i Dominican Republic - travelfilm.de

zumbador (hummingbird), the barrancolí,
the flautero, and the parrots of the
Amazona ventralis type, that have been
a part of our daily lives well before the
Iberian advent, and finally the cigua
palmera Dulus Dominicus, the national
bird.
Of the island’s foreign species, the
manatee and the whale, both amphibious
mammals, are the most exceptional. The
humpback whale in particular migrates
each winter from the frigid Arctic waters
to give birth to its young along the Banco
de la Plata (Silver Bank)— approximately
35 miles northeast of the community of
Cabrera, in Dominican territorial waters.
Most species of the Dominican fauna
are on exhibit at the Museo de Historia
Natural (Museum of Natural History), the
Acuario Nacional (National Aquarium),
and the Parque Zoológico Nacional
(National Zoological Park).
48
In parks where the animals are allowed
some freedom to roam about, park
rangers escort and supervise visitors.
Info: � 809-378-2149.
� www.zoodom.gov.do
For an opportunity to observe the animals
and plants in their natural habitat, an
excursion may be arranged by calling
the Sub-Secretaría de Estado de Áreas
Protegidas y Biodiversidad (Protected
Areas and Biodiversity).
Info: � 809-472-4204.
Cultural Plaza
The Plaza de la Cultura, an oasis for
the city with its huge gardens, majestic
fountains and ancient trees, just as its
name suggest, is a cultural center located
right in the heart of Santo Domingo. It
has been designed in such a way as to
allow access to its installations from three
of the cities most important avenues:
Máximo Gómez, Pedro Henríquez Ureña
and César Nicolás Penson.
The modern buildings complex houses the
Biblioteca Nacional (National Library),
the Cinemateca Nacional (National Film
Library), the Galería de Arte Moderno
(Gallery of Modern Art), the Museo de
Historia Natural (Museum of Natural
History), Museo de Historia y Geografía
(Museum of History and Geography),
Museo del Hombre Dominicano (Museum
of Dominican History), and the Teatro
Nacional (National Theater). A visit
to the Cultural Plaza is more than just
a pleasant stroll; it is a walk through
Dominican culture and history.
The Plaza de la Cultura serves each
year as the venue for one of the most