• South America 2026
    1We had a brief downpour followed by a stunning rainbow.The Birdman is a petroplyph image here; it took us awhile.Another Birdman...Orongo Village: insight into what the 'buried' homes look like.These are the buried homes.This is Motu Nui where the egg had to be retrieved.View of Rano Kau volcano from the other side.

    A little more island touring

    February 13 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Our morning-ish tour visited 2 stops:
    Rano Kau Volcano: an extinct volcanic crater standing 324m tall and featuring a freshwater crater lake with floating reed islands.
    Orongo Ceremonial Village: serving as the center of the Birdman Cult*, it features 50+ low, semi-buried stone-walled houses.
    * from the 16th to the 19th centuries, chiefs competed here in a dangerous annual race to fetch the first egg of the manutara bird from the islet of Motu Nui to secure power.    Read more