The English on the postcard tells me that the photo dates from the start of the U.S. regime, which was marked by an explosion of photography by many American soldiers of Filipino cities, towns, rural landscapes. (However, almost none of the homes and activities of the wealthy, which created a skewed imagery of that time.)
RAE has this entry, "calesa", stating that it comes from the French caleche, which in turn comes from the Czech word kolesa:
calesa1
- f. Carruaje de cuatro y, más comúnmente, de dos ruedas, con la caja abierta por delante,
Impresiones Filipinas
(PAGINAS DE UNA PRISIONERA CUBANA)
Impressions of Filipinas: Pages from a Cuban prisoner of war.
by: Avelina Correa de Malvehy
Avelina is known as the first woman journalist of Cuba. This interesting character was held captive for a year and a half by the Katipunan after they killed her Spanish husband in Santo Tomás, a town near San Fernando, Pampanga, in May 1898. The leader of the KKK there was known as Tino.
They had just arrived from Spain. Her husband had been assigned to a public service position.
His name was Alfonso Caos de Rebolledo.
While she was a prisoner, being moved from town to town, living in houses and under the protection of a Spanish mestiza (who was also continually fleecing her of any money she was receiving as help from private citizens, even after they had been rescued and were in Manila; i.e., she was charging Avelina for her "protection"), Avelina delivered a baby girl.
Avelina finally returned to Cuba with her child, Alfonsa de los Milagros, in 1900. Later she remarried, hence her name as it appears in her book, "(señora) de Malvehy".
