Although the United States appears to have pursued an inconsistent policy toward Mexico, in fact it was the pattern for the U.S. Every victorious faction between 1910 and 1919 enjoyed the sympathy, and in most cases the direct support of U.S. authorities in its struggle for power. In each case, the administration in Washington soon turned on its new friends with the same vehemence it had initially expressed in supporting them. The U.S. turned against the regimes it helped install when they began pursuing policies counter to U.S. diplomatic and business interests. Wikipedia, United States involvement in the Mexican Revolution

Today is Revolution Day in Mexico. The Mexican Revolution brought the overthrow of Army general Porfirio Diaz after 35 years as president of Mexico (1876-1911). It was a long conflict, lasting almost a decade, and was accompanied by the usual death and destruction. In the end, the government of Mexico was transformed into a system not unlike that of the US: a central government that shares sovereignty with the governments of the 31 individual Mexican states, and the federal government organized as three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial.

Today is also the day we're heading home, back to cool, grey Vancouver Island. It's always good to go home after being away, back to our beautiful house, my espresso machine, Lucy the dog, our friends. But it's been a good trip, fun, educational and photogenic.

Despite spending most of my life in border states, my only prior visit to Mexico wasn't much of a visit, it was wading across the Rio Grande near the mouth of Santa Elena canyon, in Big Bend Nat'l Park. So until now my impressions of Mexico have been received second hand, and second hand isn't enough to get a taste of the art, food, architecture, and people. The people are the best part of Mexico, they are warm, friendly, and polite. Travel expands your head and now my vision of Mexico is a lot bigger and better. Ahora es muy positivo.