Chile: Santiago, Easter Island, Puerto Arenas

Jan 3 2008
8 hr flight to Santiago, a city of 6 million people. I took a long walk from old downtown where my hotel is to Barrio Bellavista, an up and coming funky area with multicolored buildings, many rest. and bars, young people, and too much graffiti (I am told that here graffiti is accepted as a part of self expression and not connected with gangs). I end up at Patio Bellavisto, with little shops and casual rest. Azul Profundo at Constitution 111 is supposed to be a good fish rest.

Jan 4
After swimming and a big breakfast, I am met by my guide , Diego, and my driver. Diego is 22 years old and a student studying to get a teaching and language degree. We go on a walking tour, and then get picked up by the driver to see the El Bosque neighborhood in the Providence District, referred to as the new downtown. I like this area very much and take pictures of many interesting buildings (picture1). I ask to be left there and continue to walk. I enter the Ritz Hotel where it is suggested I take a taxi ride to Los Dominicos handicraft Center , with good quaility handicrafts and fair prices. I buy 3 different silver and lapis stone candlesticks to put together. The taxi driver returned to drive me to the metro (standing room only and very hot) which I took to my hotel. I am return via metro(Tobalaba stop) to El Bosque to eat dinner at, Coco Loco, a great fish rest. (they open at 8pm) The homemade icecream was fantastic. Nolita is another recommended restaurant in this area. Another upscale area known for exclusive shops and expensive homes, is called Costa Nera in the Vitacara District. We drive past South Lucia Hill which I hope to return to.

Jan 5
Arrive on Easter Island after a 5 hr delay and 5 hr flt. Has 3,3o4 inhabitants and is the most isolated place on earth. It was formed by volcanic eruptions 3 mil years ago. The last eruption was 3000 years ago. In the 17th and 18th century there was overpopulation followed by war between the tribes. Between 1862 and 1863 slave ships took more than 1000 natives to work in the peruvian islands. The infections introduced destroyed the population leaving 111 islanders. In 1888 Chile incorporated the Island. Moai are rock statues which were dedicated to their ancesters. There are 900 on the Island. It was believed that their spirit could protect their people and were built to face the village.
The explora hotel hass very architecture (picture 2,3). Great food! View of ocean.
I walk 40 minutes to the ocean on a dirt road. I pass grazing horses, and locals planting sweet potatoes. The horses look healthy but I am told that many of them die due to lack of water and food.

Jan 6
Hiked Moai Road to Rano Raraku quary where Moai were made. There are 400 in different stages of the carving process. Each clan carved their own Moai. After they were completed they were somehow brought to the coast. The average weight was 40 tons. I have met many interesting people staying at my hotel from all over the world (Joanna and Felippe, and Mark and Sarah). This afternoon we will visit caves on the coast.

Jan 7
In the morning we hiked 4 hrs through small forests (most of the trees were cut down many years ago), caves, and rolling hills to highest point on Easter Island called Terevaka (picture 5), with 360 degree view. Spectacular deep dark blue ocean. We walked to Ana Kena Beach (picture 6) for a late leisurely lunch, and a swim in the warm waves.

After returning to the hotel for a quick hot bath, we drove to Vinapu and the National Rapa Nui Orongo Park to see the ceremonial site of the Birdman Religion. They held an annual competition from 1800 to 1864, until missionaries came and the Islanders became Catholic. The purpose of the competition was to determine whose clan would provide the next leader of the island. One member of each clan would send a man to race down a 300 meter cliff, swim to a small Island near by, wait for birds to arrive from a nearby Island, climb to get their egg, and carrying it, swim back and climb back up the 300 meter cliff (picture 7). Their homes looked like upside down canoes. We also saw the nearby crater whose bank was used to grow sweet potatoes and pineapples, and today is used to supply water to the entire Island.
My experience at the Explora hotel which opened 2 weeks ago is OK. The dining room is understaffed, my room phone has not worked since I have been here, the AC did not work the first night, the pool was not ready, and the manager is rigid. I have heard from others here that they have had much better experiences at the other Explora hotels. The guides are good, the food is good, and the hotel has a very distinct and interesting design made of stone and fitting in with the surrounding nature.
Jan 8
Leave for Santiago and meet Sharon. We begin our journey together.
Jan 9
Catch 3 and 1\2 hr flight to Puerto Arenas. We walk around the town, have a late lunch and a little shopping at a very interesting high quality handicraft store called Faba(also have a store in Santiago). At 4:30pm we are picked up for a 1 hr. drive to see the penguin nesting area called Turis Otway (picture 7). We drive along the Seno Fjiord, with a view of the Andes mts., and pass the southern most point of land were the Atlantic Ocean connects with the PacificOcean. It is extremely windy as we walk 30 minutes through natural habitat of the penguins all the way to the ocean. We see ostridge (Rhea), birds, and many penguins. Penguins are life mates and come to the land to breed, lay 2 eggs which hatch 40 days later. At 3 months old the penguins change to waterproof feathers and go to the ocean. There are 5 main predators: fox, whale, birds, seals and sea lions. There is an Island near by of sea lions,and one of 100,000 penguins. They can live to be 18 years old. 25 million year old Fossils of penguins have been found.

Jan 10
We drive with Explora guide 6 hrs. to Paine de Torres.