HOLIDAYS IN MEXICO. Part 5: HOLIDAYS IN MEXICO CITY MEXICO was the day September 15, 2010. The most awaited day for all Mexicans. 200 years ago began the process by which achieved independence from Spain, the process by which it would acquire an identity, a mix of ancient pre-Hispanic cultures and customs and norms imposed by the English colonization (such as the imposition of religion Christian). We arrived at the bus station after a trip of about 11 hours. Paola and I decided to wait a bit on the station for the arrival of Ignacio and Santiago Izquierdo siblings. Unfortunately for them, or not, during his first days in Mexico City was raining so they decided to continue your journey and leave Oaxaca City to visit the end of your stay in Santiago in Mexico. Fortunately, during those days visiting the capital, could match the 3 to celebrate the national holiday in the Zocalo, the center of the capital. During breakfast at the station stayed on this, go to the Zocalo. They would just settle into your hotel. I would then go shopping first wanted to take some things for Spain. Paola would accompany me to shop in the Merced market, famous for the huge amount of prostitution that exists in its environs, and the low cost of these services (20 pesos, which is little more than one euro, as Paola told me, but I did not confirm it when I passed dozens and dozens of prostitutes who occupied much of a crowded street, shops and more people.) According to Paola is a dangerous place, but I thought I did not. She was not going to accompany the celebrations of the socket because it would not feel comfortable in a crowded place, or was it because you embarrassed to be surrounded by españolitos?.
Well, the purchases were a bit overwhelming, due to limited living space between the posts, the large agglomerations of people, that nervousness before an important celebration, the traffic ... Because of this, we did not find key rings of which at the time told me about being in Manzanillo Paola about to buy the ground that in the DF were nicer and cheaper, just give me time to buy gifts for females. But also bought some sweet, some spicy goodies, jamaica flowers, salsa valentina and no tequila, because the prohibition did not allow their sale. Yes, you heard right, prohibition, which lasted from 15 to 17, inclusive, for security reasons. But ... if you know there will be prohibition, can supply the previous days. In short, things that happen in Mexico. Well after a morning of shopping and a large meal, Paola backpack loaded to the utmost and we went each to one side. She has her mother's house, filled to the brim with my stuff. I socket, with a bag of cheats (giant worms something spicy, but not much). Well, it was a bag, a bag was more or less the size of a pack of 4 bottles of pocacola of 2 liters each. As I drove to the base, a deserted street, full of police cars, military cadets (unarmed, which I do not know what use it in an emergency) and prostitutes, my phone rang. The heat was stifling. I walk something in a hurry. I read the message. The left needed water. I kept walking. I could not find where to buy water. I kept walking. Wonder how to get to a military base. The do not know. Asked another. Yes. Tells me. I continue walking. It's hot. Find where to buy water. Buy it. Continuing my way and reached the first of the controls. Let me pass without further. I see a tail to the start and was strange, but since I did not want to think continuously. Shit. After walking one block (block) I find the second control. Have to queue to enter (or train, as would the Mexicans). I am looking for the end of the queue. It is two and a half blocks. After waiting a while, I find that output queue is the output queue, but a loop
to enter. That is, it's like to go and return to a point but having to wait for people to forward progress. Fortunately soon much in advance. Yes, the streets are full of personal security forces. When I can start entering frisk me. I do not wear anything dangerous. Then I have to wait another queue to go through one of the do not know if 15 or 20 metal detectors are installed. A sign indicates that it is forbidden to put flags, alcohol, firecrackers, weapons and do not know how many more. Fortunately my only weapons are a bottle of water and a giant bag full of cheats (that's what they call Mexicans). After gaining entry, I realize that I find my compatriots can be tricky. I stand in a place easy to find and proceed to contact it via phone. Remain in the Burger King, supplies. I hope. When they are close to inform me of their coordinates. I, as an expert on geolocation, I stand on tiptoe and begin to scan at the level of the line formed by the heads of people located at high altitude. Why?. That at that level is where I find a familiar face. My gut does not fail. The meeting. I see. I approach them. Interestingly there is a radius of 3 or 4 feet around them where there is no human. I already noticed that we are infiltrators. After waiting for them to finish eating we went to a vantage point, midway between the two main stages.
The truth is I do not know how it all started, but all of a sudden, started throwing a white elongated objects and many corners of the square. At first it was in the distance, but gradually the rain of those objects are closer to us. What will?. When we knew what they were, we wanted one!, One for each!. They were plastic ponchos containing lights of those who have multiple positions intermittently. Then we mounted guard waiting for prey to pass close to us. It was crazy. When a white bar near our area there was always someone more attentive or better placed than us who snatched precious prize. And on many occasions that someone was the same person, a young man who came with the whole family and that was getting lights for everyone. There were complaints by the English sector. He laughed and went about their business. To me I missed a couple of hands, so that complaints and humiliation suffered by Santi and Ignacio and anyone else who joined them. Finally I said to the young man that gave Catch-cheats if I was getting one. No luck. But his family got the cheats. The large size of the bag and its contents made us famous in the neighborhood, we were the children of the cheats. There were people who screamed. They were awarded.
The truth is that most of the shows were organized up to 22 hours were not worthy of the occasion, and except lights and other releases climax in which all ended up sitting on the floor, nothing else much encouraged. I mean, if it had not been for the environment and the general public would have been a bit boring. And the moment that culminates in the one just sitting was because the mob cheered in unison "That feel, that sienteee" and if you sat ... I could spend it all. There was a girl, whom I shall call "The White", that despite all the shouting for them to sit down, touching even the lack of respect, stood his ground and not bend your knees or a millimeter. I could not believe the situation and could not for laughing. The remaining people were afraid to get up, and we had to put up with numbness and discomfort arising from bad posture.
And if something is characterized Mexicans may be for his sincerity, and if not to tell the poor show host, what is it like to be booed every time he left the stage. Moreover, he had composed a sort of anthem for the bicentennial, but people instead sang Cielito Lindo. I guess enough at the time he submitted it to the English few compatriots now they were forced to sing a song a little ... ugly truth.
And fortunately, after waiting more enlivened by people for the shows prepared for the occasion, arrived at 10 pm. Since that time there were only 60 minutes to the traditional act of shouting, and those 60 minutes were spectacular. The first was the connection to televisions around the world, during which most people sheathed our ponchos and we lit our lamps to celebrate what little was left to cry. At that time Jesus appeared to us a few meters away, ah no, sorry, it seemed a mystical being, but it really was a man who had surrounded the torch head like a crown, to which he had raised his arms while maintaining cross-shaped open. If ... There buzzed people everywhere. In addition, he began to reach the socket just before the parade that we saw on the screens along the major routes from Mexico City, where he still was daylight while in the Zocalo dark. The truth is I was curradísimo all artifacts and costumes paraded, the most striking a giant feathered serpent (take plastic and lots of air) and the colossus, a statue of Zapata's not how many meters tall (30 "? 40? 50?) which was carried chunks before being mounted in the socket. If anyone wants to see pictures of this can browse the net or go to www.ignacioizquierdo.com, where I hope that soon put Ignacio some pictures. I did not much no good pictures because for reasons of security (or insecurity) I took the small camera and was not really the most appropriate for the occasion, but for that we have to Ignacio and Santi.
Once the parade arrived and stood up to Zapata, reached the peak, THE SCREAM!. The president of the Mexican Republic showed up in the balcony of the Palacio Nacional. Rang the bell and began his brief speech, which was basically a series of cheer national heroes, the independence, the bicentennial and Mexico (three times). Awesome feeling, after each "Viva ... not Who "of the president around the world shouting" Viva! ", and one felt as the sound reverberated, as the base remained small (despite being one of the largest squares in the world), how people were proud of their country, how thrilling. And with each "Viva Mexico" the president and the people shouted louder and louder, and after this peak time, people began to shout for joy and celebrate the victory, the victory that conceived two centuries ago and they did have a very unique identity and both the country as a whole people.
After this moving ceremony, the president retired and started a fire show on the National Palace, accompanied by music and fireworks. Then followed more fireworks, this time from the Cathedral, whose facade is projected images of motifs typical of Mexico.
And after all this great show an army of Chaparritas with brooms began clearing the entire square of crap and I do not know whether Dred, of people who were evacuating the area more effectively than if own Police had been the executive arm of the eviction. We went to a bar for a beer and little else, and that the next day some had a one day visit to pyramids and other had to prepare to return to Spain.
The truth is it was a very intense and full of emotions and feelings. I do not know if there is a better way to say goodbye, for now, a country like Mexico.
VIVA MEXICO!