Things to Avoid: Squatting anywhere in Baja California

Let me introduce you to the baja worm lizard, known as an 'ajolote' in its native Baja California. The Baja Worm Lizard (Bipes biporus) is actually a very cool critter. Despite a superficial resemblance to a worm, Baja Worm Lizards are actually amphisbaenians, a suborder of reptile closely related to lizards and snakes. These subterranean creatures usually do not grow much more than 8" in length. Their two powerful front legs (Baja Worm Lizards only have two legs) allow them to tunnel efficiently through the top foot or so of soil in order to hunt grubs, ants, termites, and other insects.

Some people believe that if a person sits on the ground naked, one of these may burrow up from the ground and enter their digestive system through their anus. This legend, though not proven to be true, is still too horrible a possibility to ignore. Although the legend many possibly be intended to teach children to keep up off the dirt to stay cleaner, the next time I visit Baja California, I plan on keeping my anus very far above the ground.

"No time for a Siesta, it's time to Fiesta!"

Wild and Whacky Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Style

Cinco de Mayo recognizes the triumph of a small Mexican army over French forces in the 1862 Battle at Puebla. Although it’s not Mexico’s Independence Day (that is officially September 16th) it’s just as worthy of celebrating because the month of May gives us so few opportunities to drink ourselves silly, (just two, Memorial Day and Mother’s Day) it seemed necessary to add a third holiday during this relatively quiet month. It's Party Time, Amigos!

May 5th (which is the American version of “Cinco de Mayo”) always marks an important opportunity to not only have fun, but celebrate our important neighbor to the south. No matter if you're in school or at work, what your own cultural identity and background is, or how much you think you already know about Mexico, take a few moments to expand your horizons and celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style with these ideas:


· Sew together a historical Mexican costume to wear today and have a fancy parade by yourself for your neighbors or co-workers.

· Find Mexico on a map. Remember where it is in case someone asks you to find Mexico on a map and point it out for them today.

· Jump around and pretend you are a Mexican jumping bean.

· Make your own personal piñata and fill it with tequila. Ask really attractive people to take a swing at it with a stick. When it breaks, it will douse them with the tequila! Commence with the body shots!

· Create a giant cake in the shape of a sombrero, wear it around and have people eat off your head until it is gone.

· Every time someone says something in Spanish or someone wishes you Happy Cinco De Mayo, shake your own set of maracas in their face and scream "¡Andale! ¡Andale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Yii-hah!" and run away from them.

· Learn as much as you can about the history and culture of our amazing neighbor to the North, Canada…just to be fair.