Hot, humid and no rain (to speak of) for 10 days - that's about all there is to report. Hurricane Ivo is not affecting us at all, there are no tropical waves in the area which might bring us a little more rain, and no storms are brewing down south - makes me wonder what's coming, or if the rainy season is almost over. October can have some surprises in it though so we'll have to wait and see. Average daytime temps have been in the high 80's; humidity in the mid 70's. Total rainfall for the month is now at 9.71 inches. The lack of rain was a factor in the town setting up a really impressive "Grito" presentation on the night of the 15th. Up until 5 PM it looked as though there would be no celebration at all in the plaza this year, then PRESTO - flags went up, loudspeakers and lights were set up, food vendors appeared, people started gathering and the fiesta was on! At approx. 11 PM, a well-drilled honor guard for the Mexican flag appeared (made up of 6 high school girls in school uniforms, complete with white gloves!) and the flag was proudly marched around the plaza and up into the presentation area. * The Grito was read, loud cries of Vive Mexico! rang out, an almost operatic version of the Mexican anthem was played, then some really great Mexican music started the next part of the celebration, which went on until well after 1 AM. This year was not quite as impressive as two years ago, when people dressed in revolutionary costume and cooked tortillas over fires on the ground in the plaza but it was still an enthusiastic celebration of Mexican independence. At 10:30 PM I looked at the thermometer and it read 86F (30C) with 76% humidity - amazing that anyone had the energy to party in that weather! * (when the flag was marched back out of the area the girls were met by a policeman in uniform who saluted them, then tippy-toed across the muddy street to the Delagacion with the flag held high so it wouldn't get muddy - a true Gilbert and Sullivan moment). I'll report again if something exciting happens.
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