15th of September Post 5: FACES

Teen in one of the school bands

Okay. I’ll stop after this, though there are a lot more photos from the parade that I like. 🙂

I could have made this Faces post all children, but since I used some faces of them in Post 1 (children), and a cool youth face in Post 2 (bands), and another youth face in Post 3 (flags); this is mixed, even with adults.

I’ll go back to bugs and bird tomorrow, but Wednesday I head out for 4 nights in the Talamanca Mountains, so more new stuff then! Maybe a better photo of a Resplendent Quetzal! Then the following week to the Nicaragua border on Visa Run again. And the week after that to the Caribbean again. Never a dull moment! 🙂

And don’t you like the looks of the Atenas Ticos?

Do you not want me to make this photo?


“The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter.” 
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
Pura Vida!

15th of September Post 3: FLAGS!

Colegio Liceo had the largest group of marching flags led by a Drum Majorette.

When they stopped they had a very intricate presentation of weaving the lines
in and out of each other to create a sea of red, white and blue – Colegio Liceo.

As usual I watched the parade from Gelly’s across from Parque Central.
Here Colegio Liceo is starting their presentation seen in second photo. 
Escuela Central Elementary School did great for younger kids!
And they had the coolest caps! Boys and girls marched in separate lines.
That’s elementary school for you!   🙂
Colegio San Rafael  was led by a drum major.

Though not as large as Liceo, San Rafael had impressive group & show!

Patriotism and color on 15 de septiembre is just as big as US 4th of July!
Just no mucho fireworks in Atenas. Another shot of Colegio San Rafael.
(There’s a big fireworks show in San Jose. But I like my little farm town!)
Unlabeled School (or I missed the sign) leave our area by the church.

Lanterns Parade – desfile de linternas

The night before the Independence Day Celebration the children march in a parade with decorated lanterns that have now become elaborate works of art in some cases. With hovering Moms, it was a confusing mess and then the parade didn’t march down the street where I was waiting, but the other side of the park. So I grabbed a few shots as they dispersed and one on my way to town. Hope I do better tomorrow for the big parade with bands and flags!

As I walked to town I passed this family of 3 kids with their lanterns.
The kids all met at Escuela Central to start the parade, so I went to Central Park.

Many of the girls had “doll lanterns” (light inside) in traditional dress.
The boys had old fashion lanterns or oxcart lanterns mostly.

Several just waited for the parade
holding their lanterns. 
Some were held high and others in their hands.
And some of the kids wore traditional clothing
making it colorful, though a confusing crowd of people
mostly parents hovering around their kids.

And no one ever seems to know the parade route in advance so you can get a good place to see. There were a hundred or more of us on the west side of the park waiting and they marched only on the east and north side! Grrrr!