patria o muerte

in honor of the oh so holy holiday, cinco de mayo, we present a best of mexico. we have had the pleasure and grace of visiting/living in our fine southern neighbor and tasting a lot of what it has to offer. all in all, you are pretty good mexico, but it's kind of a love/hate thing. on one specific trip, montezuma struck, and he struck hard. please see a recount of this epic tale (complete with amazing photography) here. thanks for the memories and the poetry you inspire.

ok mexico, so even though we've had our ups and downs and you're infecting the world with swine flu, i still love you. to prove my love, i honor thee by a "best things to come out of mexico" list.

-chihuahuas, the land of my beloved tootsy's people. and even if she's not mexican, at least there's a state of chihuahua and a now ridiculous/offensive movie called beverly hills chihuahua
-horchata de chufa
-mariachis
-la mutualista
-gael garcia bernal (ok you too diego luna) and both of you in y tu mama tambien!
-guacamole/mole
-the mexi-mullet
-abuelita hot chocolate
-toks
-lucha libre
-a place for americans to buy cheap things across the border (drugs, clothes, labor, hookers)
-the maya (anyone nostalgic about human sacrifice?)
-cancun, for easing the burden on miami and south padre island as trashy/debaucherous spring break spots for co-eds and mtv
-telenovelas/drama - check out this list!

i could go on for hours on why you are amazing, mexico, friend, lover and frenemy.

te amo.

oh, and for those who appreciate some mexican slang/drama, i give you this.