A street scene in Ambalavao, a busy town and the original place for making papyrus-type paper impregnated with flowers, called 'Antaimoro' paper. Although Ambalavao these days looks slightly down-at-heel, it has some attractive architecture giving it the feel of a medieval European village.Rickshaws, known in Madagascar as pousse-pousse, are commonplace in many larger towns. Their local name originates from the English Push! Push!. Rickshaws were introduced to Madagascar from India in 1835 by English missionaries. The missionaries disliked local dignitaries being carried in palanquins shouldered by four men. Their idea to reduce manpower and speed up travel very quickly became popular. Since Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, is built on hills and the wealthy people who regularly used rickshaws lived at the top of those hills, one or two extra people were necessary to push laden rickshaws uphill. The people at the back were often urged by the dignitaries to Push! Push!. Over time the words became corrupted and rickshaws became known as pousse-pousse.