Chitre

When I booked into Chitre, I was keen to spend the day visiting the little museum there. Alas, it was closed over the weekend. Then there was a rum distillery in nearby Pese that sounded interesting. That was also closed. My last option was visiting the little traditional town of Parita just north of Chitre.

I walked down to the bus terminal and found the bus that would take me there. Parita is one of those little towns that make you feel you should be wandering its streets in voluminous skirts with hair drawn back at the nape, such is its Spanish colonial authenticity. Parita’s baroque style church has been overlooking its traditional grassy town square and surrounding low, red-clay roofed casas since 1723. Vibrant, flowering plants and wooden rocking chairs adorn the tiled porches set just off the narrow streets.

I had a pleasant time wandering around the main town centre before deciding to take a road which led out of town and down to the river. Once there, I found three hombres fishing on the bank. I chatted with them for a while, before returning back to town using a different route.

By now it was time to return to Chitre. I bid pretty little Parita adios and caught the bus back to Chitre. Sometimes, the Universe throws you curve balls and just rolling with it gives you an unexpected experience. As was my day.