If you feel a yen for shopping in Ponce, head for the Fox-Delicias Mall, at the intersection of Calle Reina Isabel and Calle Union, the city's most innovative shopping center. Among the many interesting stores is Regalitos y Algo Mas (no phone), located on the upper level. It specializes in unusual gift items from all over Puerto Rico. Look especially for the Christmas tree ornaments, crafted from wood, metal, colored porcelain, or bread dough, and for the exotic dolls displayed by the owners. Purchases can be shipped anywhere in the world.
At the mall, the best outlet for souvenirs and artisans' work is El Palacio del Coquí Inc. (tel. 787/841-0216), whose name means "palace of the tree frog." This is the place to buy the grotesque masks (viewed as collectors' items) that are used at Carnival time. Ask the owner to explain the significance of these masks.
Utopía, Calle Isabel 78 (tel. 787/848-8742), conveniently located in Plaza Las Delicias, has the most imaginative and interesting selection of gift items and handcrafts in Ponce. Prominently displayed are vegigantes, brightly painted carnival masks inspired by carnival rituals and crafted from papier-mâché. In Ponce, where many of these masks are made, they sell at bargain prices of between $5 and $500, depending on their size. Other items include cigars, pottery, clothing, and jewelry; gifts imported from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Mexico; and rums from throughout the Caribbean. Julio and Carmen Aguilar are the helpful and enthusiastic owners, who hail from Ecuador and Puerto Rico, respectively.
