Rapa Nui (Easter Island) : October 24 -28

Where is the Easter Island Located?

25. October

The Moai's

Though the day's temperature was mild, the sunset turned out to be out of this world...

26. October

Scooter trip around Easter Island

Late the night before, we had rented a scooter,in order to make the rest of the island accessible to us. Chartered tours seemed unnecessary and inflexible. We first made our way up to the crater and the national park, which was created to protect and maintain the area where the Bird Man competition took place. (We had watched the "Rapa Nui" movie the night before...and though it is a really bad attempt at Hollywood to capture the legend of this place, it was a great introduction into the myths and theories on the culture that inhabited this distant island.)

We scootered to the many other moai's that are scattered along the coast of island, all in varying states of decay. Most impressive, was the quarry: the supposed birth place of these mammoth statues. It is inland, so there is only conjecture on how the statues were transported to the coast.

The moais around the island have their backs to the sea and therfore face inland. It is believed that this was necessary to protect the islanders from invasion and evil coming from the sea.

The one for Jan: Can you Surf as cool as these kids?

Jan is the guy who promised me to teach me how to surf, I am still waiting.

27. October

Last dinner in South America

All I wanted to do was enjoy my beer and the view of the ocean. This is what I get to deal with...

next: Tahiti