Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Easter Island - let's go there with Google Earth!


I don't know whether you've all installed Google Earth yet - if not, don't hesitate any longer and get yourself this great tool that is bound to give you hours of fun and a chronic lack of sleep (I did warn you!)
Why am I so excited again? Let me explain. First I used Google Maps with my laptop computer to have a closer look at Easter Island because I wanted to upload some nice pics (satellite/aerial imagery) for our virtual island hopping tour. However, the only thing you'll see with Google Maps is a tiny little green spot in a gigantic blue ocean - far away from the Chilean coast. You can't zoom in to the island, so Google Maps was not the right tool for me. Of course I wanted to see more details and some spectacular photos, so I started Google Earth on my desktop PC. And wow - you just have to do this yourselves in order to understand what I mean! You can have a look at every little piece of this island and you can click on loads of pics that visitors have made especially for your enjoyment! It is just like going there in your lazy chair - no travel costs, no exhausting long journeys, but the closest thing to the real experience: the sheer thrill of virtual island hopping!
Please also check the blogs of two of my cyberspace travel companions: Mike and Vicki and join us on our journey - it doesn't matter who you are or where you're coming from, all that matters is where we are going and that together we will finally get there! Yes, that is a philosophical statement too: I am a thoughtful person who easily gets lost in the labyrinths of my own mind... But where was I?
Okay, click on the virtual island hopping label below this post to see the first entry and reports about other island 'visits'. You can also take part in our create your own Easter Island statue competition - but you'll have to face strong opposition, because I will make my own statue with one of our XXL Dutch potatoes and I come from a land of artistic geniuses such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh. So: beat me!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, this is going to be great! I agree - Google Earth is a terrific tool to have!

How do Dutch potatoes differ from those grown in the US? Size? Taste? Color? There are several varieties of potatoes "over here."

I'm looking forward to seeing the entries! I'm out of town for a few days, so no updates to my blog till the weekend (poor Internet connection!).

Paul said...

I dunno - just try to impress the competition with my giant Dutch potatoes and artistic sculpture skills. But will there be any competition or am I only competing against myself? Well, who cares – it will be an easy victory in that case.

Carol Douglas said...

I am considering it, Paul, but have just returned from my whirlwind tour of... nowhere in particular, just downstate NY. But not with a giant Idaho potato. Perhaps Sculpey.

Carol Douglas said...

OK, I emailed you a Photoshopped stuffed animal Easter Island statue... hope you enjoy it. I spent at LEAST ten minutes on it.