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Ecuador 2003: By bus from Quito, Ecuador to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Here we are at the volcanic craters of Bartolome and Santiago islands. We landed on a white coral sand beach and began our walk over lava that flowed less than 100 years ago. Most of what we saw here was pahoehoe (a Hawaiian term) or ropey lava, and some of it looked just like rope. Growing in lava fields as their name suggests, small Lava Cactus plants grow in clumps measuring up to 60 cm in height. New growth on the cacti is yellow. As the cacti mature the color fades becoming paler and eventually becomes a gray or black color with age.

galapagos38

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