Easter Island Day 2

We were lucky to be able to get off the ship and have our second day on Easter Island.  Yesterday was dedicated to visiting the most important sites on Easter Island.  Today was dedicated to more of the natural wonders of this beautiful island.

Our first stop was Rano Kau.  It is the largest volcanic crater and possibly the most beautiful natural spot on the island.  Part of the wall on the far side of the crater near the ocean has collapsed giving you a beautiful view of the this crater in its entirety with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop.  Our guide told us that his mother used to wash clothes and obtain water for their home from this crater.  It is difficult to imagine climbing down and back up this huge volcanic crater!

Our next stop was Oronga - the far side of the crater where the collapsed wall is located and where the annual Birdman competition was held every year from the 1700’s to 1867.  In a previous blog post, we described this annual competition that began after Easter Island’s formal society failed and the warriors began to compete for which tribe would be the rulers for the year.  Seeing this vast volcanic crater, the steep cliffs to the sea, and the rough waters to the third (farthest) Motu where the warriors swam to obtain the egg to be returned unbroken to the new chief was mind boggling!  How any warrior could survive seems impossible.

While the warriors and their families waited for the Sooty Terns to appear in the Spring and the Birdman competition to begin, they would wait while living in stone houses.  There are 54 low stone houses built into the land.  The wind is fierce on this volcanic ledge and the thatch houses that were built in Hanga Roa would not have survived here.  It is the only place on the island where stone was used for homes.

Our last stop was Vinapu where the ahus (platforms) can be easily seen.  The stonework looked much like the stonework used in Macau Picchu.

We decided to leave the tour at this point. They were continuing to see another set of Moai on the island and a few other places.  We left so we could wander through the town of Hanga Roa and walk the mile back to the ship.  We were able to go in and out of several little stores and see the fruits and vegetables being sold in the market. Myra and Donna bought one of the small pineapples being sold, skinned and eaten like an ice cream cone. DELICIOUS!

We walked past the beautiful Hotel Hanga Roa Eco-Village and Spa.  This hotel has a sad history.  The land on which it sits, looking out to sea, was sold by Pinochet (communist leader of Chili from 1973 - 1990) to a Chilean Development group who build the hotel.  It is the only hotel not owned by a Rapanui person.  There is a small percentage (5%) of activists on Easter Island that protest in favor of Easter Island independence.  They oppose this hotel because it is not owned by a Rapanui (the only people by Law that can own land on Easter Island) and have placed numerous black flags and signs in front of the hotel, effectively blocking all views to the sea.  We were told that the hotel is so frustrated with the protest that they are going to walk away from the hotel. 

As we approached the beach area in Hanga Roa, we saw this young Rapanui boy who somehow seemed to capture life on Easter Island.  He was barefoot, had his long hair in a pony tail, wearing swim trunks, carrying his surfboard and walking by himself across the hot, stony pavement to surf.  His seemed to embody self confidence, laid back demeanor, and a relaxed unhurried manner.

We waited roughly an hour in the sun to board our tender to return to the ship.  After much needed showers, we all met for dinner and then to watch the most spectacular sunset show!  The sunset in the South Pacific started with pinks and blues and ended in swirls of orange!