Let me tell you about a special moment in my life. It was like finding an unexpected treasure. - When finally I had it before me, I said: Impossible! ... and yet there it was.
The guide and owner of the property had told me about a cave, but what was before me was perhaps the fifth largest in the world where you can admire an ancient and strange geological formation of indisputable volcanic origin.
To date is only known in four places in the world with similar sites and all, without exception, are a major tourist and scientific attraction in their respective countries. The following are all four sites, followed by this cave we are talking about:
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Name |
Location |
Main feature |
| 1. |
Wyoming Devil's Tower |
USA |
On land |
| 2. |
Giant's Causeway |
Northern Ireland |
Leading to the sea |
| 4. |
La Gomera |
Tenerife Island, Spain |
Only visible by sea |
| 4. |
San Miguel Regla |
Hidalgo, Mexico |
On land and a river |
| 5. |
La Cueva Escondida |
Los Reyes, Jalisco, Mexico |
On land |
I first note that basalt is one of the most abundant basic volcanic rocks on the planet. Then I note that in the long geological history of this planet, in very rare cases, highly viscous rachitic lavas move up quickly from deep magmata to the planet's surface, and arriving there, come into contact with the surface environment and decrease the perimeter pressure, igneous basalt experiences rapid cooling that lead to its contraction, resulting in a columnar disjunction fracture in its structure; according to the original topography of the eruption site, dramatically buckle, causing what is called "prismatic columnar basalt".
Added to this type of igneous rock, it is fine-grained and extremely hard and the sharp edges can easily etch glass because they contain up to 50% silica, in addition to pyroxene, olivine and iron. When there is a dominance of olivine, the basalt is a dark green. If iron and pyroxene dominate, the color is gray or dark brown. This occurs at La Cueva Escondida, but it also has a reddish tinge, due to the percolation of rainwater and humidity oxidizing ferrous components in the surface rocks. One characteristic of these prisms, are cut profiles of pentagons and great beauty which give them great tourism and scientific potential.
This is the case of the columnar basalt prisms found at the La Escondida "Cave", which even today is virtually unknown. Mexico offers this natural wonder of the world here in Jalisco, less than 2 hours from Puerto Vallarta, at the ancient and magical town of Los Reyes, in the municipality of San Sebastian, located at 860 meters above sea level in an ecological transition zone of great beauty and extraordinary biodiversity.
If you thought you had seen everything, come see it and let your senses guide you through an adventure; traveling to the planet's geological past. Learn the incredible story of the Los Reyes, and be their be-friended guest for this remarkable experience.
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