Showing posts with label Mexico. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexico. Show all posts

Wednesday, 8 September 2010

The Longest Place Names In The World!

0 comments
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch - North Wales

This town has become famous because of its long name. It has the longest train station name in the UK. The name translates as "St Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St Tysilio of the red cave". To have a go at trying to say the name, click here!


Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu - New Zealand

Taumata whakatangihanga koauau o tamatea turi pukakapiki maunga horo nuku pokai whenua kitanatahu is the Māori name for a hill, 305 metres (1,001 ft) high in New Zealand.It has gained a measure of fame as it is the longest place-name found in any English-speaking country.

The name on the sign that marks the hill is "Taumata whakatangihanga koauau o tamatea turi pukakapiki maunga horo nuku pokai whenua kitanatahu", which translates roughly as The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one. At 85 letters, it has been listed in the Guinness World Records as one of the longest place names in the world.

Other forms of the name are longer still: "Taumata whakatangihanga koauau o tamatea ure haea turi pukaka piki maunga horo nuku pokai whenua ki tana tahu" has 92 letters. An even longer version, Taumata-whakatangihanga-koauau-o-Tamatea-haumai-tawhiti-ure-haea-turi-pukaka-piki-maunga-horo-nuku-pokai-whenua-ki-tana-tahu, has 105 letters and means The hill of the flute playing by Tamatea — who was blown hither from afar, had a slit penis, grazed his knees climbing mountains, fell on the earth, and encircled the land — to his beloved.

To have a try at saying this name, click here!

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit - Thailand

This is the ceremonial name of Bangkok, Thailand, in Thai; it has the Guinness World record for longest place name in the world. The translation is:
krungthep mahanakhon
The land of angels, the great city of
amorn rattanakosin
immortality, various of devine gems,
mahintara yudthaya mahadilok pohp
the great angelic land unconquerable,
noparat rajathanee bureerom
land of nine noble gems, the royal city, the pleasant capital,
udomrajniwes mahasatarn
place of the grand royal palace,
amorn pimarn avaltarnsatit
forever land of angels and reincarnated spirits,
sakatattiya visanukram prasit
predestined and created by the highest devas

Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg - USA

This is the longest place name in the United States at 45 letters and is a lake in Webster, Massachusetts. It means "Fishing Place at the Boundaries — Neutral Meeting Grounds" and is sometimes facetiously translated as "you fish your side of the water, I fish my side of the water, nobody fishes the middle". The lake is also known as Lake Webster.




Mamungkukumpurangkuntjunya Hill - Australia

The longest official geographical name in Australia is Mamungkukumpurangkuntjunya Hill. It has 26 letters and is a Pitjantjatjara word meaning "where the Devil urinates".

Muckanaghederdauhaulia - Ireland

In Ireland, the longest English placename at 22 letters is Muckanaghederdauhaulia (from the Irish language, Muiceanach Idir Dhá Sháile, meaning "pig-marsh between two saltwater inlets") in County Galway.

Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein - South Africa

Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein is the name of a farm in South Africa and is Afrikaans for "The spring (lit. Fountain) where two buffaloes were cleanly killed with a single shot", which follows a common format for place names in South Africa. It is uncertain as to whether Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein is the name of a farm, or a small town in South Africa, as various sources state either of these two as being correct.

Äteritsiputeritsipuolilautatsijänkä - Finland

Äteritsiputeritsipuolilautatsijänkä is a bog region in Savukoski, Lapland in Finland. The name is 35 letters long and is the longest place name in Finland.

Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik - Canada

This is a lake in Manitoba and Nunavut, in the Inuktitut language and at 31 letters is the longest official one-word placename in Canada.

Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta - India

Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta is a village in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is in the Telugu language and is the longest place name in India. It is also a railway station in Andhra Pradesh on the border with Tamil Nadu, India with the distinction of having the longest name among all stations on the Indian Railway system.

Gasselterboerveenschemond - Netherlands

Gasselterboerveenschemond is a hamlet in the Dutch province of Drenthe.It is the largest town name of The Netherlands that is written as one word. With 25 characters it is just one character larger than Gasselternijveenschemond, which lies a few kilometres from Gasselterboerveenschemond. To try to say the name, click here!





Parangaricutirimicuaro - Mexico

Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro, in the Mexican state of Michoacán, is a small village near the Parícutin volcano. The city is called "Nuevo" (Spanish for "New") because the original San Juan Parangaricutiro was destroyed during the formation of the Parícutin volcano in 1943.San Juan Parangaricutiro is also famously known as Parangaricutirimícuaro, the longest place name word in Mexico. Some believe that “Parangaricutirimícuaro” is an urban legend and does not exist. It is the object of the folklore of many fictitious fables. The word itself is a tongue-twister and it is also used in longer tongue-twisters that include nonsense words similar to Parangaricutirimícuaro.To try to say the name click here!

Information from:

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Today's celebrations 1st September

0 comments
Today is...

Constitution Day in Slovakia
Evacuation Day (Italian) in Libya
Independence Day in Uzbekistan
Informe Presidencial (President's Address) in Mexico
Luxembourg City Kermesse in Luxembourg
Reincorporation of Tarata in Peru
Start of the Armed Struggle in Eritrea
United Arab Republic's Day in Syria
Worker's Day in Marshall Islands

Monday, 10 May 2010

Today's celebrations May 10th!

0 comments
Today is...

Constitution Day in Micronesia
Día de la Madre (Mother's Day) in Mexico
National Receptionist Day in the United States of America
Señor de la Asuncion in Peru
World Lupus Day

Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Cinco de Mayo: the Mexican celebration not celebrated in Mexico...

3 comments
Image of Cinco de Mayo celebration in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday celebrated in the United States and primarily limited to the state of Puebla in Mexico. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.

The battle of Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico's history. Mexico had finally gained independance from Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle, and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American war and the Mexican Civil War had ruined the national economy.

During this period of struggle Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England and France who were demanding repayment. France was eager to expand its empire at that time and used the debt issue to move forward with goals of establishing its own leadership in Mexico. When Mexico finally stopped making any loan payments, France took action on its own to install Napoleon III's relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.

France invaded at the gulf coast of Mexico along the state of Veracruz and began to march toward Mexico city. The French army encountered strong resistance near Puebla. A small, poorly armed militia estimated at 4500 men were able to stop and defeat the well outfited french army of 6500 soldiers, which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a needed sense of national unity and is the cause for the historical date's celebration.

Althought the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.

The Battle of Puebla was important for at least two reasons. First, although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army. "This battle was significant in that the 4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years." Second, it was significant because since the Battle of Puebla no country in the Americas has been invaded by an army from another continent.

According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States, the modern American focus on the people of the world that day first started in California in the 1860s in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico. The 2007 paper notes that "The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico."

In the United States, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to be known as simply "5 de Mayo" and unfortunately, many people wrongly equate it with Mexican Independence which was on September 16, 1810, nearly a fifty year difference.

Image of Cinco de Mayo dancers greeted by then-President George W. Bush.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday limited primarily to the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday in other parts of the country. For the most part the celebrations combine food, music, and dancing.

In the United States Cinco de Mayo has taken on a significance beyond that in Mexico.The date is perhaps best recognized in the United States as a date to celebrate the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican ancestry. Cinco de Mayo is observed by many Americans regardless of ethnic origin. Celebrations tend to draw both from traditional Mexican symbols, such as the Virgen de Guadalupe, and from prominent figures of Mexican descent in the United States, including César Chávez.To celebrate, many display Cinco de Mayo banners while school districts hold special events to educate pupils about its historical significance. Special events and celebrations highlight Mexican culture, especially in its music and regional dancing. Examples include baile folklórico and mariachi demonstrations held annually at the Plaza del Pueblo de Los Angeles, near Olvera Street. Commercial interests in the United States have capitalized on the celebration, advertising Mexican products and services, with an emphasis on beverages, foods, and music.

Events tied to Cinco de Mayo also occur outside Mexico and the United States. For example, a sky-diving club near Vancouver, Canada holds a Cinco de Mayo skydiving event. In the Cayman Islands, in the Caribbean, there is an annual Cinco de Mayo air guitar competition. As far away as the island of Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea, revelers are encouraged to drink Mexican beer on May 5.

Image of Cinco de Mayo performers at the White House

Information from:

Today's celebrations May 5th!

0 comments
Today is...

Children's Day in South Korea
Cinco de Mayo in the United States of America
Constitution Day in Kyrgyzstan
Coronation Day in Thailand
Indian Heritage Day in Guyana
International Midwives Day
Kodomo no Hi / Children's Day (End of Golden Week) in Japan
Kvetnove povstani ceskeho lidu - 1945 (Prague Uprising - 1945) in the Czech Republic
Senior Citizen's Day in Palau
Liberation Day - Nationale Bevrijdingsdag in the Netherlands
Battle of Puebla in Mexico

Monday, 3 May 2010

Today's celebrations May 3rd!

0 comments
Today is...

Constitution Day in Poland
Fiesta de las Cruces in Peru
Kempo Kinenbi / Constitution Memorial Day in Japan
La Cruz de Mayo (The cross of May) in Venezuela
National Day in Poland
Polish National Day in Australia
World Press Freedom Day
Labour Day (Queensland) in Australia
May Day (Northern Territory) in Australia
Holy Cross Day (Día de la Santa Cruz) in Mexico

Saturday, 1 May 2010

Labour Day Around The World!

0 comments

Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. The majority of countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Workers' Day, while some celebrate on the first Monday of September.The celebration of Labour Day has its origins in the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

Image: Labour day in Scandinavia

Most countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, known as May Day and International Workers' Day. In Europe the day has older significance as a rural festival which is predominantly more important than that of the Labour Day movement. The holiday has become internationalised and several countries hold multi-day celebrations including parades, shows and other patriotic and labour-oriented events. However, in Northern Europe, Walpurgis Night is celebrated on the preceding night and this holiday merges with the Labour Day in some countries.

May 1 is a national holiday in Albania, commemorating the Workers' Movement. During Socialist Albania, the Politburo organised pompous parades on the main boulevard of Tirana. Since the collapse of communism, however, unions organise occasional peaceful protests.

Celebrating the Australian labour movement, the Labour Day public holiday in Australia is fixed by the various state and territory governments, and so varies considerably. In both Queensland and the Northern Territory, it is the first Monday in May.

Labour Day in China is a major holiday carrying comparable significance as the National Day, which occurs on October 1, and the Spring Festival on the first day of the first lunar month.

May 1 is declared a holiday in France. The French also celebrate Le jour du muguet. Workers and students sell lily of the valley on the streets and from door-to-door to collect funds for unions and associations.

In Germany, Labour Day was established as an official holiday in 1933 after the Nazi Party rose to power. It was supposed to symbolise the new-found unity between the state and the German people. However, just one day later on May 2, 1933, all free unions were outlawed and destroyed. But since the holiday had been celebrated by German workers for many decades before the official state endorsement, the Nazi attempt to appropriate it left no long-term resentment.

In Greece, May 1 is a state holiday. Left-wing parties invariably refer to it as a "strike" instead, organizing commemorative marches throughout the country.

1 May (Día del Trabajo) is a public holiday in Guatemala. Celebrations mainly in Guatemala City with a parade held by General Workers Union and left wing parties.

India started observing Labour week beginning on May 1, 1927. However, Labour day in India is not a national holiday, but is confined to specific states. In Maharashtra and Gujarat (States in India), Labour week also coincides with 'Maharashtra Divas' and 'Gujarat Divas' (respectively, Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day) because the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were created on the same week in 1960.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–present), Labour Day (May 1) is a holiday according to Article 63 of the Iranian labour law and it is officially celebrated to acknowledge the workers contribution to economy as an important group of society by ceremonial events.

In Ireland, Labour Day falls on May Day which is a public holiday.

In Israel May 1 is not officially celebrated, but each year the socialist and Marxist youth movements arrange a parade in Tel Aviv.

In Italy, May 1 is a national holiday and demonstrations by trade unions are widespread. Since the 1990s, the unions have organised a massive free concert in Rome, with attendances topping a million people.

In 1961, Jamaican Chief Minister Norman Washington Manley proposed the replacement of Empire Day with Labour Day, a celebration in commemoration of May 23, 1938, when Alexander Bustamante led a labour rebellion leading to Jamaican independence. Until May 23, 1971, Labour Day was primarily a trade unions celebration with public rallies and marches. On occasion, opposing trade unions clashed on this day, so in 1972, Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley promoted Labour Day as a showcase for the importance of labour to the development of Jamaica, and a day of voluntary community participation to beneficial projects. Since then, Labour Day has not only been a public holiday, but also a day of mass community involvement around the country.

1 May (L-Ewwel ta' Mejju or Jum il-Ħaddiem) is a public holiday in Malta. Celebrations mainly in Valletta held by General Workers Union and Malta Labour Party.

In Mexico, Labour Day, El Día del Trabajo, is a public, federal holiday held on May 1.

Every May 1 in the Philippines, labour unions march from the Mabuhay Rotonda in the Quezon City-Manila border to Plaza Miranda to Mendiola Bridge to protest anti-labour practices and to denounce the seating president. The only exception was on May 1, 2001, during EDSA III uprising, where the protest is not related to Labour day but to unseat the president. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a State of Rebellion pursuant to Proclamation No. 38 and lifted the order on May 7, 2001.

In Syria, May 1 is a public holiday to appreciate the important rule of labourers in the society

In Trinidad and Tobago, Labour Day is celebrated every June 19. This holiday was proposed in 1973 to be commemorated on the anniversary of the 1937 Butler labour riots.

In Turkey, May 1 is celebrated as Labour and Solidarity Day, valid from 2009 and its public holiday.

Information from:

Today's celebrations May 1st!

0 comments
Today is...

Agriculture and Labor Day in Haiti
Constitution & Independence Day in the Marshall Islands
Constitution Day in Latvia
Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) in Mexico
Fete du Travail in Djibouti
International Labor Day in Vietnam
Kazakhstan People's Unity Day in Kazakhstan
Labor Day / Spring Day in Estonia
Labor Day of May Day in Poland
Law Day in the United States of America
Lei Day in the United States of America
Loyalty Day in the United States of America
Mid Year Day (Banks only) in Thailand
Save the Rhino Day in the United States of America
Svatek prace (May Day) in the Czech Republic
Tag der Arbeit (Labor Day) in Switzerland
Virgen de Chapi in Peru
Working Day in Mali
Youth & Sports Day in Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus)
Beltane (Northern Hemisphere) in Celticism
Samhain (Southern Hemisphere) in Celticism
Labour (Labor) day in Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, East Timor, Liechtenstein, Macau, Montenegro, Aruba, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, the Netherlands, St. Pierre & Miquelon, Taiwan, Tajikstan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saba, San Marino, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Somalia, St. Eustatius, St. Lucia, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria , Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zaire and Zambia (phew!)

Friday, 30 April 2010

Today's celebrations April 30th!

0 comments
Today is...

Children's Day in Mexico
King's Birthday in Sweden
Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) in the Netherlands
Liberation Day in Vietnam
Mangé les Morts in Haiti
May Day Eve in Finland
Queen Beatrix's Birthday in Curacao
Queen's Birthday in St. Martin
Queen's Day in Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius
Rincon's Day in Bonaire
Walpurgis Night in Sweden
Walpurgisnacht (Witches Night) in Germany
Beltane (Northern Hemisphere) in Paganism
Samhain (Southern Hemisphere) in Paganism

Sunday, 21 March 2010

Today's Celebrations March 21st!

0 comments
Today is...

Anniversary of Installation of Sultan of Terengganu in Malaysia
Día de Nacimiento de Benito Ju rez (Birthday of Benito Ju rez) in Mexico
Human Rights Day in South Africa
Independence Day in Namibia
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination All Over The World!
Mother's Day in Egypt and Syria
National Tree Planting Day in Lesotho
Navrus in Tajikistan
Nawroz (New Year's Day ) in Afghanistan
Nevruz Day in Albania
Nooruz (Persian New Year) in Iran and Kyrgyzstan
Nov Ruz Bairam in Turkmenistan
Spring Day in Iraq
Spring Season Opens in Switzerland
Youth Day in Tunisia
World Down Syndrome Day All Over The World!
Alban Eiler (Equinox) (Northern Hemisphere) in Celticism
Alban Elued (Equinox) (Southern Hemisphere) in Celticism
Feast of Naw-Ruz (Bahai New Year) in Baha'i
Hola Mohalla in Sikhism
Mabon - Autumnal Equinox (Southern Hemisphere) in Paganism
Nawroz (New Year's Day ) in Zoroastrian
Ostara - Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere) in Paganism
Shunbun no Hi / Vernal Equinox Day in Shinto

Wednesday, 24 February 2010

Today's Celebrations February 24!

0 comments
Today is...

Baire Proclamation in Cuba
Día de la Bandera (Flag Day) in Mexico
Independence Day (1918) in Estonia
Photobucket