Hola! Buenas! and welcome back to
Mexico City or should I say Buenas
Noches because it's Saturday night
in Mexico City and I'm beyond excited as
you can probably tell so this weekend is
Mexican Independence weekend the 16th of
September every year is Independence Day
for Mexico today's the 15th
but the celebrations start today I'm
just down the road from at the central
square the Zocalo which I cannot
pronounce I really apologize for that
behind me is the queue ok the queue is
massive there's queues literally on every
entrance to the Zocalo
it's massive it's energetic the
atmosphere is electric is totally
awesome if there's one video of mine you
watch I'm at Mexico City just to prove
that this city is absolutely awesome this
is the one once I get into the Zocalo
hopefully I'll tell you a little bit
about independence day and
we'll see what festivities are happening
it's so exciting
let's go
okay i'm now in the central square it took
about 45 minutes I would say to get
through the queue it's about 9:00 p.m.
just so you know for future get here
early and this whole thing is just
ridiculous I've never seen so many
people in my life
the lights are exceptional
the thing that really strikes me about
this is just how patriotic ... oh it's quiet
is just how patriotic and proud of
Mexico Mexicans are and coming from the
UK there isn't really anything like this
you know except maybe a royal wedding
that's about it but yeah it just really
strikes me that so many peopre here
tonight celebrating independence is
totally awesome there's not going to be
much speaking in this video for obvious
reasons the sound so I'll just show you
some wonderful shots of the zocalo
on a Saturday night Independence Day
lovely
okay while its reasonably quiet I'd just like to
point out in terms of locals everyone's
getting into the spirit of things the
festivities and stereotypical mustaches
sombreros Viva Mexico and traditional
outfits which is really cool I really
wanted to get some of this stuff before
I came in but I thought there might be
an opportunity to fly them in here but
there isn't so unfortunately I don't
have a mustache I might get one later
so why is this such a big deal for
Mexicans I'll tell you why so in 1810
the process to gain independence from
Spain began and this is also called El
grito which is translated into English
as the scream or the cry and in a place
called Dolores in Mexico there was a
Roman Catholic priest who signaled with
his Bell like a cry in the church in the
early out of the 16th to signal the
beginning of the revolt - that's
a great word - against Spain so that's why
the celebrations take place
over a couple of days of Saturday Sunday
I believe also that September is
considered a whole month to represent
the independence in Spain obviously it
took longer than just you know overnight
1821 was when Mexico finally regained
independence of the country and at
midnight or very close to midnight I
understand the president comes out onto
the balcony of the palace I'm really
excited I haven't seen a president
before amazing
Viva Mexico that was also I actually
felt quite emotional because it was
probably the only non Mexican person in
this gaggle of people yeah so felt like
I was the only non Mexican but i felt very
privileged to be there and to be able to
experience that collective feeling of
patriotism basically totally awesome
those fireworks were immense there's no
other word I can use to describe it
sorry about the red flashing with the
police cars but I don't care anymore it
wasn't
I've got no words I hope you have
enjoyed having a bit of an insight into
what Independence Day looks like in
Mexico the thing I will say about it as
well is safety fantastic you know you go
through various layers of security
before you get in my bag was text so
many times alcohol not allowed although
I did smell alcohol on people's breath
it happened but in comparison to other
countries including the UK I think it
was significantly safer absolutely
awesome thanks for watching there's
times more colorful Mexico I need to go
home I'm exhausted thanks for watching
and I'll catch you later