Independence Day, celebrated on the night of the 15th of September, is a family holiday for most of the people I talked to. They gather, make and eat traditional dishes, dress in traditional attire, place traditional music and have fun. Meanwhile the streets and parks are crowded with other partying people doing much of the same thing. This holiday commemorates the start of the war with Spain. In many places, a political figure recreates the moment of the “Cry of Independence”. In Mexico City the Mexican president rings a bell at the National Palace at 11pm and then shouts the cry of patriotism, based on the original cry. The following day, Independence Day, is a public holiday in Mexico. Decorations have been going up since Sebastian was here.
This looks amazing at night – very bright! 
Ok, I gave you a break from churches last week. Puebla City, with over 3,000,000 is the third or fourth largest city in Puebla – depending on who you talk to. It appears to me that they have a church on every block (similar to Starbucks in Washington state). In part because churches in the US are so different, and in part because they are so old and beautiful, I just love to look at them and go inside. In this region they suffered quite a bit of damage in the 2017 earthquake and are still restoring sections.
San Francisco Acatepec 
Fray Francisco de Soto, one of the 12 Apostles, came from Spain in 1524, to convert the indigenous population. 
Just another church – but I love the flags! 
I actually went to Mass in this church with my host. 
It was filled with people and has four Masses on Sunday. 
Church of Santa María Tonantzintla where indigenous faces fuse European and indigenous Mexican cultures 
The flowers looked and smelled fantastic! 
Our Lady of Guadalupe is another version of the Virgin Mary 
This legend was my favorite: Juan Diego was a Catholic convert who in 1531 had a vision of the Virgin Mary as a dark-skinned Indian. When the local Spanish bishop demanded proof of the apparition, it was on Juan Diego’s rough cloak that the Virgin of Guadalupe miraculously imprinted her image. 
This piece fell of during the 2017 earthquake! 
Cholula Architectural Site: I first went with Sebastian and last week I went with my Spanish program. One of the most interesting things about this pyramid is that they have not excavated most of it because it has a historical church on top. So, it looks like a hill from afar. Tunnels were constructed inside to examine how it was build. Sebastian and I went thru the tunnels the first time, but I declined the second time! My second time the grounds near the site were significantly changed, as a fair was in full swing. The number of stores and eating places tripled and we had to park far away and walked through section after section of options to buy and eat! The views from the top were amazing and you could see the mix of colors and old and new.
The only exposed part of the pyramid – some of it reconstructed 
This colorful arch showed up as part of the fair to honor the religious saint. 
It was a long walk up with a option of stairs or ramp. 
My México Travels 