Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Quepos Lanterns Day!

During this last week, we've been helping the kids with preparations of some of their ‘faroles’ (lanterns). The Friday of the week, the ‘Día de los faroles’ (Day of lanterns) was what every one of the eager lantern creators was looking forward to...

In the course of the Independence day celebrations, people used to make simple lanterns that were used to light up dark roads at night. In most schools around the country, this is now a tradition. For the last few days we’ve been helping the kids from El Cocal to make their lanterns, using different materials such as cardboard boxes, paper and reclycled bottles, salvaged materials and colored paper.


The results are lanterns of all sizes, shapes and colors, decorated with national symbols like the Guanacaste tree or the flag of Costa Rica. All children were proud of their lanterns and went out for a walk with their candle lit lanterns.


In the evening, families and children gathered in the schoolyard and proudly listened to the hymn of the nation, followed by a speach about the celebrations of Independence Day in Costa Rica. Without delay, the children then lit their candles and dozens of colored lanterns lit the way to the beach: what a beautiful sight!

The next part of the celebrations took us to the center of the small town of Quepos where a party with music and dancing awaited us.

Happy Independence Day Costa Rica!


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