Which way is home?

We're now close to the end of our journey. Chile is the final country on our shedule before heading home to Venezuela. Our time was limited, but we managed to visit quite a lot of places and do lots of different things. In Santiago we visited the most important historical sites, such as the site of the city's foundation (Cerro Santa Lucia), and the corner of the colonial style streets of Calle Paris and Londres.
Then we moved to the coast where we stayed for a few days visiting Viña del Mar (the beach getaway for the residents of Santiago) and Valparaiso (the colonial port town with the famous hillside lifts). Finally before heading off to Caracas we stopped in Casablanca to taste the produce of one of Chile's reknown wine regions. Very recommendable!!!
In the end we left the country with a feeling that has become so familiar to us from Japan, Australia and New Zealand; this country has so many more places left to visit and to see... We'll have to come back again.
Santiago





Viña del Mar

Valparaiso



Wine-tasting in Casablanca

We thought anything after Tahiti would be a bit of a downturn, but we were wrong. Well, the weather was cooler, rainier and a fair bit windier, but Easter Island hides a lot of mistery in the ruins of its once dominant megalythical culture and its hypnotising isolation. The island is home to only about 3000 inhabitants and it is so small that even as a tourist it is hard to get lost. As a result you quickly feel at home and as if you knew everyone on the island. Our camping site was set at a beautiful location, right at the edge of the rocky coast between Hanga Roa´s harbour and its tiny fishing port to the South. That meant that we had access to freshly fished tuna, mahy-mahy, etc. within 5 minutes walk from our tent. Our fellow Japanese campers couldn´t believe their luck and went to buy fresh (and cheap) tuna practically every day to eat as sushi, grilled, cooked, etc. We were easily convinced and followed their example by buying and sharing a small 4kg mahy-mahy with 3 French campers and grilling it at our campsite. It was obvisouly delicious. I even received some sushi-chopping classes by a Japanese camper. I can´t say I´m an expert, but what looked more more like minced fish actually tasted nice.
On another day we took a guided tour with an anthropologist who has lived on the island for years. He introduced us to the mysteries of the island´s history, the ancient culture and some of the more interesting and photogenic spots. Fascinating stuff.
Another really amazing fact about Easter Island due to its isolation is the purity and clarity of the air and water there. Nearly every night the sky would clear up and show more stars than we have ever seen... We were even able to clearly make out satellites travelling across the sky. On calm (less windy) days we went for a swim (the water here is relatively cool, so Monica didn´t spend much time in it) and one could easily see under water for more than 30 meters...for me that was absolutely amazing, and although the marine fauna around the island isn´t so rich, the little coral that has grown is in absolutely marvelous state. Some of the most beautiful I´ve seen.
Very few animals live on and around the island, but there is one kind that blew is away: sea turtles. Very big ones, too! They live around the island and swim seemingly oblivious to tourists and resident beachgoers around the harbour. Monica sat there for hours watching them, while I tried to swim with them....Magic!
Our next stop is Montevideo in Uruguay, where we will meet up with my cousin Rodrigo and his wife Diana to get to know town and country and get some meat between our teeth again... Meanwhile some Easter Island pics: