"flying veggies"

This one sounds a bit too much like an old Monty Python skit. But I thought it conjured great imagery and as we come out of the golden-week holidays here in Japan/ and Cinco de Mayo in the USA--- thought I would share.

Mexicans mark "cinco de mayo" with flying veggies

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - One of the few places in Mexico still celebrating Cinco de Mayo, thanks to an enduring family tradition, did so on Friday with a tequila-fueled fiesta of cannon firing, flying vegetables and forced haircuts.

It marks the defeat by Mexican troops and local Indians in the central state of Puebla of an invasion by a much better-equipped French force. A subsequent invasion succeeded in occupying Mexico City and briefly installing an emperor.

Firing homemade shotguns loaded with gunpowder, hundreds of men dressed as female Indian peasants with blackened faces, straw hats and embroidered blouses fought mock running battles against French invaders in white bloomers.

Cannon blasts on both sides gave signals for the troops to run at each other, pelting each other with vegetables and French-style baguettes while swigging beer and tequila. Captured foes were held down and given haircuts.

You can read more at Reuters.com