CINCO DE MAYO IN MEXICO REVISITED 2023

The fifth of May (cinco de Mayo) commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It was primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, but is also celebrated in other parts of the country and in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as people might think, Mexico’s Independence Day which is actually September 16.

Setting the Stage

The battle at Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico’s history. Mexico had finally gained independence from Spain in 1821 and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, had mostly wiped out the national economy.

During this period Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England, and France, who were demanding payment. Similar debt to the U.S. was previously cleared after the Mexican-American War. France was eager to add Mexico to its empire at that time, and when Mexico finally stopped making any loan payments, France used the debt issue to establish its own "leadership" in Mexico by installing Napoleon’s relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.

Mexico Confronts the Invasion

France invaded the Gulf coast of Mexico and began to march toward Mexico City. Although American President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico’s cause for which he is honored in Mexico, the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to provide any direct assistance.

Marching toward Mexico City from the coast, the French army encountered strong resistance at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. Lead by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a small poorly armed militia of about 4,500 were able to stop and defeat a well out-fitted French army of 6,500 soldiers which halted the invasion of the country.

The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots and is the cause for the historical date’s celebration. Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon had found an excuse to send more troops overseas to try and invade Mexico again against the wishes of the French populace. Thirty thousand more troops and a full year later the French were eventually able to depose the Mexican army, take over Mexico City, and install Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico.

Maximilian’s rule of Mexico, however, was also short from 1864 to 1866 and ended as the United States of America began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to expel the French. Cinco de Mayo honors the bravery and victory of General Zaragoza’s small and outnumbered militia at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Today’s Celebration

For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla for historical reasons. Though there is recognition of the holiday throughout the whole country it is nothing like that found in Puebla.

Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also been very successful in promoting the holiday with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverage, and festive items. Cinco de Mayo has turned into an excuse to enjoy Mexican beer and eat tacos as if anyone needed any more of an excuse!

                       

Wishing all a wonderful Cinco de Mayo from Mexico wherever you may be.

 

Saludos, Laura

THE TRADITIONAL CUISINE AND LIBATIONS OF OAXACA, MEXICO

The culinary center of the state of Oaxaca is also the name of its capital. Oaxaca is located in what is called the pre-hispanic Central Valleys region. While the dominant indigenous group here has been the Zapotecs since the pre-Hispanic period there has been influence from other groups as well such as the Mixtecs.

The indigenous people of Oaxaca have grown corn, beans, squash,  and other crops for thousands of years. Oaxaca is one of Mexico's major gastronomic and historical centers whose cuisine is known internationally.

                                    

Like the rest of Mexican cuisine, Oaxacan food is based on staples such as corn, beans, and chile peppers. But there is a great variety of other ingredients and food preparations due to the influence of the state's varied geography and indigenous cultures. 

                 

The indigenous people of Oaxaca have grown corn, beans, squash and other crops for thousands of years. In rural, especially indigenous villages, households still depend heavily on these foods with few changes in how they are grown, mostly on small plots. 

                          

The cooking here retains much of its indigenous flavor such as dishes prepared without fat (unknown before the arrival of the Spanish) and the use of the valley's abundance of vegetables and herbs especially in its moles. However, as capital of the state, it also has received influence from other parts of Oaxaca. I love this photograph of a "Frida Kahlo" look alike and her fast food enterprise in the local mercado.

Because of its mountain ranges the state has a number of climates and cultures which contributes to making the cuisine the most varied in Mexico. The state has coastal areas with seafood, the Central Valley region grows a wide variety of vegetables, and the area near Veracruz provides a year-round supply of tropical fruits. Oaxaca also has seventeen recognized indigenous groups who contribute their own cooking traditions. The cooking of each region in the state is characterized by local ingredients and to some extent cooking methods.

                                              

                                       Picking out the all-important chilis was my job! 

           

The best-known mezcal-producing area of the state is here between the city of Oaxaca and Mitla along the highway that leads to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Like tequila, mezcal is made with the cooked hearts of a species of the maguey or agave plant, but the flavor is very different. It has been described as smoky and it is usually drunk straight. It comes in several varieties and can contain flavors such as almond, coffee, and orange.

Hanging out in the Mezcal plants

The following link will take you to my blog posting on the "Libations" of Mexico 

                                     LIBATIONS OF THE MEXICAN GODS

Oaxaca's dietary staple is corn which has been Mexico's for over 7,000 years. Corn is generally dried and ground to create a dough which is then used for a number of dishes including entomatadas, empanadas, and tamales. Tortillas are called blandas and are a part of nearly every meal. The main flavoring agent is the chili pepper with varieties such amarillos, chilhuacles, chilcostles and costenos, but the most distinctive is the pasilla oaxaquena chile.

          

As for beans, Oaxacan cuisine prefers black beans in many varieties: cooked with aniseed and served in the form of soup, as a topping for street food, or with scrambled eggs in huevos con frijoles.  Another distinctive ingredient is Oaxaca cheese also called quesillo which is used to make empanadas, tortas and tlayudas. As for beans, Oaxacan cuisine prefers black beans in many varieties: cooked with aniseed and served in the form of soup, as a topping for street food, or with scrambled eggs in huevos con frijoles.   

                                                       

Sharing a meal with family at a traditional mercado is always a good meal and I think I see someone I recognize in this image.

                                                               

And visiting Oaxaca markets was even more special when our daughter Ashley joined us. What  special memories, mi hija!  

                                  

                                       Eating with the locals always make me happy!  

Thank you for visiting Mexico and Beyond: Laura's Photo Journey and I look forward to your company as I continue this blog journey.  Until next time,  saludos Laura

THE MAGIC OF SAND SCULPTURES

This blog posting as been inspired by a new friend I recently met on our beach. His name is Richard Allard and his lovely wife Line. I consider him a master sand sculpture artist. It is with sincere thanks and pleasure that we have met.

I have always loved sand sculptures. I theorize it originated as a child living on the beach in Southern California. My brother and I would go out and start digging in the sand and at some point our sculptures actually started to look like something recognizable.









My young children who grew up on the beach in Southern California were introducted to building sand castles at a very young age.
















Sand art is the practice of modelling sand into an artistic form such as sand brushing, sand sculpting, sand painting, or creating sand bottles. A sandcastle is a type of sand sculpture resembling a miniature building, often a castle. The drip castle variation uses wet sand that is dribbled down to form organic shapes before the sands dries.

























Most sand play takes place on sandy beaches, where the two basic building ingredients, sand and water, are available in abundance. Some sand play occurs in dry sandpits and sandboxes, though mostly by children and rarely for art forms. Tidal beaches generally have sand that limits height and structure because of the shape of the sand grains.




























Sand castles are typically made by children for fun, but there are also sand-sculpture contests for adults that involve large, complex constructions. The largest sandcastle made in a contest was 18 feet tall; the owner, Ronald Malcnujio, a five-foot-tall man, had to use several ladders, each the height of the sandcastle. His sculpture consisted of one ton of sand and 10 litres of water to sculpt.















Future sand sculptures hanging out with Grandpa.








Line hanging out with the remains of Patricia who is still hanging in there on our beach.














A drip castle: Sand grains will always stick together unless the sand is reasonably fine. While dry sand is loose, wet sand is adherent if the proper amounts of sand and water are mixed. The reason for this is that water forms little "bridges" between the grains of sand when it is damp due to the forces of surface tension.









When the sand dries out or gets wet, the shape of a structure may change, and "landslides" are common. A mix of fine (mostly sharper) and coarse sand granules is very important to achieve good "sand construction" results. Fine granules that have been rounded by the natural influences of seas, rivers or fluvials, in turn negatively influence the bonding between the individual granules as they more easily slide past each other.








Shovels and buckets are the main construction tools used in creating sand castles and sand sculptures, although some people use only their hands. A simple sand castle can be made by filling a bucket with damp sand, placing it upside-down on the beach, and removing the bucket. For larger constructions, water from the sea to mix with the sand can be brought to the building site with a bucket or other container. Sometimes forms of other materials, such as wood or plastic are constructed to hold piles of sand in place and in specific shapes.









Sand sculpting as an art form has become popular in coastal beach areas. Hundreds of annual competitions are held all over the world. Techniques can be quite sophisticated, and record-breaking achievements have been noted in the Guinness World Records. Sometimes, contests are staged as advertising or promotional events. Most sand sculptors come from other disciplines but a few earn their living solely from sand-related activities.








Thank you for joining me and my introduction to our Sand Sculptures. Until next time, wishing you well and safe travels.

ABOUT THIS BLOG: 5.12.2014

                               

 Here's the thing. Many people of all ages and backgrounds have asked me and my husband what our lifestyle is all about. Having spent over seventeen years living what I like to call a "nomadic" lifestyle, it's a little hard to explain. One thing I definitely realize, however, is that our lifestyle is not for everyone. Little did we know what we were getting into when we moved to Mexico and or where the journey was going to take us. And just maybe that was part of the excitement and magic that has contributed to where we are today.

I have always been interested in other cultures and countries. And looking at a map is like reading an exciting book to me with all sorts of hidden agendas and possibilities. I believe my curiosity was a major contributing factor in how we have chosen to live. I love the adventure and challenge of exploring a new place and learning how to adjust and adapt to a new culture. This challenge makes me excited and keeps the juices flowing.

I have the attitude of either love it or leave it. And that has served us well during our years of wandering and living not only in Mexico, but other Latin Countries as well. I very much look forward to sharing some of our special places and experiences with you in future postings. I will be sharing our experiences primarily through photographs since they bring the memories closest to my heart back the most vividly.

I do admit to being a conflicted person. I love the excitement and adventure of the nomadic lifestyle, but I feel that I am a “nester” at heart. However, I quickly learned that I could feel “at home” with just a few personal possessions. I learned that home was where the heart resides and for me, my heart has been happy living in and exploring many different places. I also learned that with only a few personal items, some family photographs, a few keepsakes from our travels, and of course my husband, I could feel at home. Realizing that I do not have to be surrounded by “things” to make a place “home" has been the biggest lesson I have learned over the years.

I do enjoy getting involved in a new community whereever we are living in order to make friends and feel a party of the community. It’s that contact, however brief it might be, that makes our lifestyle come alive and gives it substance and meaning. Every and each new location where we have lived has been unique and special for different reasons. And that is a wonderful thing to a person with a nomadic or wandering spirit.

At some point however, my “itchy feet” syndrome seems to kick in and I want to get on the road to find the next challenge and next place. And, who knows? That next place might just be the perfect place to settle down and grow roots. I must say, however, that my wandering feet are slowing down a bit although I am not yet at that point of giving up my traveling shoes. So I now say to myself, time will tell or "que sera, sera" (what will be, will be). One valuable lesson I have learned along this journey is that these older “salty beach” feet have become more “cobble stoned townie feet” in the process and as long as they are still walking they are happy feet!

Wherever our wandering lives take us there is no doubt that it has been an amazing journey,  a journey that would have not been possible without the companionship and support of my wonderful husband. Muchas gracias, mi hombre, and here's to more wonderful experiences and memories! I welcome you to my blog, MEXICO AND BEYOND: LAURA'S PHOTO JOURNEY. Here is just a small sample of my photographs in order to introduce you to our nomadic journey through the wonderful countries of Latin America. I look forward to you joining me.                      

                                                THE FACES OF LATIN AMERICA   

                                                         

                                                       A BEAUTY FROM VERACRUZ                                  

                               
                                                     AN INDIGENOUS FACE OF MEXICO 
                                             

                                                 THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

SAN MARTIN DE LOS ANDES, ARGENTINA 

                                     THE VOLCANO OF ORIZABA, MEXICO

                               

                                    

                     

THE PACIFIC COAST OF OAXACA, MEXICO 

        

THE ANCIENT WORLD

                       

                                Chichenitza, Yucatan, Mexico 

           MONTE ALBAN, OAXACA, MEXICO 

    TIKAL, GUATEMALA 

                                                                                

         COPAN HONDURAS 

                                              CULTURE AND FESTIVALS

DANCE OF THE CONCHEROS, MEXICO

                            MERIDA, THE CITY OF WHITE, YUCATAN, MEXICO

                                

                             DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATIONS IN GUATEMALA 

                                                      

                                           

CARNIVAL, MERIDA, MEXICO

Thank you for joining me at MEXICO AND BEYOND: LAURA'S PHOTO JOURNEY and I am very much looking forwatd to our company.   Saludos,  Laura