Chile, Argentina & Uruguay: Day 4 (Part 3)

January 4, 2011

In case you missed my first and second stops on the island, click here and here.  Alicia, my tour guide/soul sister, and I continued on our drive.  In the distance, I spotted some mountains and was surprised to see them, since the scenery had been quite flat thus far.

As we got closer, Alicia pointed towards the mountains and said in a childlike wonderment, “Do you see themThey are amazing, si?”

Sadly, I am not blessed with the best vision, so no, I could not see “them.”  But, with my camera zoom I could!

We parked the car and set off to wander up the mountain and make friends with the Moai.  This part of the island is the most visited, because most of them have been restored, some even close to their original grandeur thanks to various sponsoring countries.

Before we stepped foot on the trail, Alicia tucked a native flower behind my ear, claiming that all Rapa Nui women wore them.  She then snapped the following picture without any warning, also claiming that that is the only way to take a picture.

Alicia has seen the Moai thousands of times, yet she still oozes excitement about being up close and personal with them.  I adore people like this; people who refuse to become jaded and allow life to continuously delight them.

It was amazing to me just how close you were allowed to get to the statues.  Though I was warned bad luck would be upon me if I touched them, so no touching for me!

With each passing Moai, Alicia had a different story tell.  Can you imagine growing up as a child with these statues practically in your backyard?

With each twist and turn of the path, my heart beat faster and faster.  What would I see next?

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Andi Perullo de Ledesma

I am Andi Perullo de Ledesma, a Chinese Medicine Doctor and Travel Photojournalist in Charlotte, NC. I am also wife to Lucas and mother to Joaquín. Follow us as we explore life and the world one beautiful adventure at a time.

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32 thoughts on “Chile, Argentina & Uruguay: Day 4 (Part 3)

  1. Deidre

    Amazing. And now, Easter Island must be added to my list of destinations I want to see. Did Alicia go into the history at all – or is that still kind of a mystery? I am sure I could google it…hah.

    Reply
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  3. Deb

    Wow! I didn’t know what this post was about. When Alicia asked “do you see them?” and you said that you didn’t have the best eyesight, I thought “wow, her eyes must be really bad if she couldn’t see that big mountain in front of her:)” And then I scrolled down!
    Easter island, No way! So awesome that you went there. I didn’t know that you could get so close to the Moai, and nobody is there at all! I have got to get myself there. Great shots.

    Reply
  4. Tom Volpe

    What fantasic photos! I would really love to go to Easter Island, it has always struck me as such a mysterious destination.

    Reply
  5. Connie

    Thanks for letting me know about NOT touching the statues! I’m a toucher and I definitely would have walked right up and hugged one! Thank goodness that I know not to or else I would end up with bad luck!

    Reply
  6. Ted Nelson

    The statues are cool in their own right, but framed against the green grass and the brilliant blue of the ocean and sky makes them sublime. Your talented photography skills really bring us there.

    Reply
  7. Caz Makepeace

    How awesome. I would love to go to Easter Island. They really are incredible aren’t they. I love how Alicia still has that wonder about them. I am still that way about an Aussie beach

    Reply
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  9. kay*

    oh wow! these are incredible. i love that it looks like you have the entire place to yourself. what an experience.

    (& ANOTHER cute dress!)

    Reply
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  11. Ceri

    Absolutely incredible. I’m loving these posts, Andi. So fascinating – your guide sounds like a wonderful woman.

    And you look so beautiful in the pictures.

    Reply

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