Colorfully painted oxcarts, known as carretas, are a Costa Rican tradition, dating back to the days when they were one of the only means of transport for most families and a well-painted oxcart was a status symbol (apparently some things are the same across cultures and the passing of time, though it’s certainly easier to go out and buy a large SUV than it is to hand-paint an entire oxcart).
They can still be seen today. We encountered one being used by a farmer, but he was pulling into a fenced-off private property and I didn’t get any photos worth posting before he was out of sight. Now, however, they mainly feature as a tourist icon.
This example was found behind a large (and very touristy, prices in US dollars) souvenir/furniture shop which turned out to have an entire garden behind it, replete with several painted carts, picnic tables and a shrine to Jesus, among other things.
Near-equatorial summer sunlight an hour after midday made for a lot of contrast but also a lot of saturation, leading to almost a John Hinde postcard look.