Based on marketing hype you would think that the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo) is Mexican Independence Day.

I’m sorry but it’s not as it appears as Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain at midnight on the 15th of Sept. 1810.

And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So why is Cinco de Mayo a Mexican celebration? And why should we gringos (Americans) savor this day as well?

For the natives it is a day of celebration because on the morning of May 5, 1862, near Puebla Mexico a force of 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed and defeated a combined the French and traitorous Mexican army of 8,000.

This defeat sounded the beginning on the end of French intervention in Mexico.

A little known historical fact is that about five months prior to this battle the French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez.

The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought Maximilian a Hapsburg prince with them to rule their new Mexican Empire.

Napoleon’s French Army had not been defeated in 50 years and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion.

The French were not afraid of anyone not even the United States since it was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The invading French Army left the port of Vera Cruz and was on the march to attack Mexico City when it was ambushed and routed at Puebla.

The French did defeat the Mexicans and occupy Mexico City but their rule was short lived. The Mexican republican government movement eventually defeated the French and their allies, captured Maximilian and on June 19, 1867, executed him.

His bullet ridden shirt is still displayed today in Mexico City’s Chapultepec Castle museum.

Many historians feel that this defeat of a European power at Puebla in 1862 kept foreign nations from allying with the Confederacy. The American Civil War was moving into its second year and at that moment it appeared that the Confederate States of America (CSA) were winning the struggle.

Theories have been presented that European intervention on the behalf the CSA would have greatly changed the eventual outcome of our American conflict.

Cinco de Mayo is a day that celebrates freedom and liberty, two ideals that both nations Mexico and the USA honor and respect. Therefore as a supporter of these principles and as a friend of old Mexico I’ll hoist a “cerveza fra” or two on Cinco de Mayo.

Modern Mexico is a wonderful mixture of people, native and foreign, their past and present all melted together.

The country offers wonderful treasures of its native populations, the architecture of its colonial past, vibrant modern beaches, modern mega resorts and more.

It offers great value and a wide range of experiences for the traveler. It is a foreign destination yet a familiar one that reminds many American travelers of the Grand Strand of the Carolinas.

The media has been irresponsible in their reporting of medical issues and safety concerns in the country. Mexico continues to be a great vacation destination and places like Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas have report few if any flu cases.

Drug violence has been localized to towns near the U.S./Mexican border and is not rampant across the country.

Places like Tijuana, Nogales and Juarez were never on the real tourist maps and if you’ve ever been to a border town you’ll understand why.

If you have not been here then please don’t worry about missing out.

There are still plenty of wonders in our neighboring country. To discover more about the magic of Mexico go to www.visitmexico.com or contact your local certified Mexican travel specialist.

If you don’t know any specialists then feel contact me at thetravelprofessor@gmail.com as I’ve been one for years.

As part of my certification requirements I’ve got to visit Mexico periodically so the Travel Professor has planned a December group cruise sailing from New Orleans.

We’ll spend a few days in the Crescent City then head out to sea and visit the island of Cozumel.

It’s a couple of days in the French Quarter then some more aboard a Fun Ship all to satisfy a continuing education requirement.

It could be worse, like Alaska in January.

Viva la Mexico!