Location: Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Isla de Pascua, paradise.
Rundown: Exploring a shining gem of green amongst unbounded blue sea and massive stone heads.
Flew for six hours west from Santiago.
Six hours! The same flight could almost get you to Miami! Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Isla de Pascua, whatever you want to call it, it's
really really far away from pretty
anything. So far it makes me type in italics. All foolin' aside, it's the most isolated, inhabited island in the world. Pretty amazing to see nothing but dark blue Pacific, then.... BAM.
Hiked our first day up to the southern corner of the island to the heights of an ancient volcanic crater overlooking the sweeping ocean. The colors couldn't have been more vibrant, nor could I have felt more isolated. Fantastic.
On the way up we hiked part way, but then a man in a pickup tossed us in
the back of his truck and saved us a good two hour slog. I offered to
pay him for the ride, but he told me, "I'm Rapanui" and wouldn't accept
any money. Proud, gracious people. Not fans of Chilean though...
The food was great on the island, if a touch expensive. Hell,
everything aside from seafood and some fruits needed to be flown in for
six hours. Oop. There go the italics again. I'll stop. Watched the sun drop over the ocean... and over the local moai.
Got a touch of rain every day. Never really cramped our style, or trips on the moto we rented. Bathed the whole island in the distinctive scent of the tropics.
Skirted the coast, as if you'd have much choice on an island this small. The little moto handled all the red-dirt roads without problem.
Saw several sites of the great moai which still laid toppled from their
ahu platforms. The red rocks in the foreground are the topknots that
used to perch on the heads of the standing moai.
Some areas had a rope, or markers that you weren't supposed to cross. Other sites moai were untended, wild horses roamed freely.
Rano Raraku is a tall hill on the island where the moai were quarried...
with stone tools alone! Dozens and dozens lay prone or stand half buried looking off to the horizon waiting for a the newest fallen chief's descendants to come and choose them to stand proud on the ahu along the sea.
The moai are incredibly tall and solid. They are now hypothesizing that the moai were 'walked' to their final sites using ropes and many crews of men. Think of walking a refrigerator or tall, skinny book shelf, but that weights as much as your house.
Ahu Tongariki is one of the largest sites with standing moai, fifteen of them. All of the moai on the island were carved between 1100 and 1680 in homage of clan chiefs.
What sets Rapa Nui apart from other Polynesian island cultures with moai
is their incredible size and number.
When the first Europeans arrived in 1722 on Easter Sunday (hence, Easter
Island), only a few of the moai were standing due to clan warfare. The
population was around 2,500 down from an initial 15,000. How could
such a puny island support that sort of population?
The whole whole island led to a lot of contemplation. And also some fun shots.
They
were everywhere! You couldn't go 100 meters without tripping over a
moai! Also, many carvings in the exposed stone. The whole place was an
open air museum!
The gravity of the island's downturn contrasting with the idyllic setting gave the tiny, isolated island an aura that I have felt in few other places. What power!
Lava tubes crisscross the island. Here and there holes and collapses give access to the winding underground world. Can't imagine how many are still hiding out there! Naturally we explored.
The cave window pops out in the face of the cliff that falls into the
sea. Look for the little blue blob in the left of the pictures below.
A few of the collapsed lava tubes made sanctuaries that permitted some growing trees to thrive.
The openings in the earth also gave access to more long, wide lava tubes. Glad we brought headlights!
Spent a few evenings watching the sunset over the Pacific, behind the great moai. Spectacular.
It wasn't
my idea, but we went to a Rapanui dance group. Grass skirts and war paint, the whole deal.
But before I knew it... there was a distinctly
non-Rapanui on stage. And how the heck did they get that guy's shirt off so quick? I mistakenly thought I had a pretty good tan going... apparently not.
Visited a few sites in the wee hours of the morning to get some great sunrise shots. Weaved through dirt roads on a Vespa in the dark with the cool, humid air of the tropics rushing by.
The sunrise was explosive through the moai. The place was magic, for sure.
Even went to church on Easter Sunday! The Catholic church was decked out in local tribal decor, including the birdmen of one of the island's ancient 'cults'.
No somber suits or modest Easter dresses here. Most wore Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and sandals.
Until next time... stand tall.
