Independence Day

Our newsroom pays tribute to Costa Rica on Independence Day by describing a few of our favorite things about the country.

Hundreds of children and their families visited Parque Central in San José to watch the arrival of the independence torch on Monday. The torch, which has been traveling through Central America, made its way to the colonial capital of Cartago, east of San José, on Monday, a day before Costa Rica celebrates 194 years of independence.

The new U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica, S. Fitzgerald Haney, made his first public appearance Thursday during an Independence Day celebration at the ambassador’s residence in Escazú.

Thousands of students from 18 San José schools marched along Avenida Segunda Monday morning to celebrate Costa Rica's 193 years of independence. Cantons across the country also had their own parades.

The image only shows up for Google users current in Costa Rica. The four other Central American countries celebrating Independence Day this Monday -- El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras -- also received their own doodles.

U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement Sunday to mark Costa Rica's 193rd anniversary of its independence, along with the rest of Central America. In his message, Obama highlighted Costa Rica's "strong partnership" with the United States, a relationship he said is based on the shared goals of "protecting human rights, freedom of expression, and our environment, especially our oceans."

Even with the rain as a guest, students from the Buenaventura Corrales School in San José celebrated the traditional Lantern Parade.

When I was growing up, faroles – the handmade lanterns meant to symbolize the 19th-century journey that brought the message of Central American independence to Costa Rica – were simple constructions, made of paper – like a red, white and black accordion with a candle inside. We typically made them in school during preparations for the civic festival to mark Costa Rica’s Independence Day on Sept. 15.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís stands at Monday's flag hanging ceremony at the Casa Presidencial. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua...