Easter Island

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Easter Island

October 5th & 6th 2006 - Easter Island

We are quickly learning the power of bureaucrats when it comes to flying. Officials only permit a couple of flights to land or take off from the Galapagos so we had to be air-borne prior to 8:30 am or leave after 8:30 pm since 2 flights were arriving on the 5th which meant a 6 am departure from our hotel. Off to Easter Island (I think I am going to get gills from all the fish we have eaten). Easter Island is a bit cooler than the Galapagos with less poverty and trees.

We have all seen pictures of the Easter Island Statues, but until one visits the Island you have no idea of how many they carved up until about 500 years ago when after a considerable amount of clan warfare they stopped. When a clan defeated another clan they would topple the statues of the clan they had just defeated. One of the things that struck me was the original houses. They were made out of rock, shaped like a canoe with no windows, tiny entrance ways that one would have to crawl through, no holes for ventilation and were used primarily for sleeping. According to one missionary who entered one shrtly after the first europeans visited the smell inside was overpowering. Another curiosity was that they never constructed walls for defense. The other thing that one cannot but notice is the number of horses running wild. They out-number the people about 3 to 1.

On our arrival there was a reception with drinks and hors d'oeuvres. The next day at lunch we were entertained with music and dancing. An amusing side was that there was this small boy about 4 years old who joined in for part of the dancing.

With reference to flying regulations, the Chilean authorities demand a minium gap of 4 hours between flights so this time we are up at 4 am since our takeoff has been scheduled for 6 am.

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Photos

Easter Island
Heads that have been raised. Orginally these Heads would have been around a village to offer protection.

Easter Island
I had to take this picture with the sun setting behind some of the Heads

Easter Island
Some idea of how large a medium Head is.

Easter Island
This formerly would have been a home to a number of Easter Island residents.

Easter Island
The Heads were carved from this mountain and then transported to the approprate village. About 500 years ago they stopped completely leaving Heads that were in the process of being transported.

Easter Island
At lunch a polensian dance was performed for us.