The Day of the Frailejones

In North America or in Europe or in Asia, when you climb up to 4.000m, you generally find ice and snow.  But in the Andes, close to the equator, you find a very different biome, called the Paramo.  Most of this biome is found in Colombia, with smaller patches in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. 

The Paramo looks something like this

The main features seem to be glacial lakes, marshes, and the presence of a plant called Frailejon.  A frailejon has radiating soft yellow leaves (soft enough to wipe your ass) and in the center, there are usually arm-like protrusions heading skyward.  Bright yellow flowers sometimes bloom from these nubs.


Now you're probably thinking the same thing as me : They sure look a hell of a lot like Triffids.  You'll remember that triffids are mobile space plants that can kill with a swipe of their tentacles.  They generally prey on the blind.  Well, Pauline and I had quite an adventure trying to cross the Paramo and its millions of frailejones; it's remarkable that we were able to take photos of the vicious plants, let alone survive.

Here I'm running from a Frailejon.  They can't jump.

This Trif, I mean Frailejon is trying to eat Pauline.