Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Rapa Nui: In The Grey Presence Of The Moai



We were dining with the Moais on the Pacific Island of Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua/ Easter Island) a few weeks ago. It was by far one of the highlights of our trip to South America and a genuinely exhilerating experience.



Rapa Nui is approximately 180 km2 and is the most distant point in the world from any mainland. Some 4000 people currently live on the island and it´s supported almost entirely by tourism. Seventy per cent of the island is a National Park designated as a World Heritage Site in 1996. There's also a movement underway to achieve some semblance of autonomy from Chile. The local community negotiated and passed its own constitution, but it was rejected by the Chilean parliament. The struggle continues...

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