Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Filipino Trinity of Transportation

The jeepney, the tricycle and bangka boats. You truly have some interesting forms of transportation when you visit the Philippines.  Throw in some crazy drivers and you make memories!


The jeepney on the left is a remnant of WWII.  When the Americans packed up and headed home they left a lot behind (literally and figuratively).  The Pinoy (local word for Filipino) decided to not let all of those old things, especially jeeps, go to waste.  They retrofitted them to meet their mass-transportation needs and gave them one hell of a paint job.   The "trike" on the right is a motorcycle with a cab and space for 3 or more additional passengers.  They're ubiquitous and affordable!




A sunny day at the park for Pinoy kids serves a dual purpose.  They also receive basic training to one day grow up and run a successful taxi business.  They even have a size smaller than the one in the picture, if you can imagine that.  Something like a five year old cruising up next to an infant and saying "hey meester, need a lift, good price for you!"



The Phillipines is an island nation.  Almost 7000 of them, to be exact.  So you need boats and lots of them.  Rubber rafts and outboard motors are expensive.  A simple canoe with bamboo outriggers can be built with local resources.  An old lawn-mower engine, no matter how loud it may be, can be easily found around town.  And the bangka boat is born!  Wow, what beautiful places they have taken us so far.

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