Mexico's 2010 Two Hundred Year "Bicentennial" Celebration

September 16th 2010, today Mexico celebrates the 200th Anniversary of it's Independence. Same as our 1776-1976. Our rebellion from Britain, theirs from Spain. Bi Centennial.

Happy Birthday.

I went across the border all three days of events, in Los Algodones. They do know how to party.

It all started with a Priest. He was Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. He rang a church bell (that Bell is now outside the Presidential Palace), but it all started in the city of Delores when he requested the churches parishioners (members) to Rise up against the Spanish Colonial Rule (that should sound familiar to Americans and just maybe the people down south knew of something similar that happen in the United States.

the priest gave a speech known as "El Grito de Dolores (city of Dolores). err six months after his little action he was executed by Spanish Soldiers. After an Eleven year fight, Mexico won it's Independence and Freedom from Spanish rule.

For some reason Canadians and some Americans, confuse Mexican Independence Day, with the Holiday of Cinco de Mayo, which is when the Mexican troops defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla. However it was two completely separate occupations of the country.

I spent a lot of time in East Los Angeles, Santa Ana, San Diego and all of Southern California and the Mexico influence is found in all those locations and in Arizona, where I frequent now.

Being from Ohio, i noticed the large influences of cultural differences.

The Food, oh how good, fresh and almost made in a lot of cases with simple ease.

My Neighbors on both sides of the Border are dedicated hard workers

Just like in the east, the U.S., was influenced by the British in area's of laws and regulations, church cannon laws (Missions), traditional laws, common laws, grazing laws, water laws (the Mexican way is still going strong today in this part of the country). The South-west is like wise influenced by the French, Spanish and Mexican occupations, in the South West.

Mexico played a Major part of our growth and life here up into the middle of the 19th Century.
look around you to day the Virgin de Guadalupe, patron saint is known for being revered during the revolution, the independence and in religious services.

I was out front and Saturday after noon, the farm labor bus pulled up and out came a load of day labor's who have always played a major part, in my day to day life and even the food I eat, and let me tell you, the melons and things given to me by the workers, taste much better than the items i find in the stores. those workers still are a major factor in our local agricultural market.

I enjoyed the Birthday Celebrations. Look forward to many more.
the parades here were beautiful, my local taco order taker was the queen. I saw many school children that I recorginized. The community required every child to take part in the festivities, just think fifty years from now that child is going to recall. Yes they took an active part.