Today is a very important day in the history of two great nations.
On the one hand Canadians all over the globe are celebrating their country's "birthday". Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867 Constitution, which united three colonies into a single country called Canada (thank you Wikipedia). I am fortunate enough to have met some very lovely Canadian ladies along the years and this time the one and only Oneika the Traveler invited me to join her and a few other lovely Canucks for Canada Celebrations at Trafalgar square. I was so excited that I even broke my I-only-wear-black-white-and-grey rule and added a little touch of red to my outfit.
I was curious to learn what the traditions are when it comes to celebrating Canada.
In France, the 14th of July is all about the military parade. >_<
In the US, the 4th of July is all about the fireworks. o_O
In Mexico the 15th and 16th of September (we Mexicans need TWO days to properlyrecuperate commemorate) is all about the Grito de Dolores.... (and the mariachis, and the shooting in the air and of course the Tequila) ;-D
But I have to say I really liked the Canadian way of celebrating their nation's big day: they just get together to hang out and have a good time. Trafalgar square in London was dressed in red and white for the occasion and was bubbling with excitement and fun when I got there. Everywhere you looked family, friends and tourists gathered around wearing their favorite hockey shirts, Canada worded tee's, maple-leafed loggoed caps and even wacky costumes - so long as they were red and white. Food and music were everywhere and even a street hockey pitch was set up right in the middle for everyone to join in on the fun. Even the wet English weather didn't dampen the high spirits. All around people were laughing and having a good time. I think if I was a country I would much prefer my people to celebrate me by eating a yummy hefty portion of Poutin and playing hockey out in the park than by standing around in the hot summer heat watching a bunch of tanks ride by. But maybe that's just me.
In any case, I really enjoyed hanging out with Oneika and meeting everyone. In turn I invited them to celebrate Mexican Independence Day next September.... start practicing those "VIVA MEXICOOOOOO!!"s ladies!
Which brings me to the other nation with an important rendez-vous marked on the calendar today.
Mexicans all over the world are voting for President today, and I have to say, I've been chewing my nails all week.
I have to admit I am not necessarily enthralled with any of the candidates. None of them seem to really stand out as being particularly talented, clever or frankly even lucky enough to be able to successfully lead our country out of the shit hole it has allowed itself to plunge into over the course of the past years.
The major thing for me with these elections is that we've all witnessed change across the world in recent years thanks to social media. The northern African countries basically ended decades of dictatorships and repressive regimes in one sweep thanks to the power of quick, easy and massive access to information.
Mexico is finally at a point where it too can change the course of our history thanks to the power that a simple battery charged device gives each and every one of us.
Our country needs change. And PRONTO. And I'm not talking about the change of a bald head for a mustache for a slick hair-do.
I'm talking about the kind of change that shakes things up a bit. The kind that goes through the five stages of progress: initial shock, unavoidable resistance, eventual consideration, ultimate realization and collective action.
When you think about it, 90+ years of our country stagnating on the center and far right side of the political spectrum is just too much time. It's longer than what the Cuban Revolution has lasted. Or the dictatorships of Putin, Pinochet, Chavez and Gaddaffi. It's way more time than what the Israeli and Palestinians or the British and the Argentinians have spent fighting with each other. The Berlin Wall was built up and torn down in the interim. The ETA and the IRA have each blown up and calmed down in way less time. Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the whole of devastated Europe were rebuilt after WWI and II in a much shorter period of time. Even Americans know that it's good to change the White House colors from time to time.
Voting cannot be about political affiliation in this election. It has to be about simple survival by recognizing that CHANGE is the only oxygen cannister left for our country. I hope we have enough sense to reach out for it.
Otherwise, I'm moving to Canada.
Fned.
On the one hand Canadians all over the globe are celebrating their country's "birthday". Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867 Constitution, which united three colonies into a single country called Canada (thank you Wikipedia). I am fortunate enough to have met some very lovely Canadian ladies along the years and this time the one and only Oneika the Traveler invited me to join her and a few other lovely Canucks for Canada Celebrations at Trafalgar square. I was so excited that I even broke my I-only-wear-black-white-and-grey rule and added a little touch of red to my outfit.
I was curious to learn what the traditions are when it comes to celebrating Canada.
In France, the 14th of July is all about the military parade. >_<
In the US, the 4th of July is all about the fireworks. o_O
In Mexico the 15th and 16th of September (we Mexicans need TWO days to properly
But I have to say I really liked the Canadian way of celebrating their nation's big day: they just get together to hang out and have a good time. Trafalgar square in London was dressed in red and white for the occasion and was bubbling with excitement and fun when I got there. Everywhere you looked family, friends and tourists gathered around wearing their favorite hockey shirts, Canada worded tee's, maple-leafed loggoed caps and even wacky costumes - so long as they were red and white. Food and music were everywhere and even a street hockey pitch was set up right in the middle for everyone to join in on the fun. Even the wet English weather didn't dampen the high spirits. All around people were laughing and having a good time. I think if I was a country I would much prefer my people to celebrate me by eating a yummy hefty portion of Poutin and playing hockey out in the park than by standing around in the hot summer heat watching a bunch of tanks ride by. But maybe that's just me.
In any case, I really enjoyed hanging out with Oneika and meeting everyone. In turn I invited them to celebrate Mexican Independence Day next September.... start practicing those "VIVA MEXICOOOOOO!!"s ladies!
Which brings me to the other nation with an important rendez-vous marked on the calendar today.
Mexicans all over the world are voting for President today, and I have to say, I've been chewing my nails all week.
I have to admit I am not necessarily enthralled with any of the candidates. None of them seem to really stand out as being particularly talented, clever or frankly even lucky enough to be able to successfully lead our country out of the shit hole it has allowed itself to plunge into over the course of the past years.
The major thing for me with these elections is that we've all witnessed change across the world in recent years thanks to social media. The northern African countries basically ended decades of dictatorships and repressive regimes in one sweep thanks to the power of quick, easy and massive access to information.
Mexico is finally at a point where it too can change the course of our history thanks to the power that a simple battery charged device gives each and every one of us.
Our country needs change. And PRONTO. And I'm not talking about the change of a bald head for a mustache for a slick hair-do.
I'm talking about the kind of change that shakes things up a bit. The kind that goes through the five stages of progress: initial shock, unavoidable resistance, eventual consideration, ultimate realization and collective action.
When you think about it, 90+ years of our country stagnating on the center and far right side of the political spectrum is just too much time. It's longer than what the Cuban Revolution has lasted. Or the dictatorships of Putin, Pinochet, Chavez and Gaddaffi. It's way more time than what the Israeli and Palestinians or the British and the Argentinians have spent fighting with each other. The Berlin Wall was built up and torn down in the interim. The ETA and the IRA have each blown up and calmed down in way less time. Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the whole of devastated Europe were rebuilt after WWI and II in a much shorter period of time. Even Americans know that it's good to change the White House colors from time to time.
Voting cannot be about political affiliation in this election. It has to be about simple survival by recognizing that CHANGE is the only oxygen cannister left for our country. I hope we have enough sense to reach out for it.
Otherwise, I'm moving to Canada.
Fned.
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