A Stone Statue Day Oct 24, 2016

Our guide Sophie said it best today, "No one would come to Easter Island if there were no statues." Linda told Bob, "Everyone who reads the blog wants to see photos of the statues". Bob asked Linda, "How am I going to know which of the 300 plus pictures of statues I should post today?" Linda said, "You write the blog, you figure it out." Readers, I want you to know if you're don't agree with the photos I posted, blame it on Linda. I just hope those aren't my last words.

I know you are torn between looking at the pictures and reading my writing, so I'm going to start right off with a picture of the side of a statue taken by Linda. This should get all the debate over about looking at statues or reading what I wrote about the statues. It's alright if you just want to look at the pictures, I really want feel bad. Much.

Now that we have the photo of the statue out of the way how about a picture of the most remote gas station in the world. If there was a sign it would read "next station 2000 miles.

There are hundreds of statues on the Island and this the position most are in, laying down, though usually face down rather than face up. They were not Gods, but rather human, the king our clan leader. At first the statues were small enough to be carried by a person, but over the centuries their size increased greatly. They were never meant to be permenant so over time they were pushed over. Towards the end of the culture, wars broke out which resulted in wholesale destruction oh the statues. The ones people are most familiar with, those with just the heads above ground are found in the quarry area.

Getting around the Island isn't always easy and sometimes a helping hand is needed. Helpful Bob.

This lady was not a member of our group. Those heels were giving her fits on the rocky paths with ankles bent in or out with every step.

On the Island the dogs run free. You see them everywhere and they are "community" owned. The Rapa Nui people do not believe in neutering animals, so all animals on the Island live their lives intact so to speak, and all of them run free, cats, dogs, chickens, cattle and horses. Also, we have never see any dogs display any for of aggressive behavior, instead they are the most gentle creatures, welcoming any for of attention, but not being clingy.

We have seem virtually every plant that grows on our RV lot in Retama from yellow bells to butterfly weed. In fact here butterfly weed is true weed with huge areas just covered with it. On the Island only Rapa Nui people can own land, 15% that is not part of the national park, which comprises the remaining 85%.

Wealth to the Rapa Nui is different than it is to us. The person who owns the most horses or cattle is considered the be the wealthiest person. However, none of them are ever used for an agricultural purpose as we would. They merely run free all over the  Isand the time. The cattle are never milked the horses roam free, but several times a year they are counted and who owns the most are deemed the wealthiest.

Now there are some of those statue photos for you patient readers. The image we have of just the heads showing can only be set in the quarry area where they were carved. After carving they were moved to locations near the coast,set up on rock bases and faced the village, not the sea. Over the centuries the size, shape and details of the statues changed. For two days now we have been learning about the history of the Island and the  Rapa Nui people from our local guide, Sophie, with more to come tomorrow. All I can say is the the Island  is far more than we thought it was.

I end with a photo of Linda touching the waters of the Pacific. What it doesn't show is how seconds later she ran up the beach to get away from a large breaking wave. Oh for having been taking a video. Such speed was unreal.

For long time readers I need to point this is not one of those expressly prohibited "butt shots", it is an artistic endeavor to she the female for at the moment of flight. If their are no more postings this trip you will know Linda didn't believe that and with my newly broken arm I can no longer write. Bad Bob.