You can always tell it's September in Mexico when you begin to see stands selling Mexican flags (and an assortment of other items in red, white and green) popping up on street corners. Although Mexican Independence Day falls on September 16th, the whole month of September is referred to as el mes de la patria, and dedicated to the celebration of all things Mexican.
Since 2010 marks Mexico's bicentennial, you can be sure this year's Independence Day celebrations will be even more extravagant than usual! Read about events and festivals planned for this month: Mexico in September.
August 30th is International Whale Shark Day (Día del Tiburon Ballena), so declared in 2008 during the International Whale Shark Conference that took place on Isla Holbox, where representatives from over 40 countries met to share their research about this huge fish, and agreed that this day should be dedicated to celebrating whale sharks, promoting their conservation, and educating the public about them.
The whale shark is the world's largest fish, and can reach up to 60 feet (18 m) in length. Its back is gray or dark blue, with light colored markings, and its belly is white. It has a wide, flat head with small eyes on the sides, and a big mouth that extends the entire width of its body, as you can see in this photo. The whale shark moves slowly along the water's surface, filtering large amounts of water and consuming plancton, crustaceans and small fish. Whale sharks migrate to the Caribbean off the northeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula every year between May and September.
Several Yucatan Peninsula tour companies offer whale shark tours that allow tourists to swim with these giants of the sea. Our contributing writer Emma Sloley had the opportunity to participate in one of these tours recently. Read about her experience here: Swimming with Whale Sharks.
Mexicana Airline filed for bankruptcy three weeks ago, at which time the airline ceased ticket sales and altered some of its routes in order to cut costs. Last week a group of investors, Tenedora K, stepped in and for a short time the airline's situation looked more promising. Unfortunately, however, the new management made the decision to suspend all flights indefinitely as of today. According to the Mexicana website:
"The current administration received the company seven days ago under Business Reorganization (Concurso Mercantil) and technically bankrupt. Financial deterioration and lack of agreements force Grupo Mexicana to stop flying. Grupo Mexicana deeply regrets all inconveniences caused to its passengers."
Mexicana de Aviacion flew to over 65 domestic and international destinations, including the United States, Canada, Central America, South America and Europe. The airline was founded in 1924 and for many years was Mexico's biggest airline.
Passengers currently booked with Mexicana will need to make alternate travel arrangements. For more information on the airline's financial situation, or to apply for a refund, visit the Grupo Mexicana Informs website.
