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| Kalesa in Manila (Rizal Park) (When this picture was taken, the horse was not forced to carry these passengers. It was purely for picture taking purposes only, hence, very quick.) |
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| "Kalesa" in Sapporo, Japan (Photo Courtesy of Ricardo Perdigon) |
A kalesa or calesa (sometimes called a karitela) is a horse drawn calash (carriage) used in
the Philippines. The word, also spelled calesa, 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 by the
Spaniards that only nobles and high ranked officials could afford. They are rarely used in the streets nowadays except in tourist spots and some rural areas.
- Source: wikipedia
When I went to Japan, I was glad to see another version of "kalesa." In the end I would say, kalesa - a carriage driven by a horse. It comes in various forms but with the purpose of carrying passengers either for transport purposes or now for purely tourism reasons. In Sapporo, it says "Let's Ecodrive". I agree - another way of reducing carbon footprints.
