The traditional form of transportation in Costa Rica is the ox cart. Today's first-day-of-the-month of the month world-wide Daily Photo Theme is "public transportation," so I thought I would post a photo of an ox cart in use.The Eyewitnesss Travel Guide for Costa Rica accurately describes traditional ox carts as "the quintessential symbol of Costa Rica." Costa Rica is proud of its rural tradition of small family farms. Farmers used ox carts on their farms, and many of them would load the ox carts with with large canvas sacks of coffee beans and haul their harvest for days out of the mountains and valleys down to the coast to sell their coffee harvest for export.
In the mid-1800's farmers started painting their oxcarts with elaborate floral designs. I have shown a few of those ox carts in the past, although they are now used for decoration. The town of Sarchi is known as the center for ox cart painting. To see my previous posts of the beautifully painted ox carts, check out this link.
The photo I am showing today is not an artistic ox cart. It is one still in use, although this day its only "cargo" was a small barefoot child. How do I know he was barefoot? Look at the horns of the ox on the right.
This week we are showing photos of the fjords of Norway on our Viva la Voyage daily photo site.
To see how other Daily Photo bloggers have interpreted today's theme of public transportation, Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
17 comments:
Sometimes I wonder who's got it right? The fast and furious or the slower.
Don't worry about venting, I take it you aren't into tea cups at parties at the moment?! ;-) I hope I won't wake up all too dismayed on Thursday.
The child doesn't look very happy about this ride. Maybe he's getting splinters in his bare feet from the ox-cart floor.
That kid doesn't look too enthusiastic about his mode of transportation.
Oh my gosh, that is so funny. I would have completely missed the shoes if you hadn't mentioned to look at the ox horns!
Several people have commented that the child does not look very happy. My guess is, that if you consider the view of the oxen that this child has, and how close he is to that view, would you be smiling?
Now this is different. Fabulous posting for today and fascinating to know these are still used in Costa Rica.
The oxen or cows have been used a long time. I don't think there are any automobiles that have been in use from the beginning of civilization. I love the photograph.
I wonder how much hay to the mile they get? Fun theme day photo!
a very unique form of transportation.
This is a unique mode of transportation in these times. I love it!
Reminds me of India.
Excellent and unusal transportation!
And will become major transport again when we've used up fossil fuels
That's a bit different.
There's something to be said for the slow lane.
I agree with Kate - my first thought was, "Oh, so much like here!". And then I realized I hadn't seen a bullock cart in Chennai for quite a while. Nostalgic, but very, very nice!
This was a great choice for theme day, David! And the pic is great.
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