Day 5, Sunday, 1/26---Easter Island/Rapa Nui

You guessed it, another early rise. After breakfast it's off to see the Moai. There are some 300 standing on the island of Rapa Nui. Many more are in pieces around the island.the first stop we see some well preserved Moai. We learn that there are 3 parts to them. The altar base, the body and the hair knot atop the head. Back when they were constructed most all had eyes but they have either been plundered or fallen and destroyed. There is one here with a poor replica of the eyes. The Moai all face inland along the shore line. The inhabitants of the island landed around 1000 A.D. This is the eastern most advancement of the Polynesians. We next go to the volcano where the statues were mined out of the rock. This is a great distance from the shore where they are to end up. There are many theories on how they were moved once they were ready to be moved. However they did it, they moved 50 ton statues without the aid of wheels or crains. The mountain side contains many finished, partially completed and broken Moai. Those that we see that toppled and broke represent years and years of work that was ruined in an instant. The Rapa Nui, like te Incas were very patient people
 From here we go to Tongariki where there are 15 magnificent Mori lined up. We were so fortunate that our guide, Carlos is the number one expert on the Rapa Nui people and the lead archeologist on Moia excavation, restoration and their history. All others gather round to here his presentations. In 1960 there was a tsunami that knocked all that we see down and scattered the pieces. Carlos got the job of leading the reconstruction project. Even though they had a crain and many workers, it took 5 years to restore. They fortunately had some pictures from earlier in the century to guide them. Their struggle makes the original placement mind boggling.
 We head to a cookout lunch by the beach. After lunch Sue and I get our feet wet in the Soutth Pacific and then back to the hotel for a rest. We have a reception followed by a couple of informative lectures, the most impressive by Carlos who is also the head professor of archeology at the University of Chile. Polynesian dances and musicians entertain us next and then dinner. Much fun and laughter at dinner and then off to bed for another army adventure.