One of the many wonders of Pinar del Río’s lush landscapes, the “Valley of the Vineyards” has no vineyards anymore, if it ever did. Early Spanish conquistadors supposedly grew grapes for their sacramental wine in this valley during the 1500s rather than ferment local fruits for wine like guavaba [guava], guanabana [sour sop] or anon [custard apple]. Instead, the Valley of the Vineyards boasts some of the region’s oldest and best tobacco as well as an array of fossils. These line the walls of the tall, imposing Jurassic Park-style “mogotes” that once formed the columns of an underwater cavern whose ceiling collapsed thousands of years ago when Cuba was still uninhabited. March 1998.