As I sit here writing this blog there is loud music blasting next door. The sister of our next door neighbor is getting married. The event does not happen for another two weeks. However, here in Costa Rica they have several parties before and after the wedding. Our neighbor invited us over for a few minutes to enjoy the festivities. They had a full mariachi band playing (I had no idea that they had mariachi bands in Costa Rica). Anyway, for this particular party, all the women stay inside the house with the lights turned off. All the men are outside the house. As the mariachi band plays, the fiance goes to the door with a boquet of flowers. He knocks on the door. The bride comes to the door and they kiss. The lights in the house are then turned on and the women come out to enjoy the mariachi band.
It was kind of fun to watch. I think traditions such as this are a wonderful thing.