Diario las Américas., 1958-02-07
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BY OHIO RUIZ

HAITI - A gay and charming
corner of Port-au-Prince is the
Place de Sainte Anne, located in
one of the Oldest quarters of the
city, west of the Champ de. Mars.
The quaint and ancient looking
church faces the square filled with
fragrant flowers. Several blocks
north of the square, on the Rue
de Centre, is the BibliotSque Ma
tionale National Library. Place
Geffrard, nea the waterfront is
the heart of the business district.
Facing the bay is Pare Vincent,
thanked by the Custom House, the
Municipal Palace and the old
French quay constructed in 1880.
No visitor should miss the Mu-
scum of Ethnology, on the ground
floor of the Municipal Palace, in
order to see the fascinating VOC
doc and folklore exhibits. Stretch
ing along the waterfront is a kalei-
doscopic panorama of color and
activity. A maze of masts and tint
ed sails stand by agsinst the spark
ling bay, when the fishing fleets
return with their early morning
catch. Under the dazzling tropical
sun, the fish flash silver, gold and
crimson. Conch shells, exquisite
coral pieces, and other treasures
of the tropical sea, add to the ex-
otto collection which native divers
and fishermen have to offer to
the tourists.
In preparation for Haiti's In.
ternational Exposition, which took
place in 1949 to commemorate the
bicentennial of the founding of
Port-au-P Prince, some sixty acres of
land along the waterfront were
improved and beautifully landscap-
ed. Attractive buildings. and pavil-
dings and pavillions, designed by
Haitian and New York architects,
now constitute a permanent civic
center. A truly enchanting spot is
Ian Palmiste," a PLAN grove with
a beautiful artificial lagoon.
The Centre dart, located in a
spacious building is the gathering
place for Haitians from all walks
of life, who create sculpture, paint
ings, and h~andicrafts, in what is re-
garded by critics as the most sig
nificant contemporary art any
where. 1t started in 1914, when an
artist and teacher from the Unit
ed States, Dewitt Peters, founded
the center in the firm belief that
Haitian art was not dead. A few
years later, Haitian primitive
paintings were creating a sensa-
ton from California to Paris.
Haitians of the upper social class
and most foreign residents of Port
au-Prince live comfortably, often
luxuriously, in delightful French
chateaux or moderrnistic homes
surrounded by the lush tropical
verdure of the hills above the city.
The Montjolte residential section
is favored by the us. colony, as
well as the suburb of Petionville.
The Colony Club is a club of US.
women, and the Petionville Club
has many members among the re.
sidents from the United States.
The Centre Bellevue and Club
Port-au.Princien are exclusive Hal
tian clubs.
Most of the hatels in Pcrt-au-
Prince are small and several are
famous for their tropical garden
settings and fine views, such as
the Splendid, once the private
estate of a wealthy sugar planter,
located in the cool and hilly sec
ton of the city, facing the beauti-
full Bay of Gonave. The Therland
international Club provides luxuri-
GUS hotel facilities and charming
cottages for two, with a personal
servant assigned to each guest. 1t
has AZ acres of tropical grounds
located on the coastal road, four
miles from the center of the capt..
al.
G-.~s.L Iya.c,A~ Da-z o