Easter Island Day 2 - Part 1

 El día siguente, arrendamos un auto para explorar la isla. Hay calles (una calle en realidad) que recorre la costa sur, la mayoría de la costa este, y el centro de la isla. No puedes recorrer la costa norte en auto así que hicimos una cabalgata después para ver esa parte! Empezamos en Orongo lo que estaba un pueblo ceremonial usado solamente durante unas semanas cada ano. Hay estas 'casas' hechas por piedras al lado del cráter inmenso. Es difícil entender la magnitud del cráter pero puedes caber cinco Estadios Nacionales en el fondo (el Estadio Nacional en Santiago tiene una capacidad de 500.000 personas). El cráter tiene un diámetro de 1,6 kilómetros.

The next day, we rented a car to explore the island. They are roads (one road really) that run along the southern coast, the majority of the eastern coast, and the middle of the island. You can't travel along the northern coast in a car so we saw it on horseback later! We started in Orongo which was a ceremonial village only used a few weeks per year. There are stone 'houses' next to an immense crater. It's hard to understand the magnitude of this crater but you can fit five National Stadiums of Chile in the bottom (the National Stadium has a capacity of 500,000 people). The crater's diameter is 1.6 km or 1 mile.

I hate it when people step the petroglyphs.

Continuamos por la costa sur hasta encontramos un lugar perfecto para almorzar (sandwhiches de jamos y queso. La comida es super cara en la isla). Durante todo el fin de semana, no podía creer el color del agua.

Pienso que hay mas caballos en la isla que gente. I think there are more horses on the island than people.

Katie getting the perfect shot.

Starfish (estrella del mar) UNDER water. The water was perfectly clear.

We continued along the southern coast until we found the perfect place to lunch (ham and cheese sandwiches. Food was super expensive). Throughout the whole weekend, I couldn't believe the color of the water.

 

Erizo de mar. Sea urchin

Katie and Lauren, my new friends from Wisconsin

Easter Island - Day 1 Part 2

 Al final del nuestro día a la isla, comimos helado y miramos la puesta del Sol. Suena bien, no? At the end of our first day on the island, we ate ice cream and watched the sunset. Sounds good, right? (:

Sweet clouds

What they do probably every night

Surfs up!

They weren't just going for a sunset swim, they did push-ups on that rock. It was actually pretty funny.

More of this to come, just sunrise instead of sunset.

An Early Easter - Day 1

El fin de semana pasado fui a la Isla de Pascua. Voy a intentar describirla pero las fotos son la mejor manera. Llegamos el viernes con muchos viejitos, jaja. Bueno, ellos tienen el tiempo y la plata. El dueño del hostal nos recogió del aeropuerto con guirnaldas en mano. Una buena manera empezar un fin de semana.

People were grilling on the street everywhere.

Just in the middle of the city. No big deal.

Start of the swimming competition.

 Después del almuerzo de una empanada (la cosa mas barata en la isla) y jugo de guayaba (increíble) caminamos por la ciudad, Hanga Roa y encontramos una festival. Nos damos cuenta de que fue el festival de la lengua, rapa nui, y por eso, había muchos espectáculos y competiciones tradicionales. Una buena sorpresa!

Arte rupestre, really old rock art

Close up video of the celebration. The fire in palm leaves on the ground is a traditional cooking method on the island. They were so nice and were giving food to everyone. I was walking away and someone called after me and had me try some purple sweet potatoes. They were delicious!

En las afueras de la ciudad, vimos nuestros primeros moai. Era impresionante cada vez que los veía.

 Last weekend I went to Easter Island. I'm going to try to describe it but the pictures are really the best way. We arrived friday with a lot of old people, haha. Well, they have the time and money. The owner of the hostel picked us up from the airport with leis in hand. A good start to the weekend.

After lunch of an empanada (the cheapest thing on the island) and guayaba juice (incredible) we walked around the city, Hanga Roa and came upon a festival. We realized that is was the Festival of their Language, Rapa Nui, and because of this, there were many shows and traditional competitions. A great surprise!

In the outskirts of the city, we saw our first moai. They were impressive every time I saw one. 

Canyoning in Pucon :)

Para terminar nuestro viaje a Pucon, fuimos canyoning! Básicamente caminas, escalas, y desciendes en rappel por cañones. Nuestros guías eran geniales y fue una experiencia increíble (y seguro, juro).

To finish our trip to Pucon, we went canyoning! Basically you walk, climb, and rappel through canyons. Our guides were awesome and it was an incredible experience (and safe, I swear).

Aprendiendo. Learning.

La primera cascada! The first waterfall!

Woohoo!

It'll be a few days

until I finish recapping my trip to Pucon. Still to come: ziplining and canyoning!! (Google it, pretty cool) This will come in a few days because tomorrow morning I'm off to Easter Island!! Remember Ben's pictures from a few months ago? I'm very excited and very fortunate to be able to take this once-in-a-lifetime trip to the most remote inhabitated island in the world. Thanks for listening! :)

The lovely Pucon: Part 2

Nuestro segundo día en Pucon,  fuimos a los Ojos del Caburgua, Laguna Azul, y Lago del Caburgua con una nueva amiga Stephanie quien conocimos al hostal. Yo regresaría manana.

Our second day in Pucon, we went to the "Eyes of Caburgua", Blue Lagoon, and Caburgua Lake with our new friend Stephanie who we met at the hostel. I'd go back tomorrow.

La laguna azul

La laguna azul

Los Ojos de Caburgua

Thank you!

Villarica Volcano. You can see this everywhere in Pucon.

Lago de Caburgua

Aiman and our new friend Stephanie!

Caminamos por una calle cerca del lago para ver unas casitas y granjas. Naturalmente, vimos llamas!!!

We took a road near the lake to see some houses and farms. Naturally, we saw llamas!!!

This guy was quite interested in Aiman's camera.

Al final de esta calle, llegas al lago y la playa. Me parece un lugar hermosisimo tener una granja...y llamas!

At the end of this road, you run into the lake and the beach. Seems like a pretty idyllic place to have a little farm...and llamas! 

The lovely Pucon: Part 1

Para empezar nuestro viaje en Pucón, tomamos un sendero al Salto el Claro, una cascada preciosa ubicada básicamente en la ciudad. Aunque Pucón es muy turista, me encanta este lugar.

To start our stay in Pucon, we took a trail to the Salto el Claro, a beautiful waterfall located basically in the city.  Although Pucon is very touristy, I love this place.

The views are alright 

Salto el Claro 

Happy happy cows