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Chile and Easter Island

Welcome to Chile and Easter Island Fall 2017. We begin this trip in Santiago, Then we fly to Easter Island, 5 hours by plane over the Pacific Ocean. Returning we travel to the Atacama Desert to the north. Then fly south to the Patagonian Fiords. What an incredible country to visit. The Capital, Santiago, is home to 17 million people, one third of Chile's population. Santiago rests at the confluence of the Mapocho and Maipo rivers, surrounded on all sides by Andean peaks. It is a breathtaking setting for a capital that has witnessed remarkable history from settlement by conquistadors in 1541 to the Marxist, military, and finally, democratic governments of the 20th century.

We embark on a walking tour through parks, historic areas and enjoy the vistas of the city. This particular building was the first Embassy of the United States in Santiago. Now it is a private residence.

A statue of Abraham Lincoln sits across the street in the public park facing the former US Embassy. The statue is placed there because Chile was the first country to abolish slavery in Latin America. Of course Lincoln is associated with abolishing slavery in the US.

Forestal Park, one of many parks throughout the city of Santiago.

This large statue is a statue of Germans arriving in Chile. Germans were among the first wave of European immigrants influencing Chilean culture and cuisine. Germany became one of Chile's largest trading partners. Among the items represented are young men with out stretched arms (Chile's Progress), the Roman god Mercury steering the boat over the Andes, Roman goddess of victory with a wreath for the victory of freedom.

Notice the chairs stuck to the fence in front of this university. This was a strike by students claiming classes were too large and lack of funding for education at this government run universioty.

Street Musicians making some extra money

One of the older well kept buildings in Santiago

I spoke in Spanish with the students protesting. They were verey friendly. They are trying to bring about change for all students. Their right to an education is being taken from them. The one sign says We don't want precariousness, meaning sub standard conditions, poorly paid professors, poorly maintained buildings and classrooms. We have rights.

Lovers all over the world seem to do this. The put their names on locks and fasten them to bridges for eternity or until someone better comes along.

Another part of Forestal Park

Latam, the airline of Chile. There is one flight a day. A 787 from Santiago to Hanga Rua, the main city, Easter Island. The locals call it Rapa Nui. The population as of 2017 is 7,750. Easter Island belongs to Chile. The languages are Spanish predominitely and the old Rapa Nui language.

First thing you see arriving is the Rotary Emblem at the airport. Easter Island (Rapa Nui: Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is a Chilean island in the south eastern Pacific Ocean, at the south eastern most point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapa Nui people. In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage Site, with much of the island protected within Rapa Nui National Park.

Entrance to the terminal from arriving planes. There is only one arrival daily from Santiago. Easter Island is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. The nearest inhabited land (around 50 residents) is Pitcairn Island 1,289 mi away. The nearest town with a population over 500 is Rikitea, on the island of Mangareva, 1,619 mi away. The nearest continental point lies in central Chile, 2,182 mi away.

The island measures about 14 miles by 7 miles at its furthest points and it is often said that it can be traversed by foot in a single day. After landing we took off for one of the most scenic spots on the island, the former ceremonial village of Orongo. at Rano Kau. Volcano.

Viewing Rano Kau Volcano we viewed the freshwater lake that has formed in the crater's depths.

Visitor center at Orongo, this is one of the principal sites of the birdman cult, which is immortalized by the stone carvings of birdman images, half man, half bird in rock.

The manutara played an important role in the "birdman" ritual whichever champion could retrieve the first manutara egg from Motu Nui islet would become that year's tangata manu. His clan would receive prime access to resources, especially seabird eggs.

The purpose of the birdman contest was to obtain the first egg of the season from the Manutara bird. Contestants descended the sheer cliffs of Orongo and swam to Moto Nui where they awaited the coming of the birds. They were carrying provisions in a bundle of reeds called a pora under one arm and awaited the arrival of the terns, hoping to return with the first egg, The race was very dangerous and many were killed by sharks, by drowning, or by falling from cliff faces. They were then declared Birdman for that year and important status position.

The furthest island is Motu Nui, where the birdman would swim to find the first Manutara egg of the season. The smaller island is Motu lti and the pointed island is Motu Kau Kau.

Cave rocks that were homes years ago

Small entrances into the cave homes were to keep out invaders.

Cave homes overlooking the 3 islands for the birdman races.

You literally had to get on your stomachs to crawl into these caves

Looking from the opposite side of the volcano Rano Kau

Carvings of a face into the stone

Airport in the foreground. Hanga Rua in the distance. Notice there is no harbor or piers to bring supplies ashore. Everything has to be barged in from ships off shore.

Ahu Vinapu is an archaeological site on Rapa Nui in Eastern Polynesia. The ceremonial center of Vinapu includes one of the larger ahu on Rapa Nui. The ahu exhibits extraordinary stonemasonry consisting of large, carefully fitted slabs of basalt

Like those constructions, the wall at Vinapu is perfectly fitted together with irregularly-shaped stones, and has rounded edges, and small triangular stones filling in gaps. One would describe the construction in the Andes the same way; polygonal blocks that were smoothed and rounded, perfectly cut and fitted together, with small keystones placed in the wall to help make it earthquake proof. It is the most sophisticated construction technique in the world, essentially unduplicated today. It is often said that the construction at Vinapu is identical to that of Tiwanaku, although Tiwanaku lacks the pillowed walls, which are mainly found around Cuzco. However, pillowed or rounded walls can be found at the ruins of Sillustani and Cutimbo, both on mesas—flat topped mountains—near Lake Titicaca, which are usually said to be of Tiwanaku origin.

Fallen Moai heads

Easter Island shoreline. Very little to no sand on beaches. Only rock shore cliffs.

Ana Kai Tanata A Legend Cave. It is said to hold some cave paintings in the roof of the cave. Also known as the Cave of the Cannibals. The hotel we were staying, Hotel Iorana is just above in the distance.

Ana Kai Tangata cave on the coast is quite steep to get down to. The sea is very rough bashing up against the cliffs. The entrance to the cave is quite big and opens up to the sea. The top of the cave is very high but I don’t think it would have offered much shelter to its occupants as it is open to the elements.

A beached freighter

The only Catholic church on Easter Island is located at the end of Te Pito or Te Henua Street. It is the parish of the Holy Cross (Parroquia de la Santa Cruz) founded as such in December 1937 and had as its first parish priest Father Sebastian Englert, an essential figure in the study of the customs, language and history of the island.

Interior of the church

Adjacent to the church this afternoon were a number of teenagers having some fun.

Couple locals going spear fishing

Inside a cave where early settler families once lived

Looking out from the inside of the cave

The Ahu Akahanga stands on the left in front of the sea, a few meters from the agitated waves that beat against the rocks. This large platform of 18 meters in length has not been restored, which allows to get an idea of the state in which all the ahu were in the epoch of decadence of the island. In most destroyed platforms, the statues lie face down with their hidden faces and their turned backs. However, in Ahu Akahanga, the 13 moai, which are between 5 and 7 meters in size, were knocked down both face-up and face-down. This allows to observe better its features and its carving. It is impressive to see these stone giants in such a vulnerable position, when once they stood proudly on their pedestal.

Our local guide Tongariki. According to oral tradition, the first king of the island, the legendary ariki Hotu Matu’a was buried in this place. His sons moved him from the top of the Rano Kau volcano, where he had his final resting place, to Akahanga.

The legendary first paramount chief of Easter Island is said to have been Hotu Matu‘a, who supposedly arrived around 800 to 900 AD. Legend insists that this man was the chief of a tribe that lived on Marae Renga. The Marae Renga is said to have existed in a place known as the "Hiva region". Some books suggest that the Hiva region was an area in the Marquesas Islands, but today it is believed that the ancestral land of the Easter Islanders would have been located in the Pitcairn Mangareva intercultural zone. Some versions of the story claim that internal conflicts drove Hotu Matu‘a to sail with his tribe for new land, while others say a natural disaster, possibly a tidal wave, caused the tribe to flee. Despite these differences, the stories do agree on the next part: A priest named Haumaka appeared to Hotu Matu‘a in his dreams one night. The priest flew out to sea and discovered an island which he called Te Pito ‘o te Kāinga, which means "the center of the earth". Sending seven scouts, Hotu Matu‘a embraced his dream and awaited the return of his scouts. After eating, planting yams, and resting, the seven scouts returned home to tell of the good news. Hotu Matu‘a took a large crew along with his family and everything they needed to survive in the new land. They then rowed a single huge double-hulled canoe to "the center of the earth" and landed at Anakena, Rapa Nui.

n most destroyed platforms, the statues lie face down with their hidden faces and their turned backs. However, in Ahu Akahanga, the 13 moai, which are between 5 and 7 meters in size, were knocked down both face-up and face-down. This allows to observe better its features and its carving. It is impressive to see these stone giants in such a vulnerable position, when once they stood proudly on their pedestal.

A legend says that after burying him under a mound of stones, Tu’u Maheke, the eldest son, cut off Hotu Matu’a’s head and buried it between some stones. Someone discovered it some time later, and after that the Ariki Tu’u Ko Ihu stole the skull of its last owner and hid it in his house in Ahu Te Peu. Finally it was recovered by the legitimate descendants of the king to benefit from the mana or spiritual power that emanated from such a precious object.

n front of the platform, there are several of the pukao or headdresses of volcanic red scoria that topped the statues. On the right, very close to the shore, there is a fallen moai forward that does not have carved eyes, but has preserved its features very well in spite of erosion.

Outer slopes of Rano Raraku with many moai, some half-buried, some left still "under construction" near the mountain. Rano Raraku is a volcanic crater formed of consolidated volcanic ash, or tuff, and located on the lower slopes of Terevaka in the Rapa Nui National Park on Easter Island in Chile. It was a quarry for about 500 years until the early eighteenth century, and supplied the stone from which about 95% of the island's known monolithic sculptures (moai) were carved. Rano Raraku is a visual record of moai design vocabulary and technological innovation, where 397 moai remain. Rano Raraku is in the World Heritage Site of Rapa Nui National Park and gives its name to one of the seven sections of the park.

Moai are the enormous "Easter Island heads" that have come to symbolize the ancient traditions of Rapa Nui, the native culture of Easter Island. Now a part of Chile, Easter Island is the most isolated, western point of the Polynesian Triangle of the South Pacific. Rapa Nui civilization flourished on Easter Island between 1250 and 1500.

Anciant artisians of Easter Island depended on the quarry at Rano Raraku to supply the volcanic stone of the islands famous Moai that have come to symbolize Easter Island civilization.

On the outside of the quarry are a number of moai, some of which are partially buried to their shoulders in the spoil from the quarry. They are distinctive in that their eyes were not hollowed out, they do not have pukao and they were not cast down in the island's civil wars. For this last reason, they supplied some of the most famous images of the island.

Most moai are made of tuff. Tuff is a soft volcanic rock native to Easter Island. (A few moai were carved from basalt and scoria, other volcanic rocks.) Because tuff erodes easily, few of the moai's original designs remain. Moai that were buried retain some original markings, which are similar to Rapa Nui tattoos of the period.

Walk among giants in the legendary moai statue quarry Rano Raraku. This volcano that was turned into a factory invokes a sense of mystery in an almost surreal way, stronger than any other place at Easter Island. This is the heart of ancient Rapa Nui civilization with hundreds of abandoned moais scattered around. Almost all moai statues were carved here, before being transported to all other corners of the island.

Moai are called "Easter Island heads" for two reasons. First, the statues' heads are disproportionately large: the average head-to-body ratio is 3/5. Second, many moai are buried to their shoulders, making them appear as only heads.

Backside of a Moai

Moai are known for their exaggerated brow ridge and nose. However, most moai also had decorated eyes. Rapa Nui sculptors used white coral in the eye sockets, with black obsidian or red scoria for the pupils.

Since tuff is soft, it is also fragile. With only wind, rain and temperature changes, the rock withers quite quickly. This means that the Rano Raraku moai statues are slowly disappearing. We see the effects now of the tooth of time over the last centuries, but the ancient statue carvers didn't worry about this, and probably didn't even know that the tuff would have this characteristic over time.

The tradition of building statues lasted four centuries. The moais were small at first, but as skills were constantly refined, the statues grew in size over the generations. In the end, monstrous megaliths of up to 10 meters tall and 80 tons heavy were successfully carved and transported kilometers over hilly terrain. This took a big toll at the forest population. Due to the island's small size and fragile ecosystem, total deforestation was the result, from being a jungle with millions of palm trees when people had first arrived less than thousand years earlier. Since big amounts of lumber was needed only to transport the statues and not for carving them, the production could go on for a while, but the moais could not be taken out of the quarry. This is may be why there are so many large, refined statues in perfect condition, ready to be delivered, but simply were left behind instead.

Some never were raised from the ground

Some broke as they were being carried and just left behind

All moai were toppled in the 18th century, following a Rapa Nui civil war or other internal conflict. Like the moai above, most moai were deliberately pushed face-down. The hundreds of moai standing on Easter Island today were restored by historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists in the 20th century.

Ahu Tongariiki in the distance

There are approximately 400 statues left at Rano Raraku. Of these, around half are finished and the rest never reached a completed state.

Rano Raraku was chosen as a factory not for its location, but for the rock it consists of. The material is called tuff (or sometimes tufa, which is simply volcanic ash. This particular volcano spewed out huge amounts of ash during its eruption, and when this ash landed on the ground, it melted together, forming the tuff material. Prevailing southward winds during the eruption was what gave the volcano its peculiar shape of a long slope.

The reason the moai statues are buried into the ground is because of the way the ancient quarry workers handled the incredibly heavy weight of the statues. Once they were detached from the rock in the upper portions of the volcano, the statues were slid down to the hilly, lower areas of Rano Raraku where there is soil. Here, a great pit had been dug. Once a statue reached its pit, gravity tilted it until it was fully erected. Using this clever technique, the quarry workers saved themselves the great labour of raising every statue by hand

The sides of Rano Raraku crater are high and steep except on the north and northwest, where they are much lower and gently sloping. The interior contains one of the island's three freshwater crater lakes, which is bordered by nga'atu or totora reeds. These plants, once thought as evidence of contact with the South American mainland, are now known to have been growing on the island for at least 30,000 years and were used by the Rapa Nui for thatched shelter and swimming aids.

Somehow they left the g out of Tongariki.

It is so interesting how the sun reflects differently on each of the moais.

Ironically our guide is named after this famous Ahu. Tongariki

All fifteen standing moai at Ahu Tongariki.

The word "ahu" has two meanings in Easter Island culture. First, an ahu is the flat mound or stone pedestal upon which the moai stand. The ahus are, on average, about four feet high. The word 'ahu' also signifies a sacred ceremonial site where several moai stand.

Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu on Easter Island. Its moai were toppled during the island's civil wars and in the twentieth century the ahu was swept inland by a tsunami. It has since been restored and has fifteen moai including an 86 ton moai that was the heaviest ever erected on the island. Ahu Tongariki is one kilometer from Rano Raraku and Poike in the Hotu-iti area of Rapa Nui National Park. All the moai here face sunset during Summer Solstice.

Visiting Easter Island and seeing first hand the Ahu Tongariki was one of the items on my bucket list to see and do. Check!

The history of Tongariki mixes mythological stories, wars between clans and settlements of tribes that date back to the tenth century. In the large esplanade that extends in front of the ahu, there have been remains of boat-houses or hare paenga, old hearths or umu pae and hundreds of petroglyphs engraved in the volcanic rock that reflect the importance of this extraordinary place.

I am proud to stand among these warriors of Easter Island.

Our traveling group

The contemplation of the imposing Ahu Tongariki with the Pacific Ocean on its back is the fulfilled dream of most travelers who cross the planet to reach Easter Island. The image of Tongariki, together with that of the statues of the nearby Rano Raraku volcano, is the one that has most spread in books, magazines and documentaries of Easter Island. And, since its restoration, this colossal structure has become a symbol and the maximum exponent of the collective imagination about Rapa Nui.

It is believed that Tongariki was the sociopolitical and religious center of Hotu Iti, one of the two great clans that grouped the tribes of the eastern sector of the island. The first human occupation dates from the year 900 AD. and it is related to the first phase of a first ahu. The impressive final monument is the result of a successive series of modifications and extensions, carried out throughout history, which show the technical mastery achieved.

Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure built on Easter Island and the most important megalithic monument in all of Polynesia. It represents the zenith of the sacred constructions called ahu-moai that were developed in Rapa Nui for more than 500 years

The central platform, whose axis is oriented to the rising sun of the summer solstice, measures almost 100 meters long and with its wings or original lateral extensions reached a total length of 200 meters. During the last final phase of construction of the ceremonial altar, Ahu Tongariki held 15 moai, which made it the platform with the largest number of images of the whole island.

Moai with a pukao, type of hat, on the head of the statue.

This moai is referred to as the "Traveling Moai". No idea why.

Ahu Tongariki. The second moai from the right has a pukao on its head.

But the night of May 22nd to 23rd of 1960 everything changed. On that fateful date one of the largest recorded earthquakes in history, with an intensity of 9.5 on the Richter scale, took place. It destroyed most of the central and southern regions of Chile causing numerous victims, since its epicenter was located in the Chilean city of Valdivia located 3,700 km east of the island

But the disaster was even greater because the earthquake produced a wave that moved across the Pacific to reach the coasts of Oceania and Asia, causing special destruction on the islands of Polynesia. Almost 6 hours after the earthquake, the tsunami reaches Easter Island on its eastern side, hitting Tongariki directly

When the water receded, it had completely destroyed most of the monument that now presented a Dantesque scene. The whole area was covered with boulders from the coast, stones from the ahu and remains of statues, mixed with human bones and skulls from the tombs that had been under the platform, remains of dead sheep and large amounts of dried seaweed and rotten marine animals.

Pukao are the hat-like structures or topknots formerly placed on top of some moai statues on Easter Island. They were all carved from a very light-red volcanic scoria, which was quarried from a single source at Puna Pau.

In this ceremonial center is the Ahu or Paro, whose only moai named Paro, remains in the same position it was when it was demolished almost two centuries ago. The Paro Moai represents a milestone from the period when the statues were built, as it is the largest moai statue transported from the Rano Raraku volcano quarry and erected successfully on an ahu or platform.

Ocean in front of Ti Pito Kura

The Magnetic Stone. Next to the ahu, a few meters away, is a large ovoid shaped stone 80 centimeters in diameter. The expression Te Pito Kura means “navel of light” and some people relate the name of the place with the special qualities of this rock. It is said that this rock, almost spherical and smooth, concentrates a magnetic and supernatural energy called mana. Because of its high iron content, this stone warms up more than others and causes the compass to behave strangely.Many visitors put their hands on it to capture their energy or also, according to the belief of some, increase female fertility.

The Ahu Nau Nau is located about 150 meters inland from the quiet shore of Anakena Beach. From there it dominates the perspective of this magical place that is considered the birthplace of the history and culture of Easter Island. It was here that, according to oral tradition, the high-ranking chiefs of the powerful Miru clan established their residence, and where the first king of the island, the Ariki Hotu Matu’a, landed with his people and established the first settlement that originated to the Rapa Nui culture.

However, evidence has been found that the first settlement in Anakena may be earlier in about 200 or 300 years to the first construction of the ahu. These tests would prove that Anakena would be one of the oldest inhabited places on the island, thus linking history and legend.

Ahu Nau Nau is the most elaborate and best-preserved platform of the three that were built in Anakena. When the statues were knocked down during the clashes between the various clans of the island, they were left buried in the sand on the beach, which allowed them to be more protected from erosion than the others

The Ahu Nau Nau is historically known as Ahu Ature Hoa, and according to tradition, Vakai, the wife of Hotu Matu’a, would be buried here.

Ahu Nua Nua stands out for the fineness of his features and details engraved on his back. It is one of the island’s best-preserved platforms because they remained hidden under the sand when they were felled, which protected them from weather conditions.

Anakena, which is the main beach on Easter Island, represents the typical picture that we all have when we think of a paradisiacal beach. Its white and fine coral sand, crystalline turquoise sea, calm waves and coconut palms (brought from Tahiti several decades ago) make it an ideal place for rest and leisure. We stopped here and I went swimming for about 45 minutes.

Anakena is not just an idyllic beach. This place is considered the cradle of history and culture of Easter Island. It was here that the first king of the island, the Ariki Hotu Matu’a, landed with his men and established the first populated center that gave birth to the Rapa Nui culture.

Groups left on two small boats to visit the islands that the Birdman swam to earlier in photos.

Hotel Iorana (pronounced Your rona). Translation is Hello, Good morning, Goodbye.

Cliffs below Orongo where the Birdman competition had to climb down these cliffs to get to the water.

Moto Iti middle island

Seeing Motu Kau Kau the Birdman swam around this pointed island or rock.

Can you imagine trying to climb up on Motu Nui to find an egg in the Birdman competition?

Shoreline looking toward the volcano crater

Motu Kau Kaua to the right, Motu Iti in the distance

Motu Nui up close

Fellow travelers on the water

Motu Nui and Motu Kau Kau rock

Backside of Motu Nui, the larger of the 3 islands.

Birds on Motu Nui where the birdman would seek out the eggs

Motu Kau Kau to the left and Motu Nui to the right

There is no dock or pier on Easter Island. It is very difficult to receive supplies by boat ont he island.

Coming back to shore.

View of the Ahu Vai Uri with its variety of moai statues The Ahu Vai Uri, whose name could be translated as dark water or green water, is the platform with the largest number of erected statues. Its construction dates from 1200 AD. and its five restored moai are a sample of the different styles of how they were carved

The first one on the right is currently a piece of rock that is barely recognizable. However, the one that follows, much better preserved as such as the first on the left, has a lower and more robust body than the rest and shows a grim expression

While we were at the area a photography shoot was taking place with 2 ladies dress in native attire. The area is called Tahai.

The owner of the restaurant, Vaiuri at Tahai beach, we had lunch and a dinner later in the evening.

The beach at Tahai where the restaurannt Vaiuri is located is the best place for sunsets. Unfortunately the early evening we went for a sunset brought rain.. the blessing of the gods instead.

Ahu Ko Te Riku is the last and singular platform located further north. Above it rises a single moai of 5.1 meters high that was restored with all the elements that adorned the old finished statues. On his head it carries a pukao, a cylindrical piece carved in red scoria from the Puna Pau volcano. This form, which according to different opinions, represents a hat or a hair bun, was placed in the last phase of construction of the ahu. It is believed that the original pukao of this moai was used to carve the Christian cross that is found in the nearby cemetery to Tahai, but there is not even the certainty that it had one. The other differentiating element of Ahu Ko Te Riku is that it supports the only moai that has eyes of the whole island. It is thought that when a moai was installed in its ahu, the eye sockets were carved and, after that in a ritual ceremony, his eyes, made of white coral and obsidian pupils, were inserted in. At that time the statue was considered to come alive and could project the mana or spiritual power to protect its tribe. Therefore, all the moai look towards the interior of the island, as in Tahai, which is where the villages and their inhabitants were, and not towards the ocean.

Spending years in the restaurant business I am always interested in the kitchen area for the restaurants. The kitchen with family working at Vaiuri was very simple. The food excellent.

Name of the restaurant we had lunch and returned in the evening too.

What a great location.

When people first came to Rapa Nui, around 800 years ago, they would have found the island overgrown with palm trees, among other vegetation. In the centuries that followed Rapa Nui was deforested until, by the 19th century, the landscape was utterly barren. How this occurred is a matter of debate. When people arrived at Rapa Nui they brought with them (whether intentionally or not) the Polynesian rat, a creature that reproduces rapidly and which the Polynesians sometimes consumed. This species had no natural enemies on the island and may have played a major role in deforestation. The popular claim that the island’s palm trees were felled to create devices to move the moai statues is probably incorrect. According to ancient stories the statues “walked” from the quarries to their place on stone platforms (known as ahu) and, indeed, research has shown that two small teams using ropes can move the statues vertically

The seven moai statues are located with absolute astronomical precision. Thus, the sacred observatory and sanctuary with all the seven moai look exactly towards the point where the sun sets during the equinox and which also aligns with the Moon. Each one is of 16 feet height and weighs about 18 tons, and its length is 230 ft.

The statues on the island invariably faced the village as a protective mana, but in the case of the Ahu Akivi statues they face towards the sea. There is a legend narrated for this positioning of the seven statues. It is conjectured that the Rapanui people did it to propitiate the sea to help the navigators. However, according to an oral tradition, Hotu Matu’s priest had a dream in which the King's soul flew across the ocean when the Rapa Nui island was seen by him. He then sent scouts navigating across the sea to locate the island and to find people to settle there. Seven of these scouts stayed back on the island waiting for the king to arrive. These seven are represented by the seven stone statues erected in their honour.

Ahu Akivi is part of the Ahu Akivi-Vai Teka complex which was built up by the Rapa Nui people in two phases. In the first phase, during the 16th century a central rectangular platform was created on a leveled surface. It had wings projecting to the north and the south directions. An approach ramp was also part of this platform which led to the ceremonial plaza stretching 25 metres (82 ft) towards the west of the central platform. A cremation ground existed behind the central platform. The second phase of construction was elaborately planned and implemented in the early years of the 17th century when the platform was modified, a ramp was created, seven statues of equal size were erected. Another crematorium was also built. A cave in which people used to reside was also used as tomb during historic times.

Puna Pau is a small extinct volcano, located about 7 kilometers northeast of Hanga Roa, whose name refers to a source or well of water that should have existed in its surroundings. This crater is part of a set of parasitic cones that emerged during the eruptions of Ma’unga Terevaka, the youngest and highest volcano on Easter Island

Views of Hanga Rua the only city on the island

These 3 photos are different views of Hanga Rua

The country side inland from the ocean. Very rural.

Though the consensus is that Easter Island did indeed suffer an ecological catastrophe, no doubt helped along by human folly, one theory argues that it was rats – yes, rats – that were key culprits in the demise. Archaeologists have found that nuts retrieved from the extinct Easter Island palm show evidence of nibbling by Polynesian rats. By eating the nuts, the sizeable rat population could have prevented reseeding of the bountiful but slow-growing palms across the island, causing them to die out. But the most likely cause of the downfall of Rapanui society is disease brought about by slavery. According to Easter Island: The Truth Revealed, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people – half the population – were taken in 1862 in a raid by slave traders from Peru to work there, predominately in agriculture.

Discarded Pukao in the field

The question of what happened to the Rapanui, Easter Island’s native population, is one of the world's most intriguing mysteries, while the myths surrounding the famous moai statues they created persist to this day.

Though the consensus is that Easter Island did indeed suffer an ecological catastrophe, no doubt helped along by human folly, one theory argues that it was rats – yes, rats – that were key culprits in the demise. Archaeologists have found that nuts retrieved from the extinct Easter Island palm show evidence of nibbling by Polynesian rats. By eating the nuts, the sizeable rat population could have prevented reseeding of the bountiful but slow-growing palms across the island, causing them to die out. But the most likely cause of the downfall of Rapanui society is disease brought about by slavery. According to Easter Island: The Truth Revealed, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people – half the population – were taken in 1862 in a raid by slave traders from Peru to work there, predominately in agriculture.

After disease had ripped through the enslaved Rapanui following contact with Europeans, resulting in mass casualties, just 15 survivors were granted permission to return to Easter Island. They brought disease with them and much of the remaining population was decimated. A matter of years later, just 110 Rapanui existed, down from approximately 4,000 before the raid. But the Rapanui people managed to survive.

A sacred place from hundreds of years ago located on private property.

Each day we learned several new words of the language of Easter Island. We were encouraged to try and use the words as we traveled the island.

This is a map of Easter Island. The numbers in red are all the places that we visited while on the island.

We have now returned to Santiago, Chile after a great 5 days visiting Easter Island.

Traffic is very congested within Santiago.

The mountain range immediately bordering the city on the east is known as the Sierra de Ramón, which was formed due to tectonic activity of the San Ramón Fault. This range reaches 9,888 feet at Cerro de Ramón. The Sierra de Ramón represents the foothills of the Andes. 12 mi further east is the even larger foothills of the Andes, which has mountains and volcanoes that exceed 19,690 ft and on which some glaciers are present.

Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago has been the capital city of Chile since colonial times. The city has a downtown core of 19th-century neoclassical architecture and winding side-streets, dotted by art deco, neo-gothic, and other styles.

Santiago's city scape is shaped by several stand-alone hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River, lined by parks such as Parque Forestal. The Andes Mountains can be seen from most points in the city. These mountains contribute to a considerable smog problem, particularly during winter. The city outskirts are surrounded by vineyards and Santiago is within a few hours of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Santiago is the cultural, political and financial center of Chile and is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations. The Chilean executive and judiciary are located in Santiago, but Congress meets mostly in nearby Valparaiso.

With the start of the transition to democracy in 1990, the city of Santiago had surpassed the three million inhabitants, with the majority living in the south: La Florida was the most populous area, followed by Puente Alto and Maipú. The real estate development in these municipalities and others largely came from the construction of housing projects for middle-class families. Meanwhile, high-income families moved into the foothills increasing the population and giving rise to new communes. The Providencia Avenue area became an important commercial hub in the eastern sector. Next the construction of high-rise buildings.

The city began to face a series of problems generated by disorganized growth. Air pollution reached critical levels during the winter months and a layer of smog settled over the city. The authorities adopted legislative measures to reduce industrial pollution and placed restrictions on vehicle use. The Metro was expanded considerably, current lines were extended and three new lines were built between 1997 and 2006 in the southeastern sector.

Entering the twenty-first century, rapid development persisted in Santiago. The Civic District was renewed with the creation of the Plaza de la Ciudadanía and construction of the Ciudad Parque Bicentenario to commemorate the bicentenary of the Republic. The development of tall buildings continues in the eastern sector, which culminated in the opening of the skyscrapers.

This afternoon we drove from Santiago, 1 hour, to the wine country and to a very special Bodega, (Winery), Vino Munoz Robles, (Munoz Robles Wines), Paseo del Vinos, (Walk of Wines).

Paseo del Vino, the name of the wines were indeed very good. The motto of the Paseo del Vino is to provide a meeting place where people gather to enjoy the magic world of wine.

We meet Senior Roberto Munoz, the master winemaker and owner of the Bodega. Did we learn a lot about wine growing, the equipment necessary to make good wines, and wine making itself. Also about antijitos, (Chilean hors de' oeuvres) also. We had some great tastings of antijitos prior to the tour and the dinner later.

After around 10 years working in large vineyards wine maker Roberto Munoz decided to become independent with his own project - Paseo del Vino. He built his bodega, plant microvificadora, specific winery, and also opened a museum with old wine making machinery and coffee.

But his concern is to educate, he regularly opens his vineyard for school children and also the general public. He shows the vineyards and at the same time explains the different processes of production, pruning and grafting of grapes. Then passes through the vinification cellar with its small ponds of 200 liters.

The museum has presses, jars of clay, antiques barrels and bronze faucets. The web site for the bodega is www.paseodelvino.cl

Here Roberto is showing what Cork looks like when it is grown. The winery is only a single acre of land to grow his grapes. He produced 3,000 bottles of both red and white wines.

A large piece of cork. It looks similar to bark on a tree only much thicker.

And the final product of cork as we know it in a wine bottle.

Showing us how the cork is cut out of each piece of bark of the cork

For dinner we were served Pastel de choclo. It is a beef and corn casserole that is a very traditional and popular dish in Chile. Lots of different flavors - beef and onions, raisins, olives, roasted chicken - go into the body of the casserole, and the whole thing is topped off with a thick layer of creamed choclo corn. The corn "pudding" layer caramelizes in the oven, and the result is a delicious salty/sweet combination that's reminiscent of shepherd's pie, but better.

We were dinner inside the viewing room at the Bodega. Dinner was delicious as were the wines.

Road back to Santiago from the Paseo del Vino.

Santiago early evening driving back into the city.

Early evening Chile's cosmopolitan capital.

This is a building across the street from our hotel in Santiago that had two sides of the hotel painted into a giant mural around all the doors, windows and parts of the entire building. They do this to eliminate the graffiti which there is a lot in Santiago.

More words we are learning along the trip. This time in Spanish.

The flower market is just outside the Cemeterio General de Santiago.

Within the walls of the Cementario General de Santiago is found the Memorial for the many people lost during the coup of 1973 and the years of political unrest in Chile. Thousand of names are listed on the massive wall.

The Cementario General de Santiago is one of the largest cemeteries in Latin America, with an estimated 2 million burials. Established in 1821 after Chile became independent, leader Bernado O’Higgins set aside more than 210 acres just north of the city center in the Recoleta neighborhood, This lavish and expansive cemetery is a history enthusiast and explorer’s dream. Little did he know the cemetery would soon become a magnificent display of lavish mausoleums, ornate sculptures, gardens, and leafy trees.

Many of the graves are family plots and have staircases leading to underground rooms, where living relatives will someday join their ancestors. The most striking and magnificent part of the cemetery is the varying architectural styles of the elegent, massive mausoleums. They are built in elegant designs and styles, including French and Italian styles and even a Mayan Temple. These mausoleums are sometimes as big as houses – and more ornately built.

Located across the street from the Cementerio General, the largest cemetery in Santiago, Quita Penas is named conveniently for those who would wander into this pub after burying their loved ones.

As you enter and exit the cemetery there are flower stalls on each side of the entrance and down the street.

Nicole Flores, our Chilean guide for the trip, and one of our travelers mix the famous red "pipeno" to kill your sorrows. Quita penas, or "take away sorrow", is exactly what the patrons of this bar do - drown their sorrows with a large jug of pipeño or in one of their rich dishes. The food served here is a true example of Chilean comfort food at its finest, with bread, potatoes and meat as the base of almost all of these dishes.

It was a great drink. Each one went down better than the last.

Quita Penas is one of the historical hubs of Santiago, filled with stories and popular culture, it is here to stay.

Great murals painted on the fronts and sides of buildings.

Great walking streets in downtown Santiago. No traffic.

Even sidewalk vendors

Protest demonstrations in the Plaza de Armas.

Surrounding the square are some historic buildings, including the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago, Central Post Office Building, Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago, and the building that serves as the seat of local government for Santiago, There is always a group protesting something in this Plaza.

Palacio de La Moneda (Palace of the Coin), or simply La Moneda, is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers: Interior, General Secretariat of the Presidency and General Secretariat of the Government. It occupies an entire block in downtown Santiago,

The changing of the guard in front of the Palacio de La Moneda.

The Plaza de Armas is the main square of Santiago, the capital of Chile. It is the centerpiece of the initial layout of Santiago, which has a square grid pattern laid out in 1541. Photo the continuing changing of the guard.

The national flag of Chile

More protestors from a different protest at The Plaza de Armas.

Rear side of the Palacio de la Moneda.

Streets of the city of Santiago.

Since the 80’s, Giratorio Restaurante, Santiago’s famous rotating restaurant, has been stunning its guests not only with its spectacular views but also with its inventive cuisine. Over the years, Giratorio Restaurante has remained one of Santiago’s most prestigious restaurants, offering a tempting menu full of international dishes with a Chilean touch. We enjoyed our leisurely lunch which lasted for an hour and a half so there is plenty of time to enjoy the views of all sides of the city.

From the revolving restaurant Giratorio it is only a half dozen blocks walking to the back side of San Cristobel Hill. The Gondola ride to the top of the hill is beautiful looking across the city. The waits on that side of the hill are much shorter than the side coming with the funicular.

Although it’s probably on all of the Top tourist sites of Santiago, Cerro San Cristóbal is not overrated in the least. This big hill in the middle of the city affords one of the most incredible Santiago panoramas available. For those unfamiliar to Santiago, the view from up here will let you orient the city in its surroundings: the Andes Mountains and the Cordillera de la Costa.

Newer Sky Scrapers across the vista of the city.

If you’re looking to get some exercise while you enjoy the vistas of Santiago, you can hike to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal. The hike takes an average of 45 minutes up the mountain and about 30 minutes back down. When you enter the park, from Bellavista, walk up the sidewalk on the left of the road for about 5-10 minutes until you see the trail head across the road on your right. The first part of the trail is pretty steep but it starts to level out after the first turn. Follow the signs to La Virgen, and after the second and third turn it’s quite an easy walk up to the top of the trail.

There are many different spots to view the city, so take some time to wander around and enjoy them all. Make sure to check out the statue of La Virgen, and the memorial for Pope John Paul II.

Inside the Chapel The Motherhood of Mary

Chapel The Motherhood of Mary

Spectacular Panoramic View of Santiago

Looking skyward at La Virgen. Notice the new moon above the lower hand.

On its summit there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, with a 66 foot statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an amphitheater and a chapel. The statue of the Immaculate Conception measures 42 feet tall, and the pedestal on which it rests is 24.9 feet in height. Within the pedestal there is a small chapel in which Pope John Paul II prayed and blessed the city of Santiago on April 1, 1987. The statue is lit up at night by lights placed on its sides, allowing it to be viewed from all over Santiago both day and night. At the foot of the statue there is an amphitheater for holding masses or other religious ceremonies. Near the statue, there is also a small chapel for praying.

The funicular provided service to the top of the hill from the Pedro de Valdivia entrance since 1980 until 2009, when the gearbox controlling the system's speed exploded, leaving the system unusable. A project was presented in 2011 to open for tender on the system, giving it new cabins and restore infrastructure.

A project was presented in 2011 to open for tender on the system, giving it new cabins and restore infrastructure. The service was expected to be back in 2012,

Then, in December 2014 it was announced that the funicular would re-open in the second semester of 2016 after a series of maintentenance and remodeling works to be done from March 2015, costing US$9,5 million. These works complete the installation of the new 46 cabin network, of which 8 will be enabled for the transport of bicycles, strollers or wheelchairs. The transport cabins have a 6-person capacity and the system was reopened on November 2016.

Lower Entrance to the funicular.

Murals on the face of a restaurant

Giant molinas or wind mills on the Atacama desert floor located in Northern Chile.

A memorial erected on the high desert floor for those in this area that lost their lives during the oppressive Allende years from this part of Chile..

Ironically our bus driver's father was one of those killed from this area.

Translation En memorial of all the victims of the Caravan of death - Episode Calama (this area of Chile)

This is his fathers plaque of remembrance.

With a slight redrawing of Latin borders, the Atacama would not be Chilean at all. Wedged as it is into a 600-mile strip in the extreme north of the state, its salt plains and boulders push firmly against the borders of Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Yet this merely supplies it with a remoteness that adds to its charm. The Atacama Desert is Chile at its most serrated; Chile without a safety net.

Danger mine field. The high desert sand claims everything including signs warning of danger.

The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, covering a 600-mile strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. It is the driest desert in the world, as well as the only true desert to receive less precipitation than the polar deserts. According to estimates, the Atacama Desert occupies 41,000 sq miles and 49,000 sq miles of the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included also..

The Atacama Desert may be the oldest desert on earth, and has experienced extreme hyper aridity for at least 3 million years, making it the oldest continuously arid region on earth.

Extinct volcanos

Outskirts of San Pedro de Atacama

Name of the restaurant we ate dinner in San Pedro de Atacama.

Baltinache is a unique small restaurant in San Pedro. Its daily menu incorporates native ingredients as well as typically Chilean preparations. This intimate restaurant has a lot of charm. It's not the easiest to find, but it's worth the trip.

We enjoyed a great dinner of local indigenous fusions of food by chef Marta, the owner.

Nicole, our guide introducing Marta to our group of travelers. She was taking a few well earned minutes of rest after preparing a great meal.

Another local word we learned for today.

Interesting road sign on the top portion of the signs.

Pukará de Quitor is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in northern Chile.

In the distance is San Pedro de Atacama.

Looking down into the valley below after hiking to the top areas overlooking the landscape of the Atacama.

Pukará de Quitor, declared a National Monument in 1982, is an ancient Inca fortress built in the 12th century, strategically placed on the side of a hill protected by a gorge over the river. Quitor was taken over by Spaniards in 1540. It was built with large and small stones kept together by mud used as mortar.

San Pedro de Atacama is a town set on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile. Its dramatic surrounding landscape incorporates desert, salt flats, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. The Valle de la Luna in the nearby Los Flamencos National Reserve is a lunarike depression with unusual rock formations, a huge sand dune and pink-streaked mountains.

It is located east of Antofagasta, some 60 miles southeast of Calama and the Chuquicamata copper mine, overlooking the Licancabur volcano.

The Church of San Pedro de Atacama is a Catholic church in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Constructed during the Spanish colonial period, it is reportedly the second oldest church in Chile. San Pedro de Atacama grew, over centuries, around an oasis in the Puna de Atacama, an arid high plateau.

Inside the Catholic Church. The first inhabitants of San Pedro de Atacama were the Atacameños, who developed basketworks and ceramic pottery crafts.

The town lies at an average of 7,000 feet. It has dirt streets today. The population today is around 6,000.

Local students putting on a concert Saturday afternoon at a plaza.

Lunch stop for today. Another great local treat.

Dining room at Restaurant Tematico. The restaurant has been open for 9 years now. They began by hosting small groups into their family home and quickly grew into a larger operation. The small ranch is an agro-ecological farm with animals, trees, flowers, and nature and culture. It is located in Senderos de Coyo 8 miles from San Pedro de Atacama.

Nicole introducing Daniela Vega Vilches, the owner, her mother, sister and daughter. She started a small business because she enjoyed cooking. Today in just a few years the restaurant has developed a grand reputation among tour groups specializing in local Chilean cuisine.

Outside of the restaurant

View of the volcano from the front yard of the restaurant.

Lobby of the hotel Cumbres San Pedro de Atacama.

My room at the hotel

The Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) is an astronomical interferometer of radio telescopes in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. Since a high and dry site is crucial to millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelength operations, the array has been constructed on the Chajnantor plateau at 16,000 feet altitude, near Llano de Chajnantor Observatory and Atacama Pathfinder Experiment. Consisting of sixty-six 39 feet and 23 feet diameter radio telescopes observing at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths, ALMA is expected to provide insight on star birth during the early universe and detailed imaging of local star and planet formation.

Chile is an astronomer’s paradise. The country is justly famous for its lush valleys and snow capped volcanoes, but its most striking scenery may be overhead. It is home to some of the finest places on Earth to enjoy the beauty of the starry sky. If there’s one country in the world that really deserves stellar status, it’s Chile. ALMA is an international partnership among Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Chile. Costing about US$1.4 billion, it is the most expensive ground-based telescope in operation.

Toconao is a village 24 miles south of San Pedro de Atacama in the San Pedro de Atacama province of Chile's northern Antofagasta Region. It lies at an elevation of 8,153 feet above sea level, close to the northeast margin of the Salar de Atacama. The most notable building in Toconao is its church. The bell tower is separated from the main church structure and dates from 1750.

El Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) is located 8 miles west of San Pedro de Atacama, to the north of Chile in the Cordillera de la Sal, in the Atacama desert. It has various stone and sand formations which have been carved by wind and water. It has an impressive range of color and texture, looking somewhat similar to the surface of the moon. There are also dry lakes where the composition of salt makes a white covering layer of the area. It presents diverse saline outcrops which appear like man-made sculptures

Valle de la Luna is a part of the Reserva Nacional los Flamencos and was declared a Nature Sanctuary in 1982 for its natural environment and strange lunar landscape, from which its name is derived. The Atacama desert is also considered one of the driest places on earth, as some areas have not received a single drop of rain in hundreds of years. A prototype for a Mars rover was tested there by scientists because of the valley's dry and forbidding terrains.

Los Flamencos National Reserve is a nature reserve located in the commune of San Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. The reserve covers a total area of 180,000 acres in the Central Andean dry puna eco region and consists of seven separate sections.

This reserve, created in 1990, consists of seven areas located in the town of San Pedro de Atacama. Each one of them has a different geography, flora, fauna and hydrography.

Valle de la Luna proves aptly named—very much a "Moon Valley" in its extraterrestrial appearance, all cracked earth and unfriendly terrain, pillars of salt torturing the thirsty soil. Valle de la Muerte is also appropriately christened—"Death Valley"

Tiny brine shrimp are super abundant in these waters! It's by eating these critters that the pink Chilean flamingos are able to maintain their definitive pink color,

The skies in the Atacama are incredible.

The jagged crust of the Salar de Atacama looks for all the world like God went crazy with a stippling brush. But in the midst of these rough lifeless crystals is an oasis of activity: the pungent Laguna Chaxa, about 25km southwest of Toconao and 65km from San Pedro, the Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos most easily accessible flamingo-breeding site.

El Tatio is a geyser field located within the Andes Mountains of northern Chile at 14,000 feet above mean sea level. Various etymologies have been proposed for the system, including "oven" but also "grandfather". It is the third-largest geyser field in the world and the largest in the southern hemisphere.

El Tatio lies at the western foot of a series of strato volcanoes which run along the border between Chile and Bolivia. This series of volcanoes is part of the Central Volcanic Zone, one of several volcanic belts in the Andes, and there are no recorded historical eruptions at the Tatio volcanoes.

El Tatio is also part of the Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex, a system of large calderas and associated ignimbrites which have been the sources of supereruptions. Some of these calderas may be the source of heat for the El Tatio geothermal system.

El Tatio itself is a geothermal field with many geysers, hot springs, and associated sinter deposits. These hot springs eventually form the Rio Salado, a major tributary of the Rio Loa river, and a major source of arsenic pollution in the river. The vents are sites of populations of extremophile microorganisms and have been studied as analogs for the early Earth and possible past life on Mars.

Presently, the field is a major tourism destination in northern Chile. It was prospected over the last century for the potential of geothermal power production, but such a project was discontinued after a major incident in 2009.

At sunrise and at the altitude of 14,000 feet it was burrrr cold.

Early morning breakfast.... snacks really.

Hot water and steam made for some awesome photos with the deep blue sky background.

Looks like you are walking on the moon

You would not dare get close to this.

First sighting of Guanaco's

Travelers stopping in the village of Machuca for lunch

Locals are preparing Carne de llama...Brrochette of llama meat babecued over hot coals

Small church of Machuca and village. Roofs of homes made from native vegetation.

Closed gate into Rainbow valley we walked around and then down into the valley below.

One of several entrances into Rainbow Valley" revealing its colors in cobalt, gypsum, and lamprophyre, illuminating the flanks of a forgotten river course in a blend of green, blue, pink, and yellow, as if some geological graffiti artist has been in residence

The winds this day were blowing very strong. The sand blew at you making you feel you were sand blasted.

We ran across a group of locals Sand Surfing the hill.

They were making their way to the top to surf down the dirt hillside.

This was clever for sure.

Stopping or falling could prove a real problem. A mouth full of dirt.

The Rainbow Valley is an other worldly landscape of rock formations sculpted by centuries of wind.

The minerals make it look like it may have just snowed.

A group of us climbed through a valley and to the top of the hills to catch the sunset. Unfortunately it was a bust this night.

The Rainbow Valley continually has the wind blowing.

The layered rock is sculptured by the centuries of wind blowing.

The colors are a kaleidoscopic palette of vibrant reds, purples, and yellows formed by the mineral deposits.

At Hierbas Buenas Petroglyphs, drawings carved into the red rock face are evidence of a civilization from long ago.

The petroglyphs were created by the Atacameno people and date back approximately 10,000 years.

Our guide Marcela in the Atacama and the Petroglifes de Hierbas Buenas explains the location and history of this area.

he petroglyphs served as a place for travellers to document their experiences and contribute to history and culture.

Llamas - this was their livelihood of the time.

The drawings are attributed to the Atacama people that date back as early as 500 AD.

The images depict everything from gatherings of people to livestock, camels, llamas, and foxes.

Marcela explains the valuable insight into the history of their people as told through the rock art.

Translation of the sign. The Wall. The artistic expressions which mix time and techniques is the picturegraph, the carvings on the walls. Style Taira, is one of the most renowned rock art styles, the most beautiful of the time. The reference to the White Raven Santa Barbara referrers to the presence to a group of children belonging to Aymare, people of the highlands of Northern Chile, Peru and Bolivia. The presence of the llama has an importance100% for their livelihood.

The site is relatively remote,

What the local people of that time thought of themselves through art.

We stopped by the road to see a rock art. Each of us added a rock and told what they enjoyed most about the Atacama Desert area of Chile. I put the large rock at the top on to the pile. Others added smaller rocks on top of the large rock. .

Placing another rock somewhere.

Our local guide, Victor Vega, in Punta Arenas, explains on the map where we are in Southern Chile.. Punta Arenas, Sandy Point in English, is the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chile. The city was officially renamed as Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to "Punta Arenas". It is the largest city south of the 46th parallel south. As of 1977 Punta Arenas has been one of only two free ports in Chile.

Nicole dressed as an explorer from the early period time period.

We are visiting the Nao Victoria Museum to see a replica of one of Ferdinand Magellan's ships, complete with furniture and hardware.

The museum is privately owned. The museum's goal is to be interactive and offer its visitors the experience of interacting with replicas of the ships that contributed to the discovery of the area, colonization of the territory, or have a special and historic heritage significance for the Magallanes Region of Chile. The replicas were built using traditional shipbuilding techniques.

The main collection of the museum is the full-size replicas of historic ships on display along the Straits of Magellan.

HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, one of more than 100 ships of this class. The vessel was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames.

Victoria, was a carrack, 89 feet long, 23 feet wide, that was part of the fleet commanded by Ferdinand Magellan that discovered the waterway around southern tip of the South American continent. Later, commanded by Juan Sebastian Elcano, she was the only ship of the five to complete the first-time circumnavigation of the globe. Commanded by Duarte Barbosa, Nao Victoria participated in the Discovery of Chile, being the first to explore the region in 1520, and discovering or naming Patagonia, Cape Virgenes, the Straits of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego, the Pacific Ocean and other milestones. She is one of the most famous ships in history of navigation.

Replica of the Victoria, cook at the stove.

The year the Nao Victoria Museum opened. The gentleman's name is the person who built these replicas of famous ships on site in Punta Arenas.

December 2011 the keel of the replica was liad and construction of the Beagle began at the museum. It was completed in February 2016.

The aft of the Victoria.

Another ship built for the museum

Located on the Brunswick Peninsula north of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas was originally established by the Chilean government in 1848 as a tiny penal colony to assert sovereignty over the Strait. During the remainder of the 1800s, Punta Arenas grew in size and importance due to the increasing maritime traffic and trade traveling to the west coasts of South and North America. This period of growth also resulted from the waves of European immigrants, mainly from Croatia and Russia attracted to the gold rush and sheep farming boom in the 1880s and early 1900s.

Hotel Jose Nogueira was our home in Punta Arenas. This is a photo of the dining room. The hotel was originally called Palacio Sara Braun. Much history of the area was made within the walls of this hotel through the golden years of Punta Arenas prior to the Panama Canal. This was our hotel where we stayed.

We visit a working estancia today for lunch. We are in for a treat Patagonian Lamb.

The lamb was so good. I went back for thirds.

Here they are preparing the lamb.

They are cutting the meat after breaking the ribs.

The lamb is cooked in this up right position with the heat in front of it.

The manager of the large estancia and myself. He prepared the Patagonian Lamb for us.

Puerto Natales in the distance

First glimpse of Torres del Paine in the distance

Torres del Paine National Park is a national park encompassing ancient forests, glaciers, lakes, rivers and fjords.

Torres del Paine National Park was founded in 1959 and is located in the southernmost and largest region of Chile called Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica.

Torres del Paine National Park covers approximately 598,593 acres. It is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile.

Torres del Paine was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1978.

Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is known for its soaring mountains, bright blue icebergs that cleave from glaciers and golden pampas (grasslands) that shelter rare wildlife such as llama-like guanacos.

Some of its most iconic sites are the 3 granite towers from which the park takes its name and the horn-shaped peaks called Cuernos del Paine.

The national park has over 252,000 visitors per year. It is a popular hiking destination in Chile.

Not only does Torres del Paine boast several distinct ecosystems; each ecosystem contains a wealth of landscapes, flora, and fauna found nowhere else in world.

More than 40 mammals make their home in the park, including the guanaco, puma, and Patagonian gray fox. Some of the world's rarest bird species - the Andean condor, crested cara cara, and black vulture among them - are also found in Torres.

The mountains of Torres del Paine - jagged granite ridges and spires capped with shale - have long held significance for the region's native inhabitants. According to local myth, an evil serpent called Cai Cai caused a massive flood to kill the warrior tribe that lived in Torres del Paine. When the flood waters receded, Cai Cai took the bodies of the two largest warriors and turned them to stone - thereby creating the twin horns that crown the mountaintop of Cuernos del Paine.

The National Park Torres del Paine is one of the most spectacular national parks in the world.

There are 15 species of mammals and the most commonly seen are the guanaco, above, (Lama Guanicoe) and the Chilla and Culpeo foxes. The huemul Andean deer and the puma, cougar, are less often sighted. Birdlife is abundant, with over 115 species recorded including the Andean condor with its wingspan of up to 9 feet.

The history of inhabitants in Torres del Paine dates back to over a thousand years ago, when the first indigenous groups arrived in the region.

It has a huge variety of plant and animal species which, together with its snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading rivers and waterfalls, glaciers and mirrored lakes have earned it a reputation as one of the most spectacular places on Earth.

The park is mainly popular for its hiking trails, but there are plenty of other activities to be enjoyed like nature walks, wildlife viewing like puma tracking, kayaking, boating, cycling, and more.

Lake Pehoé is a surface water body located in Torres del Paine National Park, in the Magallanes Region of southern Chile. The lake is fed mainly by Paine River through the Nordenskjöld Lake, but it also receives the waters of the outlet of Skottsberg Lake.

Local flooding from recent storms prior to our arrival.

Torres del Paine boast several distinct ecosystems; each ecosystem contains a wealth of landscapes, flora, and fauna found nowhere else in world.

Although native tribes like the Kaweskar have been coming to Torres del Paine for thousands of years the name Paine actually is an indigenous word that means "blue",

The vast unbroken stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves the Patagonian Andes very exposed to the saturated winds that circle the Antarctic landmass.

The beauty of the land is spectacular

Lago Nordenskiöld) is a lake located in Torres del Paine National Park in the Magallanes Region, southern Chile. The lake is named after the Swede Otto Nordenskiöld who discovered the lake in the beginning of the 20th century.

Swinging bridge on Grey Lake

Grey Lake is a glacially fed lake in Torres del Paine National Park, southern Chile.

Magnificent Dickson Glacier in the background feeding into Grey Lake.

Glaciar Dickson and Cerro Cubo in the background.

Our visit to Torres del Paine National park the weather was cold. Trekking each day required layers of warm clothing. We were so lucky to dodge several rain storms in the area.

Last look at Torres del Paine as we leave the park. What a great adventure to visit this incredible beautiful location on mother earth in Southern Chile.

We were so fortunate to see several Condors along the highway with a kill. The condor is the national bird of Chile and appears alongside the huemul deer on the Chilean coat of arms, which gives us some idea of its importance as a symbol of Chile. With a wingspan of up to 9 feet 6 inches you’d think that it’d be pretty easy to catch a glimpse of this king of birds at some point during your Chile tour. It has long been revered by Chile’s indigenous communities, today the condor finds itself in decline in the wild. That means that it’s entirely possible to take a tour of Chile without ever crossing paths with this most iconic of Chilean birds.

Puerto Natales is a city in Chilean Patagonia. It is the capital of both the commune of Natales and the province of Última Esperanza, one of the four provinces that make up the Magallanes and Antartica Chilena Region in the southernmost part of Chile. Puerto Natales is the only city in the province. It is located 153 miles northwest of Punta Arenas. It is the final passenger port of call for the Navimag ferry sailing from Puerto Montt into the Señoret Channel as well as the primary transit point for travelers to Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

I loved this promotion for Puerto Natales on a sign walking around town.

We boarded the MS Skorpios III, our home for three nights as we cruise the Chilean fjords. This family owned vessel is uniquely designed with a reinforced hull for navigating ice and a small size for treading through the narrow fjords and bays.

We depart Puerto Natales and sail through the Kirke Narrows toward Bernardo O"Higgins National Park, home to the furthest flows of the massive Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

Our ship is the only one that sails this particular route following the path of Darwin and FitzRoy.

Expedition teams have only crossed the full length of the ice field once, and parts remain unvisited.

Most of what is known to explorers is accessible only by boat or helicopter.

This is our home MS Skorpios III for three nights. M/V Skorpios III, which can hold 90 passengers. In 2003 Cruceros Skorpios extended its operations to the Magellanic region, opening a new tourist route, known as the Kaweskar Route, that takes us to the glaciers of the Southern Ice Fields, sailing from Puerto Natales to the Southern Ice Fields. M/V Skorpios III was transferred to Puerto Natales, where a terminal was built for it.

Every slip of land we've traveled in Chile was once covered by the Patagonian Ice sheet which stretched all the way to the Andes. The remaining southern Patagonian Ice field still sprawls nearly 5,000 square miles.

We disembalk on a nearby beach for a walk across sand and rocks to get a better look at Amalia glacier.

A view point to see the Amalia glacier.

Amalia Glacier, also known as Skua Glacier, is a tidewater glacier located in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park on the edge of the Sarmiento Channel. The glacier originates in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. From 1945 to 1986, its terminus retreated 4.3 miles, being, along with the recession of the O'Higgins Glacier, the most dramatic retreat of the glaciers of the mentioned ice field during that period.

These are 6foot waves coming from a calving.

Every where we look we see small pieces of ice falling into the water known as "Calving".

Calving, is the breaking of ice chunks from the edge of a glacier. It is a form of ice ablation or ice disruption and is normally caused by the glacier expanding.

A large piece has just slipped out of the ice shelf.

The reflection in the still water was incredible.

A group returning from the land back to the Skorpios.

Calving just beginning from the ice shelf above.

The ice is thousands of feet high.

Calving increasing in intensity

The glacier Amalia from some distance.

Now you can see the size of the calving in the distance with the small zodiacs in the foreground going back to the ship.

It does not look like a large area falling but it is massive. It can cause large waves and you do not want to be on the water in a zodiac when it comes at you.

I was one of the last to leave the land and was able to catch some great calving photos. It was worth the wait.

Navigating the Calvo Fjord, a glacier filled alley of bobbing ice.

We boarded an icebreaker boat, the Capitan Constantino, to sail through the choppy ice and get in to the middle of this floating ice field.

We see the El Brujo (Witch) glacier.

It is a photographers delight with the sights all around.

Ice so close we could almost reach out and touch it as we passed by.

Thousands of feet high the glaciers rise from the fjord.

The ice is so think on the fjord as we motor against it you can feel the crushing of the ice under the icebreaker.

The reflections on the fjord of mother nature at her best.

In the midst of all the ice a small green location of life with crashing water from the melting glacier.

Inside the bridge of the Skorpios, the control center.

Looking out from the bridge of the ship in the fjords.

We are cruising on the Las Montanas Fjord, which threads between the Cordillera Sarmiento and the Cordillera Riesco mountain ranges.

The White Lady, a 7,000 foot peak, and the Cordillera Riesco is best known for Grupo la Paz, a cluster of jagged rock towers.

The water is so still as we pass in the fjord. It is a photographers dream with the reflections upon the fjord.

I cannot remember the last time I saw water so still for several hours.

Cruising by smaller craft through the bay of Alsina Glacier.

Captain of the ship. In 1978 Constantino Kochifas Cárcamo, father of the present Captain, developed this family tourist business , using his creativity and professionalism to turn it into a national and international product.

We next visit the Bernal Glacier where we are able to off load onto land and we walk up to the glacier.

Melting water in front of the Bernal Glacier forms a lagoon.

Edge of the lagoon

We are able to walk up to the face of the Bernal Glacier which you can actually touch..

Continuing on past Glaciers Herman and Zamudio we arrive in still waters along the fjords where we are able to view animals in their habitat.

For the second time on this trip we view up close a Condor in flight. I was one of the only photographers to catch this magnificent bird in flight.

Another Condor looking over our arrival into their habitat.

Magellanic Cormorant birds

Seals and Turkey Vultures resting on rocks

Seals resting in the last light of of the day on rocks

Last evening on board the Skorpios preparing for a farewell dinner.

Our wait staff. Great service

Buffet dinner just waiting for the passengers to arrive

Everything is set to rock and roll for a fun evening with music, dancing and great food.

Captain of the ship, Our mission is to turn Chile and Patagonia into a great international tourist destination, by offering a top-level professional tourist cruise service, faithfully conserving the hospitality of the people of Patagonia and giving added value to the service we offer our clients, which is a daily challenge for each and every of our staff members.

Captain of the ship and the head chef

Captain of the ship, his mother, wife of the founder, and the head chef. She worked alongside her husband Constantino, opened cruises to the glacier San Rafael in 1976, on a small cargo ship called M/V Mimí, which carried 12 passengers per cruise. They then built M/V Skorpios I in 1978, the company’s first tourist vessel and the first tourist vessel to operate in Chile, she was withdrawn from service in the southern channels in 2008 after having completed more than 600 cruises to Laguna San Rafael and other places in Chile that are part of the most attractive tourist circuits in the world.

Beautiful sunset on the fjord.

Returning to Puerto Natales late into the night.

Valparaíso is a port city on Chile’s coast. It's known for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes

Valparaíso is a major city, seaport, and educational center in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. Greater Valparaíso is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about 120 km northwest of Santiago by road and is one of the South Pacific's most important seaports. Valparaíso is the capital of Chile's third most populated administrative region and has been the headquarters for the Chilean National Congress since 1990. Valparaíso has seven universities.

Valparaíso played an important geopolitical role in the second half of the 19th century, when the city served as a major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by crossing the Straits of Magellan. Valparaíso mushroomed during its golden age, as a magnet for European immigrants, when the city was known by international sailors as "Little San Francisco" and "The Jewel of the Pacific".In 2003, the historic quarter of Valparaíso was declared a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.

The second half of the twentieth century was unfavorable to Valparaíso, as many wealthy families abandoned the city. The opening of the Panama Canal and reduction in ship traffic dealt a serious blow to Valparaíso’s port-based economy.

However the city has staged a recovery attracting artists and cultural entrepreneurs who have set up in the city's hillside historic districts. Today, many thousands of tourists visit Valparaíso from around the world to enjoy the city's labyrinth of cobbled alleys and colorful buildings. The port of Valparaíso continues to be a major distribution center for container traffic, copper, and fruit exports.

Command in Chief Palace of La Armada. The Command Chief Palace of the Navy

Valparaíso also receives growing attention from cruise ships that visit during the South American summer.

Most significantly, Valparaíso has transformed itself into a major educational center with four large traditional universities and several large vocational colleges. The city exemplifies Chilean culture, with festivals every year, and street artists and musicians.

Riding up the Funicular

Funicular going down

Funicular in operation since 1902

View from the top of the hill at the Funicular station

The famous hillsides of Valparaiso

View of the port

City of Valparaiso across the bay

Name of the Funicular... El Peral Elevator The pear tree

Talk about narrow house on a steep hill.

Narrow streets on steep hills

Street art.. graffiti

We are not Hippies - We are Happies - local art graffiti

Cemetery on the hillside

More graffiti on buildings.. painted sideways

Art sideways on several buildings

I think I found the wiring problem.. too many wires.

Art is everywhere at least on this hill.

Cl;ose up of the art

Going down a stairs to a main street

Going up the same stairs

A clever sign for a Hostel made out of metal

Downtown area a side street plaza

We were very fortunate to have a home hosted dinner in Valparaiso overlooking the city below from high up in the hills.

Mother and sister of the owner of the house helping prepare lunch for us.

The view is incredible from the home of the city below.

Our hosts lost this home to fire and just recently returned after rebuilding. Embers carried by high winds as a large forest fire reaches urban areas in Valparaiso, Chile, on April 13, 2014. Authorities say the fires destroyed thousands of hillside homes, forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 and claimed the lives of at least 12 people.

Our hosts, the mother and the sister also lost their homes to the fire and have just recently returned after re building. This concludes a wonderful trip visiting Chile from the Atacama Desert to the Fjords to the wine country, and to Easter Island. A spectacular 3 weeks of travel. So many wonderful experiences in a country with great hard working and freindly people.

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© 2025 Jim Schroder