Chile

We decided, in late spring, that for our next vacation, we wanted to be able to ski, go to the seaside, and go winetasting. Our choices were limited, and New Zealand, too far away. Chile it was, with Easter Island as the added bonus.


Palacio de la Moneda in the "Civic District" of Santiago. Seat of the government.


The description said something along the lines of "meat on a stick", one of man's greatest culinary inventions. This was more of a mountain. Still, pretty interesting restaurants in the Barrio Bellavista.


Both R. and I weren't all that keen on Santiago, we didn't get a particularly "fun" vibe, outside of a couple of neighbourhoods, like Barrio Bellavista. The Plaza de Armas was at least atmospheric at night. We were both glad to be heading out of the city, first for that week in Easter Island, and then the surrounding areas.


First, it was Valle Nevado for a couple of days of skiing. Valle Nevado is less than 50 kilometers from Santiago, and with a base elevation of more than 3000 meters, it is well above the tree-line. Miss a turn and you end up back in Santiago. Didn't want that!


Air is thin - you end up skiing fast because you have no energy to turn! R. really struggled with altitude sickness until a spectacular low, or almost no-speed tumble knocked it out of her. All good after that!


After the skiing, we headed to the coast, first to Valparaiso and then to Viña del Mar. We found these to be rather depressing places, especially with literally packs of stray and abandoned dogs all over the place. Perhaps it was the early winter?


But this sort of sums up the bleakness we were feeling.


Not to worry though, we found the cure... wine tasting.. so many vineyards within driving distance of Santiago. We stopped at a few places, starting with Viña Cousiño Macul...


...and finishing with Concha y Toro. And no, they didn't let me take that bottle with me.

All in all, it was an up and down sort of trip. Easter Island was definitely an unforgettable experience, and a sombre reminder of man's ability to destroy himself. I think we'd gladly go back for the skiing and the winery visits. The cities, not so much. I'd like to see the far north and the far south next time around. <img alt="Valle Nevado" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__23_.jpg" width="400"><br />We decided, in late spring, that for our next vacation, we wanted to be able to ski, go to the seaside, and go winetasting. Our choices were limited, and New Zealand, too far away. Chile it was<span class="fullpost">, with Easter Island as the added bonus.<br /><br /><img alt="Palacio de la Moneda" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__47_.jpg" width="400"><br />Palacio de la Moneda in the "Civic District" of Santiago. Seat of the government.<br /><br /><img alt="mount carne" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__0_.jpg" width="400"><br />The description said something along the lines of "meat on a stick", one of man's greatest culinary inventions. This was more of a mountain. Still, pretty interesting restaurants in the Barrio Bellavista.<br /><br /><img alt="church" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__79_.jpg" width="193"> <img alt="reflection" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__75_.jpg" width="193"><br />Both R. and I weren't all that keen on Santiago, we didn't get a particularly "fun" vibe, outside of a couple of neighbourhoods, like Barrio Bellavista. The Plaza de Armas was at least atmospheric at night. We were both glad to be heading out of the city, first for that week in Easter Island, and then the surrounding areas.<br /><br /><img alt="Valle Nevado" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__31_.jpg" width="400"><br />First, it was <a href="http://www.vallenevado.com/" target="_blank">Valle Nevado</a> for a couple of days of skiing. Valle Nevado is less than 50 kilometers from Santiago, and with a base elevation of more than 3000 meters, it is well above the tree-line. Miss a turn and you end up back in Santiago. Didn't want that!<br /><br /><img alt="Valle Nevado" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__25_.jpg" width="400"> <br />Air is thin - you end up skiing fast because you have no energy to turn! R. really struggled with altitude sickness until a spectacular low, or almost no-speed tumble knocked it out of her. All good after that!<br /><br /><img alt="valpa trolley" border="0" height="185" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__93_.jpg"> <img alt="valparaiso" border="0" height="185" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__102_.jpg"><br />After the skiing, we headed to the coast, first to Valparaiso and then to Viña del Mar. We found these to be rather depressing places, especially with literally packs of stray and abandoned dogs all over the place. Perhaps it was the early winter? <br /><br /><img alt="darth" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__111_.jpg" width="400"><br />But this sort of sums up the bleakness we were feeling.<br /><br /><img alt="cousino-macul" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__129_.jpg" width="400"><br />Not to worry though, we found the cure... wine tasting.. so many vineyards within driving distance of Santiago. We stopped at a few places, starting with <a href="http://www.cousinomacul.cl/" target="_blank">Viña Cousiño Macul</a>...<br /><br /><img alt="big bottle" border="0" height="185" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__81_.jpg"> <img alt="concha y toro" border="0" height="185" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile__141_.jpg"><br />...and finishing with <a href="http://www.conchaytoro.com/" target="_blank">Concha y Toro</a>. And no, they didn't let me take that bottle with me.<br /><br />All in all, it was an up and down sort of trip. Easter Island was definitely an unforgettable experience, and a sombre reminder of man's ability to destroy himself. I think we'd gladly go back for the skiing and the winery visits. The cities, not so much. I'd like to see the far north and the far south next time around.</span>

Rapa Nui

Unless you are Thor Heyerdahl, it's unlikely that you'll end up on Rapa Nui - Easter Island - just because you were in the neighbourhood. There are only two flights - one from Tahiti, and the other from Santiago de Chile. We came by the latter. It's a fascinating place, one of the most striking that we've been too. Just about everyone on the island lives in the town of Hanga Roa, the only town on the island. We didn't notice any other settlements, it was in fact the striking absence of other villages that was so noticeable.


It wasn't the town we were interested, though, it was the moai, the statues. This is Ahu Akivi, the only inland moai, on the slopes above Hanga Roa, and the only moai facing towards the ocean.


Food is pretty expensive on the island, as is, well, everything. We found the food pretty uninteresting, so best to stick with basics. The empanadas were pretty good though.


Pukao, described as either topknots or hats. Mined from a reddish coloured volcanic stone, found in one location, Puna Pau, separate from the quarry of Rano Raraku, literally on the other side of the island.


The church of Hanga Roa, where the priest, a Portuguese man, had spent several years in India, and immediately came out to greet us as we walked past the church.


The moai quarry at Rano Raraku. Moai of different sizes, states of completion, and positions. Absolutely eerie place, as it looks as if the entire place was abandoned all at once.


Ahu Tongariki, just below Rano Raraku, is the most numerous collection of moai on a single ahu (pedestal). This set was erected by a Japanese team as part of early conservation efforts.


To get around the island, we rented a pretty rickety, and not very waterproof Jeep. It rained pretty heavily on some days, but traffic was so minor - sometimes we'd go hours without seeing another vehicle, so R. gave it a shot. She's a mini-Andretti, I tells ya!


The only sandy beach on the island is Anakena, which is also the site of the first set of moai that were re-erected using traditional means. It's also one of the few that have the pakao or top knots on.


The library of Hanga Roa.


The Orongo village at the top of Rano Kau, center of the Tangata manu, or birdman cult.


Moto Nui, home of the sooty tern, and a central part of the birdman cult. Each year, each clan would nominate a participant in the birdman competition. From the Orongo village, which was perched at edge of a sheer, rocky cliff, the competitors would have to climb down some 800+ feet, swim to the island, find the egg of a sooty tern, and then race back to the Orongo village. Each year, many competitors would die from falling off the cliff, from drowning, or from being attacked by sharks! To the victor, as ever, go the spoils.


Unfortunately, back then, they didn't have the Toroko Disco, which can be a heaving place.
<img alt="quarry" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_159.jpg" width="400">Unless you are Thor Heyerdahl, it's unlikely that you'll end up on <i>Rapa Nui</i> - Easter Island - just because you were in the neighbourhood. There are only two flights - one from Tahiti, and the other from Santiago de Chile. We came by the latter<span class="fullpost">. It's a fascinating place, one of the most striking that we've been too. Just about everyone on the island lives in the town of <i>Hanga Roa</i>, the only town on the island. We didn't notice any other settlements, it was in fact the striking absence of other villages that was so noticeable.<br /><br /><img alt="sea" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__101_.jpg" width="400"><br />It wasn't the town we were interested, though, it was the <i>moai</i>, the statues. This is <i>Ahu Akivi</i>, the only inland moai, on the slopes above Hanga Roa, and the only moai facing towards the ocean.<br /><br /><img alt="empanada" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__18_.jpg" width="400"><br />Food is pretty expensive on the island, as is, well, everything. We found the food pretty uninteresting, so best to stick with basics. The empanadas were pretty good though.<br /><br /><img alt="hats" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_013.jpg" width="400"><br /><i>Pukao</i>, described as either topknots or hats. Mined from a reddish coloured volcanic stone, found in one location, <i>Puna Pau</i>, separate from the quarry of <i>Rano Raraku</i>, literally on the other side of the island.<br /><br /><img alt="church" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_087.jpg" width="400"><br />The church of Hanga Roa, where the priest, a Portuguese man, had spent several years in India, and immediately came out to greet us as we walked past the church.<br /><br /><img alt="quarry" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Chile_R__184_.jpg" width="400"><br />The moai quarry at Rano Raraku. Moai of different sizes, states of completion, and positions. Absolutely eerie place, as it looks as if the entire place was abandoned all at once.<br /><br /><img alt="japanese" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_181.jpg" width="400"><br /><i>Ahu Tongariki</i>, just below Rano Raraku, is the most numerous collection of moai on a single ahu (pedestal). This set was erected by a Japanese team as part of early conservation efforts.<br /><br /><img alt="stick" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_117.jpg" width="400"><br />To get around the island, we rented a pretty rickety, and not very waterproof Jeep. It rained pretty heavily on some days, but traffic was so minor - sometimes we'd go hours without seeing another vehicle, so R. gave it a shot. She's a mini-Andretti, I tells ya!<br /><br /><img alt="anakena" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_193.jpg" width="400"><br />The only sandy beach on the island is <i>Anakena</i>, which is also the site of the first set of moai that were re-erected using traditional means. It's also one of the few that have the pakao or top knots on.<br /><br /><img alt="library" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_298.jpg" width="400"><br />The library of Hanga Roa.<br /><br /><img alt="top" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_253.jpg" width="400"><br />The <i>Orongo</i> village at the top of <i>Rano Kau</i>, center of the <i>Tangata manu</i>, or birdman cult.<br /><br /><img alt="bird island" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_222.jpg" width="400"><br /><i>Moto Nui</i>, home of the sooty tern, and a central part of the birdman cult. Each year, each clan would nominate a participant in the birdman competition. From the Orongo village, which was perched at edge of a sheer, rocky cliff, the competitors would have to climb down some 800+ feet, swim to the island, find the egg of a sooty tern, and then race back to the Orongo village. Each year, many competitors would die from falling off the cliff, from drowning, or from being attacked by sharks! To the victor, as ever, go the spoils.<br /><br /><img alt="Toroko" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Easter_Island_299.jpg" width="400"><br />Unfortunately, back then, they didn't have the Toroko Disco, which can be a heaving place.<br /></span>