Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MASK-MAKERS
Ghoulish
devil masks
, which form the centrepiece of
Corpus Christi
celebrations across
the country and feature in other festivals throughout the year, make great souvenirs. They
are made predominantly from papier-mâché coated onto a greased clay or earthen mould;
their horns, wooden teeth and eyes - usually ping-pong balls or marbles - are added later.
Though you'd be hard put to squeeze a full-size headpiece into your hand luggage, increas-
ingly smaller versions are being made for the tourist trade. They're available in various
craft centres and agricultural fairs, and you can also visit some of the mask-makers in their
workshops. Expect to pay $10-12 for a small mask and from $50 for a large one. One
renowned artisan is
José González
( 996 2314); his workshop in the outskirts of Chitré is
tough to find but ring and he'll pick you up, or enquire at the
Museo de Hererra
. Another,
specializing in
diablos sucios
,
is
Dário López
( 974 2933), whose hard-to-miss work-
shop is on the Carretera Nacional, just north of Parita, beyond the petrol station.
Catedral de San Juan Bautista
Parque Unión • Daily 6am-8pm • Free
The most obvious place to start a tour of Chitré is the imposing
Catedral de San Juan
Bautista
. Constructed between 1896 and 1910, it underwent a major restoration in the late
1980s, which took the unusual step of exposing some of the exterior stone walls, to provide a
striking contrast with the snow-white facade and bell towers. The restrained polished wooden
interior also makes a refreshing change from the ornate decor in many Catholic churches, es-
pecially the gilded mahogany altar, which is complemented by bright stained-glass windows.
