Viva Mexico!!

Today is Mexico's Independence Day. Here the celebrations for this day are always big and looked forward to. Not unlike our own Fourth of July celebrations. Fireworks parades picnics fiestas you name it. But this year is the Ginormous Bicentennial Celebrations. The country has been in high gear all year long in preparations. Not only for the bicentennial but 2010 is also the centennial anniversary of the revolution. SO that will be another gihugic celebration latter this year!! The different states have all produced amazing videos promoting their uniqueness. And I have to tell you these videos are some of the most beautiful and amazing videos I have ever seen! They all fit together to create a wonderful surreal movie that really has no beginning to end sequence. That way they can be viewed in any order. Here is the link for Sinaloa. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsdDyJJPDeA

Down the right side are a number of others you can watch if you would like. 

It was 200 years ago last night that Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla  rang the village of Dolores, church bell and declared "The moment of our emancipation has come..." which set Mexico on an 11 year struggle to independence from Spain.

Last night in Mexico City's Zocala square President Calderon  reenacted Padre Hidalgo's bell ringing and declaration

finishing with "Viva Mexico" and the huge Country wide celebration began.

  The parade and laser light/ fire works display in Mexico City was nothing short of amazing. Each state when all out in creating their floats and presentation. Much of the emphasis was placed on their remarkable indigenous civilization, history and culture that had existed thousands of years before Europe discovered hers and Latin America's riches. 

The ancient game of  Ulama is still played today. There is a court in a village a short distance from us. In the 1600s the Spanish priests outlawed the game. But in some of frontier areas like the state of Sinaloa they continued to play Ulama. Except for the protective head gear the game is played exactly like the Aztecs played. Well except the losers buy the winners liquid refreshments instead of dying! :)

 

Here is a video of the amazing firework  show:

The holiday is always celebrated over two days (15/16). I'm sure you can imagine what this year has been like There are more businesses and government office closed then Christmas Day!! :) The fireworks for Mazatlan will be tonight. They are always spectacular because they are done on the beach so that the horizon and ocean are completely dark. With no distractions of lights etc competing with the fireworks, the show will be awesome!!

LW and I are off to help celebrate our adopted country's big day! You all in the Northlands (the rest of the world) have a most audacious, art filled day no matter where in the world you are  p;)

Viva Mexico ! ! !