Greetings friends, lovers of nature and the beauty of scenic environments. One of the places that I love to visit the most and that I have had the chance to visit on numerous occasions is the region of the "Escaleras de Jaruco" Natural Park, located in the municipality of the same name in the province of Mayabeque, in the western region of Cuba.
The name "Escaleras de Jaruco" derives from the appearance that the elevations that make up the place seem to have, because when the Spaniards conquered the island when they saw the region from a distance, they observed a staggered appearance in the limestone mogotes of the Serranía. The elevations reach a height of up to 316 meters above sea level, and are made up of chains of mogotes in the form of limestone rock domes, covered by lush vegetation and a pleasant coolness.
A few months ago I had the opportunity to visit the place as part of a field work with colleagues from the Geological Survey of Cuba, to study the natural characteristics of the place that is part of the most important watershed in terms of drinking water supply to Havana.
On the trip we first climbed to the top of the Natural Park, to have a wide panoramic view of the surrounding valleys, and enjoy the beauty of the green landscapes.
And from here, we continue and dedicate our attention to observe some of the relief forms typical of this type of environment made up of limestone rocks: the caves.
Among the numerous caves in the area, there are some large and impressive ones, formed by the ancient subway levels of the phreatic waters and by the dissolution of the waters of the lakes that once occupied the territory of the area. The study of these relief forms is very useful to understand the natural evolution of the landscape of this area and its implications from the hydrological point of view in the subway recharge of the waters of the aquifers that supply Havana.
And so, while we studied the place and fulfilled our itinerary, we enjoyed the wonderful nature of the landscapes of the place, in a marked environment brimming with peace and the beauty of the natural spaces outside the city.
All images are my own, captured with the camera of my Samsung Galaxy A7 cell phone.
Translated at DeepL
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