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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Apr 10, 2015 04:00 PM Great lakes and volcanos of Central Chile
Rented car gives me possibility to visit Chilean national parks. Today I was driving first to Villarica - resort town located on the shore of the big mountain lake at the bottom of the very picturesque Villarica volcano. On the high slopes of thd volcano I saw the remains of snow, and a little smoke on the top - coming out from the crater. Then I was driving along the lake to Pucon - another resort village with wide black sand beach. Hotels and pensions are empty - it is low season! I am also happy because of little traffic on the roads.
But my main target for today was Huerquehue National Park (try to memorize this name! :) ) I is north of Pucon and the hardest part for the driver are last 14 kms on the gravel road - sometimes very windy and steep. I did it and at 2 pm I started a hike up from the park gate. Just let you know - hiking the trail to Laguna Verde it is not just a 7 kms walk. It is serious mountain hike from the level about 700 m to 1350.
Experienced hiker can do it in 2 hours up and 1,5 down. Add some time for the pictures and enjoyment on the top. I have a feeling that people who write about this hike in the guide books never been there. So let you know: On the well maintained but slippery after the rain path you will have great wiews back to lake Tinquilco and volcano Villarica. One on the pass you will see on the other side little lake Chico. Laguna Verde is 30 min onward. And Laguna Toro just 100 m side walk from the trail to Verde. Lakes are surrounded by the dense forest. Views are great and this place is worth the effort. I returned back to the gate after 4 hours 10 min - just enough to drive through the gravel in the daylight.
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Apr 09, 2015 04:00 PM Bio Bio Province -Central Chile
There is a little pension near Concepcion airport - Los Torres - the owner - very nice lady picked me up from the airport and I spend the night at her property paying 20 $ for the little room with shared bath. Dollars are widely accepted in Chile since tgey have strong inflation.
In the morning I rented a car and started my long drive -first along the BioBio river - the biggest river of Chile. Bio Bio was misty near the coastbut further on offered nice landscapes. Then I got to the Laja waterfall - 47 m high. One more waterfall to my collection! It is nice, but in the fall the amount of water is not imposing. And I was there in the morning. Now I (and you) we will know, that the best light forthe pictures is in the late afternoon.
Then there was a long drive to th National Park Laguna del Laja. Paved road ends some 3 kms before the Park gate. Entry is free but to see the lake you have to drive on the dusty gravel road up to the pass another 7 kms. Great views of the snowy peak and the volcano. Lava from this volcano blocked the valley and the laguna was born.
Later I was driving panamericana highway south to Temuco until the dark. Every 80 kms os so they charge toll - around 2000 pesos - I did not know that. I am tired but satisfied - the landscapes were great!
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Apr 08, 2015 04:00 PM Santiago de Chile
We landed in Santiago even 20 minutes before the new scheduled time! Baggage arrived 20 minutes later and on 11 pm I was already going to the city center on the Centrobus bus (stand opposite exit 4 - 1500 pesos one way). From last stop -Los Heroes I took for 1200 pesos -2 $ taxi to my Sahara Inn to avoid crawling unknown quarter just before midnight
Sahara has crampy rooms without windows but single with bath cost only 25 $ and it has good location.
Today I took a walk around smoggy citi to refresh memories (Last time I was here 5 years ago going to Robinson Crusoe Is) I cannot see many changes. I was lucky to see at 10 am military parade going to the gvt palace La Moneda - they perform every second day. Policemen and women every 100 m in the center... South America... In the evening I fly south - to Concepcion.
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Apr 07, 2015 04:00 PM Bye, bye Polynesia!
They say that Easter Island is easternmost part of the Polynesia. So it is time to say goodbye to all of this beautiful and exciting islands. Today in the afternoon after almost two months of hoping island to island I am flying to the continent. I hope that the flight will depart on time. In the past the protesters blocked Rapa Nui airport for few days, but it seems that today, after yesterdays peaceful demonstration on the main street of Hanga Roa they will have a rest :) LAN airline - the only one who flies here has not a best opinion - they changed again the schedule just few days ago and I will land in Santiago late in the evening. South American big cities are not safe in the night, but I believe I will reach safely my overnight quarter. Keep the fingers crossed. please!
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Apr 06, 2015 04:00 PM To the crater of Orongo
I am still on the Easter Island. Not far from Hanga Roa there is another crater - Rano Kao and on the slopes - remains of the early village of Rapa Nui people. It is not too steep but long hike to the top by paved road. But the view from the crater ridge to the blue ocean is fantastic.
After a traditional walk to the village I took a path going around the crater (very tiny path) to the other end. It is worth! The views from the opposite side of the crater are even nicer! few people took this path, I was hiking alone...
Back in the Hanga Roa I get to the public library. Why? The wi-fi internet in my guesthouse is broken since 2 days. And if you will bring your passport to the library they will give you 45 minutes of the free connection on their computer. It is laundry time - it is very hot here during the day and I must be cleaned before tomorrows departure to the mainland.
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Apr 05, 2015 04:00 PM The Nat Park is open, and it is FREE!
They do not celebrate Easter Monday on Easter Island... The protesters opened National Park, but they still have a control on it - on each entrance there is their check point and they register foreigners. But the entrance is free! For me it is good news, because the ticket to the park cost hefty 60 USD - a huge amount in the backpackers budget.
The French fellows from my guesthouse gave me the lift to the Anakena Beach on the other end of the island. It is like 18 kms. This is beautiful place - the only on the island where you can see palm forest and white sand. According to the legend Hotu Matua - the first tribal chief on Rapa Nui landed here with his people.
From Anakena I took a long walk back visiting the second beach -Ovahe, and then famous Ahu with 15 moai statues - Tongariki. From this place it is only 2 kms by gravel road to the Rano Raraku crater where they had a quarry to cut-of moais with primitive tools. This time I got also into the crater where finished and unfinished statues impressed me. The view from the rim of the crater was also great... What a day!
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Apr 04, 2015 04:00 PM Happy Easter from Easter Island!
Years ago I had opportunity to celebrate Christmas with a people of Christmas Island (Kiribati). Today we celebrate Easter on Easter Island... It is lovely day. Happy Easter to all of you! I am goingto the church to see the ceremonies. later... Resurection mass was great ukulele, guitar and drum music and lovely singing in the local polynesian dialect. Padre Bernardo in his white plume and necklace made of feathers was of course the main star :) After the mass he was greeting everybody at the church door and this was nice opportunity to say thank you for such a nice celebration and to have a picture with him.
In the middle of Easter Sunday on the outskirts of Hanga Roa they organized traditional feast serving to all people curanto - traditional meal prepared in polynesian umu ground oven. The live music was playing when they distributed hot meat, sweet potatoes, bananas, cake, watermelon. All village came to stay in the line and to get this simple, traditional meal (after blessing by Padre, of course) This was great time and opportunity to see the crowd of local people in one place and to get interesting pictures. I got so much food that I brought some home. Great day!
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Apr 03, 2015 04:00 PM First I am going to bomba
No, it is nothing connected with terrorism. Bomba is a filing station - the only one on the Easter Island. It is funny, but this is the only place except the bank where you can change the money is the bank is crowded or closed like today. They are giving thr same rate like a bank -616 pesos per dollar. From bomba I went for shopping to buy some food: the bar 250g of butter costs here 1800 pesos, can of sardines - 1200 pesos, kilo of tomatoes - 1500, postcard - 300 - just to give you samples. Then laundry - it is still hot here and you are sweaty all day...
We had a nice sunset at Ahu Tahai - many tourists are coming there at this time of the day to enjoy the view.
In the late evening I attended the procession of the lights - the full moon was shining where people with a candels were going the main street of Hanga Roa from the old cemetary up to the church, singing and enjoying the atmosphere. Father Bernardo in the white plume (related to the folklore of the island) impressed me very much. We get ito the dark church to pray. It is Easter Saturday, my painted eggs (Polish tradition comes to Rapa Nui) are ready :)
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Apr 02, 2015 04:00 PM Good Friday on Easter Island
Most of the population of Rapa Nui are catholics and cebrate Good Friday before Easter Sunday. It commemorates Jesus Christ's Passion, crucifixion and death. I woke up before sunrise today (due to the strange time zone sunrise here is after 8 am). With other people we were marching to the bottom of Cerro de Las Tres Cruces - high, grassy mountain overlooking Hanga Roa.
When Father Bernardo - the only priest on the island arrived, all started to walk up singing and making stopovers for pray. It was not like in the Philippines, where tourist go to see Holywood-like production. Normal people of different age, normal feelings, nothing like a show...
On the slopes of the mountain there is no maintained path so it was not easy to climb the final, steep part. We got some rain in the meantime...
Around 11am the pilgrims reached the top of the mountain with three white crosses. Everybody was happy, smiling and enchanted by the panorama. After ceremonies I introduced myself to Father Bernardo. -Do you know that in 2016 I am going with a group of youth from Easter Island to your country? From Rapa Nui to Cracow! Welcome to Poland, dear Rapanuanos!
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Apr 01, 2015 04:00 PM Not a good time to visit Easter Island!
Yesterday on my arrival it was raining a bit but today from the morning we have beautiful sun... At the breakfast time I got bad news: the protesters block the entrances to the National Park. What is going on? When I was on this island 18 years ago less then 2000 people was living here. Now - 6000! Since long time local people ask the authorities to introduce control of the immigration to the island from continental Chile. They say that the island is overpopulated. As a result they suffer water shortages in the summer, power cut-offs. Supply ship is bringing goods three times per month, but before its arrival often there are shortages in the shops - they say. And since years they want a special law to solve the problem. Government sleeps and locals, supported by two politicians decided to protest - the tourists have no access to the most interesting places on the island. I took a long walk to the tiny port and then - along the coast east - to meet again the moais - famous stone statues staying on ahus - stone platforms or altars. Those ones around are out of the national park. Ahu Tahai and two single statues nearby are most impressive on this side of the island.
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