Santiago Day 2-Wrapping it up

Trying our best to imitate these two handsome carvings on Santa Lucia Hill

We're sitting at the airport now.  Our Chilean adventure will soon be over.  What we are taking with us are the memories of some amazing times in three extremely diverse regions of this very interesting and scenic country.
Our second day in Santiago was a bit more of the same, simply exploring the neighborhoods near our hotel.  Yesterday we went more north and west. Today we wandered in a more southerly direction.  Museums are nice, but the streets are living, breathing museums and in the case of the Lastarria neighborhood, it's one heck of a museum!  There were universities bustling with college students, small shops, street vendors, businesses, parks and more.  In the middle of it all was Santa Lucia Hill which was first used by missionaries in the 1500's as a place for prayer and worship.  From the top level we were once again treated with great views of the city and the Andes Mountains.

The trees on this pedestrian street are still green.  Most trees around the city have lost their leaves.

Santa Lucia Hill

One final picture of the Andes Mountains!

We didn't get to see much of Santiago, but what we saw we loved and we're already looking forward to coming back to this very hospitable city and country.
If you're a traveler looking for an affordable, easy to reach and friendly country, consider Chile.  From the desert of the Atacama, to the remoteness of Easter Island, to the vibrant city of Santiago and so much more, Chile has so much to offer.

Closing the doors on this Chilean Adventure!

Santiago Sampler

From the top of the Santiago City Park.  The Andes Mountains are in the background.  The tall building to my left is the Gran Torre, the tallest building in South America (over 900 feet)

If Santiago was located in the United States it would be the second largest city.  It's a few million people behind New York City, but well ahead of Los Angeles.  It's metropolitan population is over 6.3 million people, making it the 4th largest city in South America (Sao Paulo, Bogota, and Rio de Janeiro are the three largest).  I'm sure you get my point, it's big!
We arrived Tuesday around 10:00 PM.  Our flight back to Florida is on Thursday around 7:30 PM.  This doesn't give us much time for exploring, hence the name of this post.  What we quickly discovered in our roaming about near the city center was exactly what we suspected, we're only going to see a small sample of what this huge city has to offer.
The city is located in a valley about an hour away from the coast.  The setting is absolutely stunning because of the two mountain ranges.  The Chilean Coastal Range Mountains in another setting would be quite a site to see, but here they are towered over by the snow covered Andes Mountains.
We're staying near the historic city center in the Lastarria neighborhood.  Everything we did was concentrated in this, and the adjoining neighborhoods. As we left the hotel (The Singular) we headed down Merced towards the Plaza de Armas, Santiago's main square.  It's the size of several city blocks and full of trees and benches.  I'm sure the trees would provide much appreciated shade in the summer, but with the temperature in the low 40's we found a bench that gave us a little bit of sunlight and warmth.  We sat for a while and watched as the city slowly came to life.  We moved on to the Mercado Central (Central Market) which was already going strong with locals buying fresh fish, meats, and vegetables.  Even though we had a huge breakfast at the hotel I couldn't resist a tasty cheese empanada at Zuninos Emporium.

Plaza de Armas

Santiago Cathedral adjacent to the Plaza de Armas

Inside the cathedral

Fresh fish at the market

We spent a good portion of the day in the huge city park that bordered on the very colorful Bellavista neighborhood.  The park is over twice the size of New York City's Central Park.  Like the country itself, it is somewhat long and narrow and has various elevations throughout it's close to 1500 acres.  We enjoyed the funicular ride to the top, where there were great views of the city and the Andes Mountains.  From the top, we took a cable car to another section of the park where we walked around a bit before heading back down the same way we came (funicular).  The cost for the funicular and cable car was around $15 US for the both of us  The views were priceless.

Small chapel at the top of the park

Churros time!

Cable car in the park

Looking down the steep funicular track.  

I had previously mentioned that the Bellavista neighborhood was quite colorful.  This is because many of the building have been painted with graffiti art, which made walking down the street seem like roaming through a modern art museum.

After a nice, inexpensive lunch at an outdoor restaurant/bar we enjoyed retracing our steps from earlier in the day.  The Mercado Central was still going strong as we passed.  Now the pedestrian streets and the Plaza de Armas were packed with locals and travelers all enjoying a crisp afternoon in an amazing city.

Lastaria neighborhood, right outside our hotel

     

Easter Island Day 6

This is Moai Kavakava.  He's quite popular all over the island.  He is found in carvings and paintings at the doors of houses or businesses.  He is there to keep the evil spirits out.

I only have first hand knowledge of the weather from what I've observed over the past six days, which has been very pleasant.  Keep in mind that winter officially started a few days ago down here in the southern hemisphere.  The high's have been in the low/mid 60's and the overnight lows in the 50's.  We've slept with the windows open every night and it 's been quite comfortable.  According to Peter, the owner of the property where we are staying, it does get somewhat hot during the summer but not too hot.  Most buildings are air conditioned only by the tropical breezes.
What we've learned about the weather here on Easter Island is two things.  First, don't trust the weather channel app!  I don't really think it's the weather channel folks fault because the second thing about the weather is don't trust your eyes.  The app and your eyes may both tell you it's going to be a sunny day, but don't leave the rain gear behind.  There will likely be a passing shower in the next ten minutes.  After a couple of days we learned when we would head out that no matter what we saw out the window or read on the weather channel to be prepared.  We'd be armed with hats, sunscreen, jackets and ponchos and we'd likely use them all...…..within the first hour!
We enjoyed visiting a couple of sites that we had not previously visited, including Akahanga, where there were eight toppled moai and a reconstructed village.  We enjoyed a nice one hour hike near the quarry, sharing the trail with horses, cows and several more moai.  We then made one more visit to the beach (Anakena) where we did a short hike followed by another picnic.  Again, we were joined by the chickens we shared our table with a few days before.  This time they even seemed to bring along some of their buddies.

Akahanga-There were eight toppled moai.  Some of their topknots were close by...…...

while others had rolled far away

Restored hut at the Akahanga site

There were a number of moai along the trail we hiked.  Why they were left there is another mystery of Easter Island.

Sharing the trail with a cow and horse

Another moai and more horses along the trail

Our picnic guests.  The small one was absolutely fearless.  At one point he marched right up to the backpack and stuck his head inside to see if there was any food laying around.

 The marina in Hanga Roa is home to a variety of brightly colored tropical fish and a few sea turtles.  They enjoyed the old bread that we brought along to feed them.

 
Before returning the rental car we stopped to refill it with gas.  Most if not all of the service stations have attendants.  They're nice young men dressed in neat uniforms who pump the gas for you.  I looked back at the pump when he finished and it was 14000 pesos (about $20 US dollars).  I pulled out the bills I had in my wallet and counted seven 2000 peso bills and handed it to the attendant.  He looked puzzled for a moment and then broke out in a huge smile.  I really hadn't given him seven 2000 peso bills.  I had actually given him seven 20000 peso bills.  He handed me back six of the bills I had given him plus my change.  Outwardly he was politely smiling the whole time, on the inside I'm sure he was laughing!  I should have tipped him, but I would have probably got that wrong as well.
The story of this young mans honesty is just one example of the hospitality that we have received from everyone here on Easter Island (and in the Atacama Desert as well).  We've been greeted with nothing but smiles and "hola" or "buen dia" everywhere we go.  On two separate occasions when we've been walking and pulled out our map, people in cars have stopped to ask us if they could help us find something.  You can't teach that kind of stuff, that's genuine hospitality.
Today is our last full day here on this special island.  Our plans are to relax and enjoy it.  We've seen what we wanted to see, learned much about the mysterious history and made friends with people, dogs, horses, chickens and cows along the way.
Easter Island isn't an easy place to get to, but for us it was well worth the effort.  If you do find yourself planning some time out here in the middle of the Pacific, here are a couple of what might be helpful hints.
Currently the only regularly scheduled flights to the island are from Santiago or Tahiti.
Given that it's a difficult place to reach and that there is plenty to see and do, try to allow for at least five days.  It'll go by quickly!
There are numerous accommodations on the island ranging from hostels to five star hotels.  We are very pleased with Hareswiss.  There are three bungalows on site all with nice terraces overlooking the water.  Peter, the owner has been very helpful with ideas and suggestions.  He also offers a nice breakfast for a reasonable rate (currently $8 per person, per day).  It includes bread, fruit, meat, cheese, cereal, yogurt, juice and milk.  There is enough to make sandwiches with for the day so it's like getting two meals.
As you would imagine, food is pretty expensive.  You can cut down on this by bringing some items with you.  We brought some meats, cheeses, peanuts, crackers, chips, and instant noodles.  We did eat out several times and the food was very good.  The portions are fairly large so if you're not too hungry you can also split a meal.  If you're a fan of empanadas, make sure to visit Empanadas Tia Berta!
Bottled water is available for purchase.  We bought some, but after confirming the tap water is safe, we have used it as well.
Driving on the island is easy.  I would suggest a rental car for at least a couple of days.  There are a couple of agencies in downtown.  The roads are in fair shape and because there are so few of them a paper map is all you'll need to navigate around without any issues.  If you don't feel like driving there are taxis everywhere.  I actually read that per capita, there are more taxis on Easter Island than in New York City!
There is wifi on the island, however it isn't at the speed you typically find.  It's faster late at night or early in the morning when there is less traffic on line.
Most places do take credit cards, but as always, having some cash on hand is advisable.  There are a couple of banks on the island with ATM's.  We used the one at the Santiago airport so we haven't had any experience with them.  According to Peter, "they're pretty reliable".
When using local currency be sure to count the zeros......….and count them again!

Easter Island Day 5-Hiking the coast with a couple of special friends........

No......that's not me!  After a long day of hiking we enjoyed a traditional Rapa Nui dance show by the Cultural Ballet Group Kari Kari.  The group is committed to passing along to the younger generation the values and culture of the Rapa Nui people.  They are also very excited to share it with visitors.  It was high energy and very entertaining, especially for all the women on the first two rows.

Although we were somewhat limited by the elevation in the Atacama Desert, we've certainly gotten our fair share of walking/hiking on this adventure.  Yesterday was by far the longest distance we've covered at any one time on this trip.  It was a beautiful out and back hike along the incredibly scenic northwestern coast line of the island.
It was pretty "idiot proof", even for the Traveling Idiots.  Leave the bungalow, turn right at the coast and keep the water on the left.  Go as far as you want to go, turn around, keep the water on your right until you get back to the starting point.  There was an old road that is now closed to cars that we were on at times, but for the most part we were just following a path that had been used by people and horses.  The people were pretty clean and neat, the horses left a trail behind them that kept us on our toes.
The hike will be memorable for it's beauty and serenity, but it will mostly be memorable for the two friends who accompanied us on the entire 10+ mile adventure.  As I had mentioned previously, there are quite a few dogs on the island.  They seem to be very well cared for and friendly with both people and each other.  Like the wild horses, they tend to roam free, which I'm sure makes this somewhat of a dog paradise.
Within a couple of minutes of leaving the bungalow we were greeted by two friendly dogs.  One was black, a little younger and smaller than his brown friend.  We figured they'd be with us for a minute or two, then lose interest and turn around.  We sure underestimated the friendship and loyalty of these two.  They never lost interest in where we were going and stayed with us the entire journey.  At first we referred to them only as "black dog" and "brown dog".  As we got to know them better we figured they deserved better names so they became "Blackie" and "Brownie".  Blackie, being younger and more energetic (at least for the first eight miles) would often run ahead as if he was scouting the trail.  Brownie, being older and wiser (at least until he somehow got mud all over his head) must have realized what he had gotten himself into so he tended to stay close to our side.

Ruins of an old village we passed along the way.

We were joined by a small herd of cows for a short time.

Brownie making sure we were not in any danger

I'm not lost and looking for the trail.  Just admiring the view.

There were a couple of caves along the trail.  They had been used by early inhabitants of the island as shelter.

This cave was an old lava tube.  It was about 50 yards long with an entrance/exit at both ends.  In the background you can see our friends Brownie and Blackie.

Leading Beth, Brownie and Blackie in a song

There was plenty of fresh water for the dogs the whole way.  Usually when they would get to a water hole they'd just go right in.

It was harder to get a picture of Blackie because he was always on the move.  Even in this picture he just looks like a black blob.  This was near the end of the walk and he finally settled down to join Brownie for a little rest.

When we got back close to the bungalow they suddenly peeled off without so much as an adios.  We looked back to see that they had returned home.  They had plenty of water along the way, but we only packed food for us.  Hopefully they had a nice, big bowl of dog food waiting on them...…….they had certainly worked up an appetite.

This was right near the end of our hike.  Blackie was sensing he was close to home and picking up the pace again.  

Yes, that's a horse in the middle of the road...……..Welcome to Rapa Nui!

  

Easter Island Day 4-A Tongariki Sunrise and Tahai Sunset

Who says we don't have any friends?

By design our day started quite early.  We were up long before the light of day and on the road around 6:30 AM.  Our destination was the Tongariki Ahu. on the eastern side of the island, to catch the sunrise.  At the present time the sun makes it's appearance around 8:00 AM.  Yesterday was actually the June Solstice, marking the start of winter in the southern hemisphere, as well as the shortest amount of daylight of any day in 2019.
Distance wise the drive wasn't very far, only around 10 miles, however it took us around 45 minutes to get there.  The roads are pretty bumpy with numerous pot holes.  We also had to keep a close eye out for the other biggest hazard for cars and drivers, wild horses.  It is estimated that there are over 3,000 of them roaming the island freely.  We've seen our fair share as we've explored the island.   From the remote hillsides to the busiest street in downtown Hanga Roa, they're everywhere.
There were a steady stream of headlights along the road, all pointed the same direction and all with the same destination as ours in mind.  Once we arrived we joined around 150 other hardy souls, 15 moai and a few playful dogs, (there are a lot of them on the island as well) waiting patiently for the first light of day.
Although it was somewhat cloudy, it was still a great show as the dark sky slowly gave way to the rising sun.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it so much that most folks, including us, lingered about, taking pictures and capturing the moment in our brains for nearly an hour.

The moon over the quarry which is located behind Tongariki

Tongariki Sunrise

This moai is at the entrance to Tongariki.  He may look like a loner since he's separated from the other fifteen moai at this site.  He's actually known as the "Traveling Moai".  Years ago he was loaded on a cargo ship and spent some time on exhibit in Japan.  The Japanese government and a private company in Japan showed their appreciation by funding and assisting in renovating and restoring the Tongariki site

There are multiple rainbows everyday.  This one was a double for a few minutes

We then continued exploring the eastern side of the island, making a few stops at points of interest along the way.  Our final destination of the morning was Anakena, the only beach on the island that is easily reachable (there is one more but it is very small and difficult to access).  Although it isn't very large, Anakena was exceptionally nice.  The water was crystal clear and in a protective cove.  It was too cold for us, but there were some swimmers who seemed to be enjoying themselves.  The sand was a nice off white color, there were picnic tables, restrooms, changing rooms and a restaurant.  After relaxing a bit on the sand, we enjoyed a picnic under the shade of numerous palm trees.  Once the food was on the table we were quickly joined by about a half dozen chickens that milled about waiting patiently for a few crumbs to come their way.  Legend has it that first inhabitants of the island made landfall at Anakena.  People will sure go to a lot of effort to find a nice sandy and uncrowded beach!

Tongariki is less than a mile from the quarry (Rano Raraku) where the moai were carved.  There is more information on this site in a previous blog.

Petroglyph at one of the stops along the way.  There is a large tuna at the top.  Below him is a shark that is a little more difficult to see.

Te Pito Kura-  This collection of stones is sometimes referred to as the "navel of the earth".  Some believe that the center stone was laid there by the first island king, Hotu Matu'a and that it possesses a heavy dose of good karma.  The small stones are aligned north, south, east and west.

There is just one moai at Te Pito Kura.  It is broken and has been left lying down.  It is the heaviest one on the island and is one of the few where the name was actually recorded.  It is Para and was commissioned by a widow to honor her deceased husband. The topknot (hat) is the large stone on the left. 

Anakena!

Nice sand, beautiful water......but too cold for us

Lunch guests.....they didn't seem to mind that we were munching on their cousin, a turkey sandwich

After resting a bit back at the bungalow we walked the mile or so down to Tahai, the gathering point for sunset, which is currently around 6:30 PM.  Here we joined about the same number of people we were with at Tongariki, and a few more playful dogs.  There were even a few folks we recognized from the sunrise adventure.  Together we put a wrap on what we had started at Tongariki………... a nice tropical day!

Sunset at Tahai……….