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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Kalesas








Above photos courtest of dprox as posted in Tsikot. More kalesa photos can be viewed at Photo.Net.Ph.

From Wikipedia -

The Kalesa is a horse-driven carriage used in the Philippines. The word predates the Spanish conquest and descends ultimately from an Old Church Slavonic word meaning "wheels." This was one of the modes of transportation introduced in the Philippines in the 18th century. They are rarely used in the streets nowadays except in tourist spots and some rural areas.

A kalesa looks like an inclined cart popularized during Spanish occupation as a method of transportation. It has two round wheels on each side and two rows of seats that can accommodate four persons. The driver sits in a block of wood hosted over the tip of the cart near the horse.

Kalesas can still be found in Intramuros and Binondo in the city of Manila and also in Iligan City, where there is a street where adorned kalesas can be taken for a ride.

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