Joining in a local festival, holiday or special event is a great way to learn more about a local culture. Share the story of a celebration that meant something to you on your travels.
Probably the most incredible 'local' celebration I ever encountered was Mexico's 200th Anniversary of the 1810 Revolution. What a huge party that was! John and I were in San Miguel de Allende, the seat of the Revolution, where peasants wielding pitch forks and torches overthrew the ensconced Spanish government, in power for over 300 years. Of course it didn't last, and all the leaders were eventually beheaded. Those gory aspects were long forgotten as 30,000 people packed Centro in San Miguel and blew off fireworks. (A much lengthier description can be found in the September 2010 section of this blog.)
I never made it to Boston or Philadelphia back in 1976, when the US celebrated our Bicentennial, so it was amazing to experience the Bicentennial of another country. I will never forget how so many people remembered to bring pieces of cardboard to put over their heads during the fireworks. The sparks rained down like fire from heaven. If anyone's clothes had been ignited, there would have been no way to 'put them out' as the crowd was skin-to-skin dense with not an inch of leeway. Being pressed up against a support pillar for a building, I spent a few minutes thinking there was a possibility of dying, of being crushed to death. Fortunately, I believe everyone survived the party. It was a very exciting time to be able to share with the Mexican people 200 years of freedom from Spanish domination.
30 Days of Indie Travel
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