Minahasa Journal 1 - Beginning of my 3 day trip


For The Draggin' Dragons in Oregon !
[Dear Jade and Silver Dragons, Puff wrote this journal just for you ^^]

Last week there were some unexpected developments in my family and I was required to go to Sulawesi Island [my parent's home/origins] to take care of some family matters. Due to my unreasonable fear of flying, hubby hopped from Timor Island to West Java again to accompany me there. As hubby and I were busy at work, it was a very short trip...only 3 days. We took the dawn flight ...so practically didn't sleep as we had to start from our home at 2:30 am, to catch our 5 o'clock flight in Jakarta. As we were boarding, I happened to look up and saw this beautiful sky above my head...hmm..there were still some people behind me, so I had time to take a couple of shots of the sky.

We took off....me saying The Lord's Prayer about 10 times and clutching hubby's arm with my head buried in his shoulder till the plane leveled off, ...err.....sounds romantic? ... actually I was very embarrassed..sob sob..

Landed at Sam Ratulangi Airtport in Manado, North Sulawesi. I was sooo happy I was on solid ground again after 4 hours of suspense ['course there was this repeated performance from me when we were landing...which hubby quietly suffered through]. Fresh air and blue sky ! I felt alive !! [ and it doesn't take a genius to know why ]

Here's the view of the main airport building from the front, you can see the finger lickin' good restaurant here too...he he...it's everywhere. Hmm.. there's also a police car parked there. Sitou Timou Tumou Tou is the motto of North Sulawesi...it means : Man Lives To Educate Man.....I suppose The Draggin' Dragons might be familiar with a part of this motto ?? he he.. In Minahasa Tou means Man....oh yes, Minahasa is a region in North Sulawesi Island where my parents come from.
The architecture of the building above mirror the structure of the traditional houses found in this region.

My cousin picked us up at the airport and we immediately got down to family business. When it was done, it was already afternoon...we had missed lunch and our tummies were growling, so we headed to Manado Boulevard..this is what the road along the beach -above- is called . It's lined with restaurants...could hardly see the ocean.

My cousin took us to a very nice restaurant...

The place was clean and airy...sorry...no pix of the delicious grilled fish we ate...I was just too hungry..^^ After that we checked in to a hotel and rested for awhile...in the evening, we took a taxi to my uncle's house, he, my aunt and cousins took us to a seaside restaurant below for dinner. I could just feel those pounds adding to my weight...he he.

First I thought the restaurant was empty...

Turned out everybody was at the back...where the view of the sea is beautiful, but I think the night was still too young for it to be filled with people...there were a lot of foreign tourists enjoying the traditional dishes.

The view from my seat..

I can see the restaurant next door...

We also enjoyed listening to this lady belting out Oldie songs in English

The giant decorations on the wall of the restaurant leaves no doubt of the kind of dishes they specialize in ^^
I'm just putting up this one pix, though. Ok, me so full.....got to go now, I'll be back with journal 2 later :)

Comments

jenny said…
Dear Myoce

How are u ? Thanks for sharing with us your 3 day Minahasa trip although u were busy with your personal issue and still remember to take those beautiful pic.

I always read tourist blog regarding Manado but i don't know whether is the same place as u are saying here . Is Manado famous for diving and have beautiful sea ????

Hope u have a nice week ahead . Take care .

Jenny
Anonymous said…
Sounds like your flight on Lion Air went smoothly. Glad you had hubby's shoulder for tense moments. Of course, even pilots are most alert during takeoff and landing.

Sulawesi? The land of mushroom-flavored coffee beans? Hmmm ...

How big was that blue lobster on the wall?

(Sounds like ... surely not the Tuamotus! They're way out in the middle south Pacific! Must be about "Passing on wisdom is part of Living well"?)

Good Morning from SilverBronze Dragon! Well, barely still morn ...
myoce said…
Hi Jenny !

Yes, Manado is a paradise for divers, specially at Bunaken.

Manado or Menado...is the capital city of North Sulawesi.

The scenery there is just beautiful, I wish I had time to go places...but it wasn't a holiday.

I enjoyed looking at all your pics also ^^

Have a wonderful week.
myoce
myoce said…
Dear Silver Bronze Dragon,

He he...the pilot was a pro, the landing was smooth as silk... didn't feel a thing. But a phobia is still a phobia :(

Y'know...the last time I was clutching melchan's arm ! [ such an upside down role ...]

O dear... this is the first time I read about that coffee....me should be ashamed !

The lobster was as tall ...or taller than me he he he...there was a crab too..
About that word...err...I'll email it to you he he

Love to you both, happy to have you in my blog^^

Love from Puff Dragon
Anonymous said…
You've got a little picture of BYJ setting up a shot with a tripod - and just nearby what looks to me like the tail of a flying serpent just going down a hole. Wonder who took that amazingly lucky shot?
Hee hee heeeeeeeeeeeeeee
-SilverBronze Dragon
Anonymous said…
There's a little coffee shop near us that has a roasting machine right in the front, next to the tables and chairs. Patrons can really smell the coffee - while it's roasting - several times a week there. One time they roasted their Sulawesi so skillfully the taste of mushroom came through clearly, instead of just tasting like dirt ("earthy"). A very memorable batch!

Hugs from (dreamily reminiscing)Dragons in Oregon
SilverJade & SilverBronze
Anonymous said…
Blue lobsters with enough meat for little me?!? OMG! (lick-chops) How deep?

-Suddenly Hungry Dragon(s) in Oregon
SilverBronze

Crab?! How big? How deep? WHERE?!?
-SilverJade
myoce said…
Hi Silver Bronze and Jade!

Oh, you have a great imagination.. now that I look at it closely, it does look like a tail ! specially with the rather bushy end^^
Well, the rest of the dragon's body must be deep underground, maybe it's hibernating he he

About the coffee...Toraja coffee from South Sulawesi is famous, maybe you can ask if it's Toraja.
Just love the smell of Toraja coffee...hmmmm..[for me ANY coffee smells good...too bad I get tremor and palpitations when I drink it now, so I don't anymore]..

As for the lobsters and crabs,... .. o dear ...sorry to ruin your appetite, I'm so ignorant of lobster and crab terminology that I don't know if you are asking how deep in the ocean or how deep it was fried.....or something else..sob...

I ate fish...cos I was in a hurry and didn't have the patience to pick a crab clean :(

But will taste...err...eat it for you next time ^___^...promise...

Love and hugs for you and Jade... hoping she's having a wonderful time [You too !!].

Puffy^^

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