Last Sunday, September 25th, the streets of Puerto Limon were the setting of a colorful celebration: Conmemoración de la Llegada de Cristóbal Colón – the Commemoration of the Arrival of Christopher Columbus. The people from Puerto Limon celebrated its 514th anniversary of the arrival with a big parade.
It is believed that the island of Uvita (Isla Uvita), just in front of Puerto Limon, is the place where Columbus set foot on land on September 25, 1502, with his son on one of his journeys. At that time the island was known as ‘Quiribri’. It was the first and last time Columbus visited Costa Rica, and he probably remained in the area for about forty days before heading back to Europe with his crew of 140 men.
To celebrate the arrival, many students and bands paraded through the main streets of the port city, making it an upbeat and colorful day. Though the heat was fierce the people from Puerto Limon, limonenses, danced and performed from noon until nightfall.
Have a look at the photo gallery with impressions of the day: