Mini Ox Carts

Coffee put Costa Rica on the map, long before eco-tourism or canopy tours. Getting the beans from the plantations high in the mountains to the coastal ports was a hairy journey, through jungles, along steep hills and muddy dirt paths. And the mode of transport? Wooden carts pulled by two trained oxen. Even to this day, farmers throughout the country use ox-carts daily and there are various festivals throughout the year honoring these beasts of burden and their drivers.

The carts are handpainted in Sarchi, an artisan town in the Central Valley just outside of San Jose, using designs that have become as integral to Tico culture as gallo pinto and salsa Lizano. Everything from bridges to benches have been painted to mimic the oxcarts and if you have a chance to pass through Sarchi, it's definitely worth the visit to watch the painters at their craft.

What better memento from a wedding in Costa Rica than a miniature version of these brightly painted carts? Each one is handmade and painted with the same attention to detail as their full-grown counterparts. Fill them with a small bag of coffee and you have a very unique and very Tico guest gift! Prices start at $13 each.