When the weather starts turning cold up north, those smart Monarch butterflies begin to head south for the winter. In a space of a few months the monarchs fly over 1500 miles to return to their overwintering grounds in the Mexican states of Michoacan and Mexico. The Monarch butterflies begin arriving in Mexico around the Day of the Dead, but January and February are the best months for visiting butterfly reserves, when you can experience being surrounded by these colorful creatures and have them fluttering around you. A trip to the monarch butterfly reserves is an amazing experience.

This year's monarch migration is lower than in past years due to the drought in Texas in the spring, and cold, wet weather in the northern United States over the summer, but there will still be plenty of monarchs for those who plan to visit them in Mexico this winter.

Read more about the amazing monarch butterfly, and about visiting Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Reserves.

_{Photo by Suzanne Barbezat}

_{Photo by Ivan Hernandez, licensed under Creative Commons}

This week marks the 99th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution and there's a big celebration in store next year, when besides being 100 years since the Revolution, it will also mark the bicentennial of Mexican independence. Read more about Mexico's 2010 Bicentennial Celebrations.

The Monumento a la Revolución is located in Mexico City in the Colonia Tabacalera. The monument was built between 1932 and 1938 using the foundation of what was to be a legislative palace under president Porfirio Diaz, who was deposed during the revolution. The remains of some of the important leaders of the Mexican Revolution are contained in crypts in the four columns of the monument, including Francisco Madero, Venustiano Carranza, Francisco "Pancho" Villa, Plutarco Elías Calles and Lázaro Cárdenas. A museum dedicated to the Mexican Revolution is located beneath the monument.

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The H1N1 virus (formerly known as swine flu) first came to the world's attention when several cases were detected in Mexico in April 2009. The flu gradually spread over the world, and was declared a pandemic. At no point has the World Health Organization recommended that people avoid travel to Mexico, however, the US Centers for Disease Control, as well as the US Department of State and the governments of several other countries advised their citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico from April 27 until mid-May, when these recommendations were rescinded.

The fact that the H1N1 strain of influenza sprang up in Mexico, and the initial recommendations against travel to this country, have left a cloud of doubt in the minds of many about whether there is a greater chance of contracting H1N1 in Mexico than in other places. A recent news report from KSTP television station in Minneapolis looked at this question. See the video here: Fears of Higher H1N1 Risk in Mexico Debunked. In the video, Dr. Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic says that your chances of contracting H1N1 in Mexico may be less than if you stay home: "The warmer the weather, generally the lower the transmission risk."

If you're still concerned about catching the flu on your trip to Mexico, here are some tips to help you avoid it: H1N1 travel tips

The 20th of November is the Día de la Revolución in Mexico, a day for Mexicans to remember and commemorate the Mexican Revolution which was fundamental to Mexico's development as a modern nation. This year the Revolution Day holiday was moved forward to the 16th, so we're enjoying a long weekend (called a "puente" in Spanish), but some civic events and parades will still be taking place on the 20th.

Revolution Day is celebrated on the 20th of November because this is the date in 1910 that Francisco Madero set in his Plan de San Luis Potosi for the people to rise up in arms against president Porfirio Diaz. The ten years of the Mexican Revolution saw great destruction, war and mayhem and left a deep mark in Mexican culture. Read this short overview to get a grasp of the main events, causes and outcomes of the Mexican Revolution, or read a detailed explanation from About.com's Guide to Latin American History, Christopher Minster.

Find out about other Mexican national holidays.