Day 6 (September 15): Independence Day



The Courtyard Marriott in San José


    The adventures that we had in La Fortuna were amazing. From the spa to the waterfall and everything in between, we were all happy and relaxed.  On the morning of the sixth day of our stay, we once again change hotels. Bennie wanted to visit a shack with no running water because of a girl that lived near it. The ladies and I eventually convinced him that since my Dad was a Courtyard Elite Member, we would stay at the local Courtyard Marriot in San José. Much to his displeasure, Bennie eventually agreed. We checked into the Marriott, dropped off our luggage, and prepared ourselves for the day's festivities.
-Vlad
    


     We were fortunate enough to be in Costa Rica for September 15, a national holiday. It was on this day in 1821 that Costa Rica became independent from Spain. After we explored our new hotel rooms, we met in the lobby; everyone was eager to begin the Independence Day celebrations.

     We asked around in the hotel lobby and discovered that the excitement had already begun the night before! A hotel employee explained to us that a torch had been carried from Guatemala to the Costa Rican city of Cartago, symbolizing when the news of independence was spread throughout Central America in 1821. At 6:00 PM the night before, every radio and TV station had broadcasted the Costa Rican national anthem. Each year, every Costa Rican is encouraged to sing along to the anthem, despite their location or situation. We all would have liked to hear the Costa Ricans spontaneously burst into song! After the national anthem was played, sirens sounded, signifying the beginning of the parades.

     Seeing as it was a national holiday, the parades took place all over Costa Rica on the morning of the 15th. People dressed in the national colors (red, white, and blue). Luckily, we all had something red, white, or blue to wear.

     We simply had to walk out onto the street in front of our hotel to witness the festivities. Bands were playing, floats drove by, and local students performed; Bennie and Vlad’s favorite part was the ubiquity of pretty girls!

     Some of the natives had also set up stands where you could purchase Costa Rican food. One especially friendly vendor allowed us to sample some of the items, free of charge. We tried arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), cabbage slaw, and tres leches (three milk cake). Everything was very good, except for the cabbage slaw. It was thick and felt like glue; Bennie tried to swallow his, but ended up sneaking off to spit it out in a bush! We thanked the vendor by buying some delicious arroz con pollo, and proceeded to stroll down the street.

     Further down the street, we were given homemade candle lanterns by a small boy named Fernando. Not understanding why he was giving them to us, we asked what the lanterns were for. Fernando explained how carrying lanterns replicates when people walked with lanterns in 1821 to spread the word that Costa Rica had declared independence from Spain. We thanked Fernando for the lanterns and asked for a picture of him before we moved on. He accepted excitedly, and Hannah took a great picture.

   

  As we walked, we talked about how Costa Rica is an incredible and special place. Costa Rica has no military whatsoever. According to a book in the hotel lobby that Vlad had been reading, nearly 95% of the population can read and the average lifespan is longer than that of the United States. We also commented on how everyone we’ve seen so far on our visit has been incredibly friendly. Even Fernando, who couldn’t have been more than eight years old, seemed polite and friendly towards us. The great attitude of the Costa Rican people was emphasized on Independence Day, and it certainly made for a fun time.

     After all the festivities, we were all exhausted. We ate the arroz con pollo for our dinner, and returned to our rooms early to rest and relax.


- Kerri