Total stay: 30 Oct - 9 Nov (10 nights)
Santiago de Chile
30 Oct – 2 Nov
Before we flew to the Rapa Nui we had two days in Santiago de Chile. We met a 23 years old poet working in our hostel. Well done for a young writer to give out his first book at that age.
Rapa Nui
2 – 9 Nov
The 5 hrs flight started with an upgrade to business class as there was a double booking of our seats (who says that seats number 13 brings unluck...). We celebrated with champagne and tasty food.
The Polynesian island is a territory of Chile and was annexed by them in 1888.
In 1955-1956, Tor Heyerdahl organized the Norwegian Archaeological Expedition to Rapa Nui (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Heyerdahl)
The island is far from continents and how it has been inhabited has long stumped historians and archeologists. The most widely accepted answer is that they came from Southeast Asia, populating the Polynesian triangle of Hawaii, New Zealand and Rapa Nui.
On Rapa Nui, two civilizations formed: the Long Ears of the east and the Short Ears of the west, both of whom built large stone altars and moai to honor their ancestors. Warfare led to destruction of the altars and the toppling of the moai (many were recently restored uprights).
The world famous moai statues are huge and many, some says that there are 600 of them scattered around the island, with the largest beeing 21m tall. They most likely used timber to move the statues from the carving sites and this could explain the island’s deforestation. The trees you see on the pictures are planted by Spaniards. Another thing you will find on the island are wild horses. They walk wherever they like, even 'downtown'… So you have to be careful while driving at dark.
We stayed in Hanga Roa town at a camping place run by a hospitable local woman and her Tahitian husband. They invited us for some great local BBQ with fresh caught fish. The place has the best view over the ocean and we enjoyed the colorful sunsets everyday. All the rooms didn’t have locks, as we’ve been told; there is no reason to have one – so we got used to it.
What we’ve experienced:
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Bicycling on the west cost and exploring the moai statues
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Saw the Rapa Nui film by Kevin Costner at a homey local cinema
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Relaxed on white sandy beach (Anakena) fringed by palm trees and standing moai (Ahu Nau Nau)
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Sampled the nightlife out where local musicians played typical Polynesian music
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Attended Rapa Nui Language Festivity
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Per-Ove dived around the tiny nearby island (Motu Kao Kao). The currents were pretty exhausting but the visibility was fantastic and diving there is absolutely recommended
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Met a nice Dutch couple, with whom we rented a car together to see the sunrise over the 15 standing moai (Ahu Tongariki) line up facing the ocean. Then we walked on the extinct volcano slopes (Rano Raraku), where they use to carve the moai. It looks like they left the 'factory' in a hurry as we saw half-carved, buried and laying moai. Inside the volcano there is a green lagoon and even more moai and stunning 360 view.
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Watched the crazy Timber-Sliding Competition for kids (!)
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Met also a nice Japanese couple, who joined us for a half-day tour on the island. We visited Rano Kau, a crater lake situated 400m on a gaping sea cliff and the Orongo Ceremonial Village where bird-cult rituals were preformed. Competitors (young men) had to descend the cliffs and swim out to the nearby island with a help of rafts to retrieve an egg. The first to return with an egg without any damage became a birdman of the year. We saw a cluster of petroglyphs illustrating the birdman (Tangata Manu) and their god (Make Make). Stopped at a cave on the way back.
Video from Rapa Nui
*Source Lonely Planet (South America on Shoestring 10th edition 2007)
Chile Part II and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) photo collection:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/perove/collections/72157611474308610/
Map with location of Rapa Nui
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