Independence Day Celebration

For those of you that were lucky enough to be in Costa Rica on September 15, you will have been able to witness the official national holiday of Independence Day. This holiday is in observance of Costa Rica and all of Central America gaining its freedom from Spain in 1821.

Independence Day is celebrated throughout Costa Rica by morning parades in every city and town. I was located in Tres Rios, a suburb outside San Jose for this year’s festive parade. Myself, along with what seemed like the entire town of Tres Rios lined up the sidewalks to cheer on, support and observe their children marching through the streets.

You won’t find the military marching in these parades though since Costa Rica abolished their Army in 1949, but what you will find is the Costa Rican flag being held high with pride, boys and girls of all ages displaying their cultural values in the form of traditional dance, costumes, scenes from their way of life and of course, music from the marching bands. Each school represented a different cultural theme and here are just a few examples. One school demonstrated the old style of transportation which is a colorful oxcart being pulled by oxen, another school had the boys dressed in bull costumes while the Toro tried to hustled the bull back into the cage, another school had the children dressed in traditional dresses and suits while they showed off some of their dance steps. There were children also representing the coffee plantations and the banana plantations which are the main sources of income for Costa Rica.

It was very easy to see by the smiles on the children’s faces as they passed by that they are very proud of their heritage, culture and their country. Watching the Independence Day Parade was a great way to start the day!

If you would like to come to Costa Rica and observe for yourself this wonderful country, please call us at 1-800-460-0847. We would love to tell you more about all the possibilities that await you for your next vacation.

Children's Museum

Have younger children? Not sure what to do with them? Take them to the Museo de los Niño’s (Children’s Museum) located in San Jose, Costa Rica. Here you will find hours of entertainment while educating them at the same time. This building used to be a prison house but has now been renovated to house hundreds of interactive learning activities for children and adults.

Included in the 39 different sections are: the Universe, Electricity, Computers technology, Radio and Television Technology, Ancient Egypt, Light and Color, Aviation, Costa Rica Life, The Human Body and recycling, just to name a few. My son’s favorite section was the Casa De Las Torrejas where a house is on a slant and you have to balance yourself to keep from falling. It is a mind game that plays with distortion and orientation. Another favorite of his was the Universe section. It shows everything within our solar system, the planets and stars, walking on the moon, and how it all works together. This is definitely a hands-on learning center where children do not even realize they are learning!

So if you are in San Jose and looking for something that the whole family can enjoy, I definitely recommend the Children’s Museum. Most of it is in Spanish, but there are guides that will help with translation. My son doesn’t speak Spanish yet and he still had a great time!

Admission is rather cheap, 1,100 Colones ($1.90) for Adults and 800 Colones ($1.40) for Children and Students. You can enjoy a great lunch while you are there for around $2.50 per person. The Museum is open Tuesday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For your next vacation, let Chiquita Tours design a package for you and your family! We can make it enjoyable for children and adults alike! Contact us today to see what other fun and exciting options are available for families with children.