Wednesday, June 20, 2012

High speed wicker: "..While you could get from the Portuguese town of Funchal to the nearby Monte on bus. The tobaggan is the way to really travel.
Monte sits between 600 and 800 meters above sea level, and is connected to the sea level town of Funchal by a steep, winding road. In 1890, locals came up with a simple and fun way to get themselves down the 5 km hill .
The toboggans are wicker two-seaters sleds that glide on wooden runners, and two men in rubber-soled boots accompany you for the ride, acting as human brakes and insuring you the sleds stay on course. The ride takes about ten minutes, and can reach up to  48 km/hour."  Via: Atlas Obscura

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