| Viañales as a town or community is small. | | | | environment to do his work, since he uses the trees |
| Nevertheless, it has many entertaining and | | | | that have fallen by any reasons. |
| enlightening ways of spending your time and learning | | | | Regarding local art, there are valuable artists, among |
| about arts, history, science and the artistic life of the | | | | them painters and handicraft men who show nature |
| community. | | | | and local people in their work, paintings or |
| Since 1940, according to the herbarium of the current | | | | patch-work. We can mention, for instance, Ramon |
| Institute of Ecology and Systematic of the Cuban | | | | Vazquez and Ebenecer Ballart. |
| Academy of Science, Juan Gallardo Cordero guided | | | | Walking about the village, particularly Rafael Trejo |
| the many researchers who passed by Vinales. This | | | | and Salvador Cisneros Streets, it is possible to see |
| was possible for he had the gift for this kind of work | | | | the houses where some artists work. It is |
| and knew thoroughly the whole Guaniguanico | | | | recommended, to have more complete information |
| Mountain Range, particularly the most difficult heights | | | | on this matter, going to the Visitor's Center of the |
| to explore: the "mogotes"( flat-topped hillocks with | | | | National Park and consult the information panels they |
| rocky slopes). | | | | have. |
| Gallardo's big ability of observation allowed him to find | | | | Viañales does have a cultural life. At the Marina |
| the rocks where there could be fossils; besides being | | | | Azcuy Culture House, located at the village central |
| a fan of mallacology, he was able to classify molluscs, | | | | park, next to the Catholic Church, there are very |
| in some cases even the species category. Nowadays, | | | | interesting scheduled activities. For instance, the |
| because of his old age, he is no longer devoted to | | | | "country night", during which you can meet the most |
| exploration. He passed on his knowledge to one of | | | | outstanding poets in Viañales. |
| his sons, who is popularly known as Juanito and | | | | In other places such as the Patio del Decimista (a |
| works in the museum today. | | | | place to enjoy country music which the singers used |
| Thanks to his perseverance and intense labour hours | | | | to improvise) and the Polo Montanez Center, you can |
| exploring for more than 40 years, Juanito is the best | | | | enjoy music and dancing. If you visit the Art Gallery, |
| to know all places where these natural values are | | | | according to the program, you can visit transitory |
| found. He is self-taught on this matter and has books | | | | expositions and admire the work of artists from |
| he has received from the specialists he once helped. | | | | Viañales and other Cuban regions. At the |
| He is very well known by outstanding researchers | | | | municipality bookshop Sergio Dopico, local writers |
| who request his cooperation for expeditions. | | | | organize literary gatherings. |
| As a result of his many working and studying hours, | | | | As you see, in Vinales there will be always something |
| Juanito has an enviable fossil collection that he is | | | | to do. |
| constantly investigating and which has remains of | | | | Further than Vinales, in the same municipality, there |
| plants, fish and mammals, all of it in a perfect state | | | | are other interesting places to visit. One of them is |
| of preservation. The same happens with his snails. His | | | | the coastal village of Puerto Esperanza, to the North, |
| explanations are very interesting and spending time | | | | which was in the past a small harbour and today is a |
| with him and his collections is a fascinating | | | | recreation place for the whole municipality, mainly |
| experience, somewhat similar to a trip to the past. | | | | because of its beach. Although muddy, it is attractive |
| It is also remarkable, though in another way, Jesús | | | | for the sea landscape and the quietness of the place. |
| de Arencibia Coro's small garden. It has a harmonic | | | | It is not only attractive visiting the beach but also |
| distribution of medicinal plants and fossil remains. Not | | | | enjoying the beauty of the landscape, specially the |
| having a high educational level, it is admirable his | | | | road that crosses the "mogotes" towards the sea. |
| perseverance on his work and how he managed to | | | | Passing by them, the capricious adaptation of the |
| acquire knowledge about ethno-botany and | | | | vegetation can be seen as well as how they hang |
| palaeontology, which, if not very in-depth, are an | | | | from the slopes, inside the rocks, in the absence of |
| example of what you can do when you are a nature | | | | soil. |
| lover. Visiting him is very interesting in this sense and | | | | From the coast you see them as a giant chain of |
| his work makes you think about the environment | | | | peculiar shape and they remind you of the medieval |
| preservation. He is a very skillful communicator. | | | | church organs, therefore the name they have |
| Almost 4 km from Vinales, on the road that leads to | | | | nowadays: Sierra de los Organos (Organs Mountain |
| El Moncada Community and next to Vinales Valley, | | | | Range). Today, they are an excellent guiding point for |
| when the road goes up to leave the Valley, you can | | | | the ships crossing the Gulf of Mexico, next to Cuba, |
| see several sculptures made of stone and wood | | | | coming to Havana. |
| which are part of the workshop known as "Raices" ( | | | | Another interesting village is Pan de Azucar (Sugar |
| Roots), where sculptor Noel Diaz Gala lives with his | | | | Bread). Its name is due to one of the "mogotes" |
| family. | | | | near the community, similar to the one in Rio de |
| The sculptures have different themes but most of | | | | Janeiro, Brazil. Their structure reminds us of the sugar |
| all, persons and animals, these last ones rather | | | | bread made in the small old sugar mills, very common |
| fantastic, including religious elements. Figures have | | | | in Cuba at that time. A fast-flowing river runs next to |
| several sizes and they are in the garden as well as | | | | the community, inviting us to go for a swim. |
| inside the house and also in the peculiar workshop | | | | In next issues, we invite you to continue learning |
| built imitating the construction of one of the Cuban | | | | about our country next to our coasts. |
| aboriginal groups. He does not damage the | | | | |