Here is a view of the ox cart that was crossing the road in front of us. This is painted in a traditional style.
I mentioned yesterday that in the past farmers would haul their crops to the port for export in these ox carts. They obviously took pride in the appearance of their ox carts to paint them in this fashion.
Perhaps this is similar to people today enjoying having a fancy car. If farmers were going to be seen by the neighbors and by customers as they haul stuff for their farms, why not impress them with an elaborate paint job?
More About Free Trade Experience: For the last few days I have discussed the Costa Rican experience in expanding its exports after the voters approved the Central American (and Dominican Republic) Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). In most countries, economic interests that fear competition from foreign imports oppose free trade agreements. Costa Rica was no exception when the CAFTA-DR vote occurred.
CAFTA-DR required that Costa Rica open up its economy to foreign competition. That included aspects of the economy that had operated as government monopolies, which in Costa Rica included insurance and cell phone service. So what has happened in these fields?
The state insurance monopoly has retained 95% of its life insurance customers and 90% of its customers for other lines of insurance. The state cellular provider however, lost 30% of its cell phone customers and 80% of its mobile broad band customers from 2010 to 2012.
I guess it should be no surprise that people are more likely to change cell phone and internet plans than they are insurance companies, especially for life insurance. Even those who have not changed have benefited because the competition has resulted in improved service.
This week we have photos of the street art of Valparaiso, Chile, posted on our
Viva la Voyage travel photo site.
When it is time to leave the river, the men splash the oxen to get them to move. That seems like a gentle, refreshing way to get the oxen's attention. In fact, they might think that if they stand there long enough without moving, they will get a shower on all sides, which must feel good on a warm Costa Rican afternoon.
These are not fishermen, but they are workers. This looks like hard work. Their work method reflects that Costa Rica is still a developing country. as in the USA one would never see the work that they are doing performed in this manner. 
There is something more going on in the river than an ox cart crossing from one side to another. Here you see a man bending over and doing something. 
In the river photo that I showed yesterday, there was an ox cart in the river, as you can seen in this photo.
This is a closer photo of the ox cart that I showed yesterday. The family put the child's shoes over the ox's horns. I guess that is one way to make sure that the boy does not lose his shoes.
This photo of a Costa Rican ox cart was taken about a block away from the grocery store that I featured in my posts during the past few days. Ox carts are a traditional form of transportation in rural areas of Costa Rica. 
Here is another view of the ox cart I showed yesterday. A traditional ox cart would be made of wood, with a large wooden wheel without spokes, and fancy painting all over it. To see my previous posts of the beautifully painted ox carts, check out this link.
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.
Finely detailed, hand-painted ox carts are a traditional craft in Costa Rica. 
This is the horse corral at Hacienda Guachipelin, with a traditional Costa Rican ox cart. The horses that I showed yesterday wait in the corral for riders during the day, before returning to their pasture.
For today's Daily Photo Monthly Theme Day of "round" or "sphere," I am showing the wheel of a traditional Costa Rican ox cart. Traditional Costa Rican ox carts are brightly hand painted, and families take pride in the artistry of their ox cart designs.
It is still possible to see ox carts in use in rural areas. The ox cart in this photo is on display at the Garden Plaza shopping center in Tamarindo, which I have shown in earlier posts. The second photo shows the rest of the ox cart to place the photo of the wheel into context.
