People will order their margaritas and beers and snack on chips and salsa before their plates filled with rice and burritos and tacos make their way out. They will listen to mariachi bands and celebrate a holiday that most don’t even know the history about.
Cinco de Mayo is not about Mexican independence, and isn’t even their Independence Day, but it is the holiday set for Mexicans to remember when they stood up to more established countries and said “we wont be pushed around any longer.”
The history . . .
The year is 1862. Since its separation from Spanish rule in 1810, Mexico had become a sitting target for the larger countries of the world. After losing half of its land to the United States of America, Mexico’s economy suffered badly. The ever-growing national debt was not helping the situation either. Mexico’s president at the time, Benito Juarez, decided to put a halt to all debt payments, severely angering French ruler Napoleon III.
The French invaded the country with a much larger and more experienced army, clearing through the land with not much trouble at all.
That is, until May 5, 1862.
Just outside of Puebla, the French army met resistance from the Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza and his small band of soldiers. Outnumbered, and out-experienced, the general and his men overcame the odds and sent the French home defeated, firmly sending a message to the entire world that Mexico is not going to back down.
One hundred and forty-four years later, the Mexican holiday is celebrated not only in the country of Mexico, but also here in the U.S.
Where to celebrate . . .
Murfreesboro, having no shortage of Mexican restaurants, will surely be having a good old fiesta as well. With over a dozen Mexican restaurants and burrito places in town, the only question is where to choose to celebrate.
If music and Corona is on your mind, the La Siesta on Church Street will be the place to go. $1 Coronas, a band, and lunch specials all day are what is in the plans for La Siesta.
If you would rather drink beer and watch sports on a big screen television, Freshco Burrito Co. will be serving All-You-Can-Eat for $9.99 all day, with happy hour from 2 until 7 p.m. during which 16 oz. Bud and Miller Lite will be $1.49 and 16 oz. Natural Lite will be 99 cents.
Some Murfreesboro residents, like Aaron Martin and Mikel Law, would rather experience their Cinco de Mayo at Camino Real.
Martin likes “Camino” for a few reasons: “service is good, cheap, daily specials and a good atmosphere.”
The atmosphere and service also plays a roll in the decision for Law as well. “The service is really nice here, I like all of the employees. The cheese dip is the best here also.”
If you’d rather spend a little more money on a little more upper-scale service and food, Don Pablo’s would be a good choice. But make sure you go between 4 and 7 if you would like to drink half off margaritas and half off American draft.
These are just a few places that you can go on the holiday to celebrate. Other options include Mi Patria, Taquiera la Playita, Casa Burrito, Cozumel, La Siesta, El Torero, Fiesta Acapulco and Blue Coast Burrito.
However, most of these places are not having any celebratory specials.
So this Cinco de Mayo while sipping Coronas and dipping chips in cheese or salsa, remember that there would be no celebration if it weren’t for the Mexican government standing up to the larger world powers. Cinco de Mayo would just be May 5 and people would probably be eating fast-food, Chinese or Italian.
