#albemarle

Albemarle ST Mark I of 'C' Flight, 511 Squadron, parked at RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire.

One of six Mk. I airframes that were modified to the 'standard transport' configuration and used to transport important people and items on the UK-Gibraltar-Algiers route between 1943 and 1945.

In the shop now: An authentic, vintage, hand-painted & signed Costa Rican “carreta” in a smaller size suitable for a serving cart in a covered deck or patio area. Complete with matching, painted wooden handled box and grid for serving and holding bottles. As an added bonus, the cart can be completely disassembled and reassembled like a puzzle.

Larger ox carts became a significant means of transportation for rural Costa Ricans after they were introduced to the area circa 1840. Farmers used ox carts to transport valuable crops like coffee beans or sugar cane. The carreta was valued for its ability to maneuver over all types of hazardous terrain.

Over the centuries, cars & trucks replaced the ox cart as transportation. However, ox carts then gained new life as a celebrated form of artwork. The ox cart has even taken on a symbolic significance, commemorating Costa Rica traditions and agricultural history, and was officially declared a national symbol of Costa Rica some 30 years ago. Visitors to Costa Rica can witness carretas in all their traditional glory during the "Día del Boyero" (Day of the Drover) parade, which is held in the city of Escazú every year on the second Sunday in March.

Carretas are now decorated with bright colors and intricate designs. They often boast floral motifs, and the wheels are emblazoned with mandala-like patterns. The artisans who craft carretas also painstakingly choose the pieces of wood from which the wheels will be crafted, specifically so that the carts will make a pleasant sound as they roll through the streets. The wheels consist of sixteen wedge-shaped pieces of wood arranged in a circle and bound with a metal ring.