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  Today’s Doodle celebrates Belgium’s National Day! On this day in 1831, Prince Leopold took a constitutional oath and became the first King of Belgium on the steps of the Church of St. James on Coudenberg. Belgium gained political and cultural independence on October 4th, 1830.  The national holiday is celebrated with military parades, air force aerial demonstrations, and free concerts, finished with fireworks. 

  The Colombian Declaration of Independence occurred on July 20, 1810 when the Junta de Santa Fe was formed in Santa Fe de Bogota, the capital of the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of New Granada, to govern the territory autonomously from Spain. Columbia’s capital Bogotá is at the center of celebrations. People from across the country gather there to watch vibrant parades, military demonstrations, and historic reenactments. For dinner, families enjoy the national dish of  bandeja paisa , which consists of grilled beefsteak, steamed white rice, red beans, fried eggs, sweet plantains, fried pork, and slices of avocado. After feasts, many flock to beaches to watch fireworks light up the night sky.