Today we need to get up relatively early in order to make it to our full-day tour of the island. It helps a lot with the great breakfast that Oscar prepares: fresh tropical fruits, avocado, toast, marmalade and, juice blended on the spot. Prepared for a warm and sunny day we instead get a pretty windy and cold one, but the temperature here doesn’t get so extreme and it’s impossible to feel uncomfortable.

We start following the coast from the south end to the east, reaching Rano Raraku which is the rocky mountain from which the moai were made. All along the side of the mountain are half buried moai. All of them were on their way to the ahu, the ceremonial rock platforms along the coast, but they never made it there, so the site of the quarry is today incredible to look at. They seem to be wanting to walk somewhere. Some of the moai are not finished yet and can be found still attached to the rock.
Next on the route is the ahu of Tongariki which is the biggest ahu of all, with 15 standing moai. We are told that after the first restoration, a tsunami from Chile hit, and flushed all the moai (and their hairballs) further from the coast. Fortunately, an accurate photo or drawing existed, so they could be placed back in their original order during a Japanese-sponsored second restoration. Now only one of the statues is wearing a pukao (hairball, not hat) though. My favorite.

On the north coast we find the only sandy beach of Rapa Nui, Ankakena, it’s peaceful and clean and hosts a small ahu as well. Beautiful!

We are making it back to the town before the sun sets to relax on the patio for a little bit before dinner. People here are really as relaxed and safe as it gets. They don’t lock the bikes or the door of their houses, it feels like nobody is going to bother you or your belongings ever! Why should they?

Well, it feels good to walk anywhere, anytime, with a powerful starry sky above of your heads. You can’t help loving this place.