National Holiday Tomorrow, Batalla de Rivas
Tomorrow, Monday, April 11, is one of those many strange holidays in Costa Rica. Not strange because it is a holiday or strange for the holiday itself, but strange for how it is celebrated and who gets to celebrate it.

The holiday is called "Anniversario de la Batalla de Rivas". And though it is a national holiday, not everyone has the day off work to celebrate. All government offices and agencies are closed and all government employees have the day off. Schools are closed and children will take part in local parades and celebrations.

But, when it comes to business, it is a mixed bag. Some businesses will close, while others will remain open. While public employees have the day off, private business sector employees don't and can't expect to be paid if they have to work during the holiday.

Banks (state and private) will be closed, but malls and stores will open regular hours.

So what is the Batalla de Rivas and why is celebrated?

The story goes something like this. In 1856, when William Walker, from Tennessee, attempted to turn Central America into a slave state of the United States, Costa Ricans took to fighting for the first time in their history.

Costa Ricans had never fought before, yet the "Ticos" raised arms to defend their freedom and force the American filibusters out of the country.

To fight the war, the citizens formed an army of 9.000 men, and the first troops headed out to Guanacaste, where they fought and won their first battle, La Batalla de Santa Rosa, at the Casona de Santa Rosa.

Walker's men fled to Rivas, Nicaragua.

Motivated by their triumph and in an effort to defend their Central American neighbors, the Costa Ricans followed them, and Costa Rica's national hero was born out of the Batalla de Rivas, the second battle waged against William Walker.

Most enemy forces were concentrated in a big house in Rivas, Nicaragua, called the Mesón de Guerra, a strategic location from which the "filibusteros" could give shooting signals and were guaranteed control of the battle.

Juan Santamaría, a young Costa Rican from Alajuela, sacrificed his life and ran across the battlefield with a torch, setting the Mesón on fire, which forced enemy forces to surrender.

Costa Ricans now celebrate the day. Is it a long weekend or not? That depends who your work for. The strange part of this holiday.