guest post by Rachel McCombie
Enigmatic Easter Island lies in the South Pacific, some five hours off the coast of Chile. It’s said to be the most isolated inhabited place on Earth, giving it an aura of inaccessibility which belies the fact that, thanks to regular commercial flights, a trip to this evocative island is by no means limited just to the most intrepid travellers.
Though the sheer mission of travelling to the most remote corner of the Earth is an attraction in itself, the real draw of the island is the iconic statues for which it is famed. Known in the local dialect as the moai, these monolithic figures represent deified ancestors and are thought to have been carved between around 1250 and 1500 AD. There are a staggering 887 of them, many of which are still set in the hillsides of the quarry from which the compressed volcanic rock was taken to create them. The most impressive, however, are those which stand lined up on ceremonial platforms known as Ahu. These are to be found on the coast around the island, with the figures facing inland keeping watch over their living clan. The heaviest weighs an impressive 86 tons; to put that into perspective, the heaviest of the standing stones at Stonehenge is only 30 tons!
The history of Easter Island is steeped in mystery. Nobody knows for sure when the first settlers arrived, though DNA tests have shown that the present-day Easter Islanders are of Polynesian descent and probably arrived in large numbers. Indeed, legend tells of a people displaced from an island being enveloped by the sea. When they first came ashore after their long ocean voyage, archaeological evidence shows that they would have found an island paradise rich in flora and fauna – a vision quite at odds with the barren landscape which characterises the island today. For this reason, Easter Island is often seen as a stark reminder of the effects of human occupation on fragile ecosystems; overpopulation and deforestation have left the island with virtually no trees and an economy which relies heavily on tourism. However, with UNESCO World Heritage status, the island draws in around 50,000 visitors a year – a figure expected to rise over the next decade – making tourism a reliable source of income for the remaining islanders.
So, what is it actually like to visit Easter Island? Well, there’s no getting away from the fact that the journey is a lengthy one. First you have to get to Santiago, Chile, and from there it’s another five hours or so by plane to Easter Island’s airport at Hanga Roa. But this is not difficult to arrange, and once you’re there, you’re certain to deem the slightly arduous journey more than worthwhile. Arguably the best method of exploring the island is on horseback, and horses, bikes, scooters and jeeps are all available for hire. The ideal way to visit Easter Island is as part of a longer trip, perhaps incorporating other Pacific Islands (there are flights to Tahiti from Easter Island) or South America. This will enable you to make the most of being out in this remote part of the world. Many operators of tailor-made holidays run optional extra trips to Easter Island as part of a visit to Chile; Audley Travel, for instance, offer Easter Island tours as part of a South America itinerary. But however brief your visit, this truly unique island is guaranteed to leave you awestruck, with the inscrutable faces of its astonishing statues etched into your memory for life.
Rachel is a keen travel writer who has written about her experiences in numerous countries, from France to Japan. You can see more of her writing on her Rome blog.
Photo Credits: sunset, two faces, moai backs, moai
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Wonders of Easter Island
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
A German Tradition (Frutillar, Chile)
My friendly “buenos días” was greeted with a guttural but joyous “guten morgen”. Despite being in the heart of Chile, Frutillar was as German as leather shorts, sauerkraut and Oktoberfest. While well assimilated now, German immigrants settled around 150 years ago on good volcanic farming soils, building and developing a new area from deep forests. The heavy influence of the early settlers on the architecture of the buildings, the techniques of farming and the functioning of the town remains apparent today.
Highlight of the small town is the impressive German Colonial Museum. With a grain house, blacksmith workshop and country family home, the museum offers an insight into the struggles and challenges that the early European settlers confronted in developing this new area. The wooden buildings are richly showcased with original furniture revealing the immense success of the settlement and showing the beautiful tile work used in constructing the interiors. The elegant wooden water mill shows how grain was ground into flour, extending the value of the farm beyond the production of raw crops and diary. Century old trees and resplendent colourful gardens with oversized flowers complete a relaxing verdant setting.
Idyllically located on the black sandy shores of sparkling and serene Lake Llanquihue (pronounced yan-kee-way), the view is dominantly by the shimmering pyramid of snow-capped Osorno Volcano, some 70 kilometres away. Though slightly shrouded in cloud, Osorno is a mesmerising figure appearing to climb straight from the lake, its perfect pyramid shape cutting an imposing figure over the Frutillar landscape.
An original settler, Bernhard Philippi describes Frutillar in 1842:
"The water of this lake is as clear as that of Geneva in Switzerland, its surface is about seven leagues long and one league wide, so I could not distinguish the opposite bank. On one hand, it has the snowy Alps, the Andes mountain that rises from its eastern banks of a volcano covered with snow up to half of its height and goes into its waters."
Small cafes announcing “kuchen” sit near the lake. On a sunny day, it is truly relaxing enjoying the Fuji-like Osorno and the aquamarine lake while munching down a fine German pastry and digesting Philippi’s fine words.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Photo of the Week - Santa Claus (Santiago, Chile)
Unlike Santa Clauses in Australia with their cotton wool facial hair, the jolly red fellows in Santiago's main square of Plaza de Armas grow their own beards. Being the middle of summer, it is hot work for these joyous folks who distribute their Christmas cheer. The poor reindeer look like they have seen better days...
To all my readers, compliments of the season to you all and best wishes for a healthy and fun-filled 2010.
