Rapa Nui - Easter Island

No, I´m not wasting my holiday in front of a computer.  I´m protecting my already-pink face from the midday sun.  We arrived a few days ago and are completely enchanted with this place.  We decided to stay a week....although most people give it only three days.  We´re glad we did, because there is so much to see, and it´s a paradise.  We rented a beat-up jeep-like vehicle called la Feroza.  We assume it means ¨The Ferocious One¨, but it could well be just one of those invented car names.  La Feroza is not a super smooth ride - truth be told I'm worried about bruising my spleen or compressing a disc - but it´s a four-wheel drive and high off the ground, which comes in very handy here.  Plus, La Feroza, she´s got personality. 

We´ve zoomed all over the island, often getting up before dawn to experience the sunrise in different locations, by the different ¨moais¨ (big heads...okay, that's probably not an accurate translation).  There are hawks everywhere, and wild and tame horses, which often just walk on the road....or, at times, gallop towards your car.  This morning, there were cows and horses on the beach at Anakena.  Can´t say I´ve ever seen cows frolicking on a beach before.

There is a burgeoning surf culture here and a great laid-back island vibe.  Here is a photo I took of a surfer.   I didn't realize until I zoomed in that he is wearing a loincloth as opposed to boardshorts and a rashie.   A loincloth surfer.  The loincloth surfers.  Another great name for a band.

As I write this, in a small internet place, which also sells Halloween costumes and hello Kitty earbuds, the radio is playing a Justin Bieber song.  Ah well.

The Rapa Nui people are friendly and kind...and helpful, as we found out when our battery died at a beach, early in the morning.  After waiting for a bit, a man on horseback tried to help, then a couple in a car came to see what was wrong and immediately went off to find one of their friends to help us out.  Before too long, three parks employees came and took our battery out, switched theirs in, started the car and then switched them back.  We were grateful to be on the road again....especially since I hadn´t had any coffee yet and the caffeine withdrawal was setting in.   I think La Feroza has forgiven us for treating her carelessly.