St Patrick's Day - not over - it's today! Monday!

 The weekend may be over but Monday March 17 th 2025 is St Patrick's Day.  (See my previous posts.) 

Green, white and orange balllons outside Wetherspoons pub, The Moon & Sixpence, in Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. 

The orange, white and green balloons brighten the Broadway in Hatch End in north west London. The balloons decorate the seating area at the front of The Moon And Sixpence Wetherspoons pub.

Who climbs up to install those balloons? Your questions are answered by a sign just inside the door.

Balloons by Nation Events. Sign at Wetherspoons pub. 

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

In case you wondered about the colours, they are the colours of the flat of Ireland, Eire.

Flag and Balloons Outside Wetherspoons Pub In Hatch End, North West London.

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

For those at work, there's still lunch time and Monday evening. For students and the retired, or anybody who chooses to take a day off, you can party any time of day, or all day.

I think of the songs I heard in school when I was a child growing up in England, and also on the radio. 

When Irish eyes are smiling. In Dublin's fair city where the maids are so pretty ,,,

How do you identify and remember The Mexican Flag and flags of India, Ireland, Italy and Spain? Five flags

Mexican flag.

How do you remember the Mexican flag?

Tricolour
It's a tricolour, red, white and green, or rather, green white and red.
Italy also had red, white and green, or rather, green white and red. In Italian restaurants the menus often offer you a starter of tricolor, three colours, the national flag colours, green lettuce and avocado, white feta cheese and red tomato

Italian flag. But no symbol in the middle.

(Never mind the flag of Ireland, which is green, white and orange.)

Central Picture
But Mexico has an addition picture in the middle of the central white. Two other flags have triple bands, with a picture in the middle.

Spain


Flag of Spain.

Ah, now I look at it, totally different. Different colours, red and yellow and red. Horizontal. A sandwich. A Spanish sandwich. Remember the double s letter. S...... S....... With a crown in the middle.

India


Again horizontals. Orange, like the Irish flag. With a wheel in the middle.

Now, let's go back to the Mexican flag.

Green, white and vibrant red. With an eagle in the middle.


Mexican flag.

The symbol in the middle is from the Axtec symbol for the capital city which is now known as Mexico City, supposedly founded where an eagle was seen sitting on a prickly cactus devouring a serpent, as predicted in the legendary omen of where the city should be founded. So, some history for you in the flag.

Useful websites for travellers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallery_of_sovereign_state_flags
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Mexico

About the author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.