HOW IT WORKS: When a tour group arrives at the post office, they look at what mail is inside, then anyone who lives relatively near one of the addresses in the postcards would take it home with them and deliver it to the addressee.
Then, in turn, the tour group adds whatever mail they want to send out. (this method is supposed to be often faster than snail mail)
On North Seymour Island, we encountered this unique rusty red coloured sand beach. Each island has evolved in vastly different ways, wether it be the landscape or the animal life.
Bartolome Island, near Santiago Island, displayed a lunar landscape. It was a dry desert island, with plenty of volcanic craters and very little life (small shrubs and only tiny lava lizards).
After what seemed like an eternity in the blasting sunrays (Dave burnt the top of his feet!), we climbed to the viewpoint to take pictures of Pinnacle Rock and Santiago Island from above.
The most popular landscape picture of the Galapagos... I believe it is called Turtle Head Bay (as this shape resembles the name).
Another shot of Pinnacle Rock in the sunlight... I think our boat was rocking a little in the water as I took this shot.
On the backside of Pinnacle Rock, I found the most interesting formations left by lava.
The flat and dry Plaza Islands, where Opuntia Cactus grow and land iguanas lounge and most of the remaining vegetation is low.
Another picture of the desert lanscape on the Plaza Islands.
A close up of an Opuntia Cactus, where its fruit, the prickly pear (the multitude of little pods) are feasted upon by the land lizards and iguanas, as well as some of the birds (Cactus Finch).
I suppose for some, the cactus can also be a comfortable and safe place to rest. Can you see the tiny lava lizard on the cactus?
The Candelabra Cactus is also found on Santa Cruz Island.
This very prickly bush is found on the same island (as well as other)... often green and healthy, or grey and thirsty.
My favourite cactus, the Lava Cactus looked very fuzzy and soft.. but we dared not touch it. It can be found on many of the desert islands.
A close-up of the Lava Cactus.
A bush of red mangroves... often grew on the beach areas. These ones are on Floreana Island.
Another view of Floreana island... which seems to have the most varying landscape on the same island and other than Santa Cruz, seems to be one of the least desert like islands. Really!
The Isla Genovesa's white leafless trees give the island a ghosty presence.
In some areas the rock cliffs, are "wonderfully" decorated by birds.
If the trees and the rocky cliffs aren't enough to convince you of its eeriness, the randomn chasms will!
We loved watching the waves rock the shores (and the lizards and crabs that clung on to the rocks for dear life!).
