Day of Moai

We started the day at a park where houses and other structures that the early Rapa Nui probably used had been reconstructed. 

 

We learned that chickens were very important in that culture and chickens were given for a dowry

When had a quick but heavy downpour while there and we all scurried back to the tour bus.

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is famous for nesarly 1,00 giant stone monoliths known as moai. They believe thye were carved by the Rapa Nui people between appoximately 1250 and 1500 AD. These statues, often weighing several tons and featuring oversized heads, represent deified ancestors. They were mostly carved from volcanic tuff in the Rano Raraku quarry and transported to coastal platforms called ahu to honor deceased chieftains. There are several theories of how the statues were moved from the quarry to the many locations on the island. I'll just post a few of the pictures I took. 

Some were lying flat and others were just pieces. 

The most famous Moai are located at Tonjariki. We could see them from a distance. There of 15 of them and they are most impressive. The Japanese, US, Chilean and Rapa Nui are worked together to restore them.

Seeing them up close is quite impressive.

 

This is Simon our local Rapa Nui guide.
 

 

 

 

 

 

After going to these sites we went to one near a beach and then went swimming. 

We are staying at a boutique hotel named Hare Nua. When we returned from a full day of exploring I took a dip in the small pool at our hotel.