Leaving Santa Clara at noon for the 450 km push through to Vinales which should take some 5.5 - 6 hours.

Lunch was guess what ... Ham and cheese sandwich plus a lemonade CUC$5 / US$5 / NZ$7.70.

Passing Havana via the ring road and on the outskirts it was time for a Nestle chocolate ice cream stop before the last push to our destination Vinales. Must have been a 1/2 litre huge tub for CUC$2.50 / US$2.50 / NZ$3.80.

When you spy a cigar-chewing guajiro driving his oxen and plough through a rust-colored tobacco field, you know that you must be within striking distance of Viñales. Despite its longstanding love affair with tourism, this slow, relaxed, wonderfully traditional settlement is a place that steadfastly refuses to put on a show. What you see here is what you get – a tiny agricultural town that just happens to occupy one of Cuba's most beautiful natural corners. Grab a sillon (rocking chair), sit back on a rustic porch and enjoy a slice of real rural Cuba.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cuba/pinar-del-rio-province/vinales#ixzz3wp7k0N8r

It was sunset as we arrived at Vinales and 7 km out of town was our 2 night accommodation at Rancho San Vicente. Here in the west the sun sets up 30 minutes later than 2 nights ago at Santiago de Cuba.

Even driving down into the valley with fields of mango and avocado trees, coffee beans, sugar cane, banana and of course tobacco, we could see the typical outcrops known as mogotes which complete the karstic character of the landscape. These remains and erosion of the limestone monoliths has made this area Cuba's no 3 tourist attraction. I can see why.

Noticed as we drove in the Vinales guajiros or country folk with even more wooden sillon or rocking chair on the houses porches.

Also started to notice the stuffed human effigies sitting outside the houses. In this region they make what I will describe as stuffed human scarecrows and on New Year's Eve they burn them to banish the old evil plus welcome in the New Year.

Dinner at a local restaurant La Rosa at 8 pm (20:00) just across the road from the Rancho San Vicente. Our group had a long table at the back of the house with a few tables set up on their front porch.

It was a simple comida criolla or Creole food buffet served on the table with lobster, pork, fish, potato .... CUC$12 plus CUC$2 for the Cristal beer = CUC$14 / US$14 / NZ$21.50.