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Kevin and Joannie on tour
We seem to have arrived in town at the same time as the Hanga Roa Cock-a-doodling tournament and our apartment's cockerel seems to be one of the main contenders.
We're staying in a cavernous and spacious hexagonal building on stilts and made out of wood. It's constructed out of wood and very well finished. Apart from the main room there is a bathroom and a small kitchenette area. Beneath the cabana is a lava cave. The balcony area looks north east towards two small scoria cones and from the front door there are views of the Pacific and of the Tahai moai.
Fresh bread was delivered to our cabana but as we had arrived in the middle of the night we had nothing else: tea, water, butter so a trip into only town was decided upon. We are staying on the outskirts and it is about a half hour walk along dusty but tarmacked roads. Coconut and banana trees abound, as well as bright Spring flowers, huge and impossibly perfect.
Hanga Roa is the only town where you can buy provisions. The main street is full of small shops selling souvenirs, mini-markets and places to eat. We parked ourselves up on a Café's front and watched the world go by. Breakfast was simple: cafes con leche, fresh fruit, cakes, toast and jams. In all it cost £20 but, given tourism is the only way to make money here, it's to be expected.
A pick-up truck pulled up and put a pair of weighing scales on the pavement. From under a tarpaulin in the back, a man pulled out huge headless fish which were weighed and taken away by a chef from the neighbouring restaurant. Unsurprisingly for an island, seafood seems to be the speciality of the day.
It takes no more than five minutes to walk the main street. The promenade is one block away with a small harbour. Surfers were riding the big waves rolling in with some skill. The coast is dark, rocky and volcanic with small pools that you can bathe in. The town now has two ATMs. The one on the front (Santander) only dispenses up to 200,000 Pesos (£200 per day) and charges £5 for the pleasure.
With its back to the harbour we saw our first close-up Moai with another that was eroded on its ceremonial plinth (ahu). He was a fine chap! The first of many to come.
As usual we are self-catering as veggie options are few and uninspired. However there are no big supermarkets on the island and the small mini-markets seem to stock random foods and have lots of empty shelves. For an island where fish are freely available there were lots of tinned fish available but scarcely any tinned veg (mushrooms and palm hearts only, in one).
We bought what provisions we could and walked back to our cabana: Water, beer, wine, spaghetti, dried lentils, cooking oil. With a heavy load it seemed so much further.
Whilst making a veggie Spag Bol we were adopted by a grey tabby and a hen with chicks. After dinner we sat on some garden chairs overlooking the Ocean.
We're staying in a cavernous and spacious hexagonal building on stilts and made out of wood. It's constructed out of wood and very well finished. Apart from the main room there is a bathroom and a small kitchenette area. Beneath the cabana is a lava cave. The balcony area looks north east towards two small scoria cones and from the front door there are views of the Pacific and of the Tahai moai.
Fresh bread was delivered to our cabana but as we had arrived in the middle of the night we had nothing else: tea, water, butter so a trip into only town was decided upon. We are staying on the outskirts and it is about a half hour walk along dusty but tarmacked roads. Coconut and banana trees abound, as well as bright Spring flowers, huge and impossibly perfect.
Hanga Roa is the only town where you can buy provisions. The main street is full of small shops selling souvenirs, mini-markets and places to eat. We parked ourselves up on a Café's front and watched the world go by. Breakfast was simple: cafes con leche, fresh fruit, cakes, toast and jams. In all it cost £20 but, given tourism is the only way to make money here, it's to be expected.
A pick-up truck pulled up and put a pair of weighing scales on the pavement. From under a tarpaulin in the back, a man pulled out huge headless fish which were weighed and taken away by a chef from the neighbouring restaurant. Unsurprisingly for an island, seafood seems to be the speciality of the day.
It takes no more than five minutes to walk the main street. The promenade is one block away with a small harbour. Surfers were riding the big waves rolling in with some skill. The coast is dark, rocky and volcanic with small pools that you can bathe in. The town now has two ATMs. The one on the front (Santander) only dispenses up to 200,000 Pesos (£200 per day) and charges £5 for the pleasure.
With its back to the harbour we saw our first close-up Moai with another that was eroded on its ceremonial plinth (ahu). He was a fine chap! The first of many to come.
As usual we are self-catering as veggie options are few and uninspired. However there are no big supermarkets on the island and the small mini-markets seem to stock random foods and have lots of empty shelves. For an island where fish are freely available there were lots of tinned fish available but scarcely any tinned veg (mushrooms and palm hearts only, in one).
We bought what provisions we could and walked back to our cabana: Water, beer, wine, spaghetti, dried lentils, cooking oil. With a heavy load it seemed so much further.
Whilst making a veggie Spag Bol we were adopted by a grey tabby and a hen with chicks. After dinner we sat on some garden chairs overlooking the Ocean.
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