate for these services depends on where you are going to and the type of service (individual or collective transportation).

Area Information

Monterrey is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León and a municipality of the same name. Also known as "Sultana del Norte" (Northern Sultan), Monterrey is an important industrial and business center. The city proper has population of 1.1 million, and the metropolitan area of Monterrey has a population of 3.8 million (INEGI 2005). The city is named after the Countess of Monterrei (a city in Galicia, Spain) wife of the Viceroy of New Spain.

Residents of Monterrey are often called Regiomontanos (or Regiomontanas).

Geography

The city of Monterrey is located 530 metres (1,740 ft) above sea level in the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. The Santa Catarina River-dry most of the year on the surface but with flowing underground water-bisects the city.

Monterrey lies at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range, which start abruptly south of the city. A small hill, the Cerro del Topo and the smaller Topo Chico are located in the suburbs of San Nicolás de los Garza and Escobedo. West of the city rises the Cerro de las Mitras (Mountain of the Mitres), which resemble the profile of several bishops with their mitres.

Cerro de la Silla (Saddle Mountain) dominates the view east of the city. Cerro de la Loma Larga-South of the Santa Catarina river-separates Monterrey from the suburb of San Pedro Garza García. At the summit of the Cerro del Obispado, north of the river, is the historic Bishopric Palace, site of one of the most important battles of the Mexican-American War.

Natural areas

The mountains surrounding Monterrey offer a breathtaking landscape containing many canyons, trails and roads crossing deserts and forests. Suitable trails are available for all from casual hikers to expert rockclimbers. The Sierra Madre Oriental mountains south of the city are included in the "Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey" (National Park), which was added to UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program of Biosphere Reserves in 2006.

Demographics

The municipality has a population of 1,133,814 inhabitants. The Monterrey metropolitan area is the third most populous city in Mexico with more than 3.7 million. It is composed of the adjacent cities (municipalities) of: Apodaca, Escobedo, García, Guadalupe, Juárez, Salinas Victoria, San Nicolás de los Garza, San Pedro Garza García, Santa Catarina, and Santiago.

Climate

Monterrey has a humid subtropical climate. Its weather, though reasonably pleasant in spring and autumn, is hot in the summer; the average high reaches 35 °C (95 °F) in August, with an average low of 23 °C (74 °F). Winters are cool but not cold. The average January high is 18 °C (65 °F) and the average low in January is 8 °C (47 °F); however, temperatures below freezing are rare. Rainfall is scarce, but more prominent during May through September. Humidity in winter can be high, although without showers. Monterrey is very extreme in weather change, sometimes reaching 27°C (80°F) in January and February, the coldest period, though this is not seen frequently. Most extreme weather change occurs with rainfall in summer, which changes extreme heat to cooler temperatures, and the absence of northern winds in winter, sometimes causing extreme or abnormally high temperatures. Snowfall is a very rare event.

Personal Safety

Millions of people visit Mexico safely every year. Nevertheless, a recent increase in crime has prompted the following travel warning from the US State Department:

Visitors are encouraged to stay in the well-known tourist areas of the cities.

Travelers should leave their itinerary with a friend or family member not 

traveling with them, avoid traveling alone, and should check with their cellular 

provider prior to departure to confirm that their cell phone is capable of roaming 

on GSM or 3G international networks.  Do not display expensive-looking jewelry, 

large amounts of money, or other valuable items.

Rest assured that our hosts are taking appropriate measures to assure your safety and convenience during the conference proper and any related sightseeing. We ask that you take the same care in arranging for any travel you may be planning around the conference or after hours.