Making A Wise Decision

When Air Asia launched its first ever sale of tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Manado on the 22nd of July, 2008, one of my friends eagerly called me up and asked, "Jean! Are you tired? Are you stressed? Do you need a break? Come! Let's go to Manado!"

At the beginning of the conversation, I knew she was going to ask me to go for a holiday somewhere. But Manado? Where is it? I have never heard about about this place!

So, I began searching on the Google website. Lo and behold! Sulawesi is like the shape of five fingers on our left hand, stretched out towards the east. Manado just happens to be in the middle of our last pinky finger. Geographically, Manado is in the north part of Sulawesi, east of Kalimantan and south of the Philippines.

"Hmm... " I thought. "I've never been to Sulawesi before! I've only studied about Sulawesi in history books. Its stories of past kings and kingdoms, as far as I remember, how it was once the centre of trade in the region of South East Asia really captivated me. Wow! Whoever heard of people visiting Sulawesi for fun?"

Suddenly, the idea really captivated me. The next day, I went to work and asked my Indonesian colleague, Pak Muchtiar, "Pak! What's Manado famous for?"

Instantly, his eyes lighted up and answered with a sparkle in his eyes . "A-hah! Bunaken Island! Diving and snorkeling!"

"Wow! Snorkeling!" I thought. "This is fun! I only snorkelled once in my life and I really loved it so much!"

Now, I really caught onto the idea. I checked the price online, did some calculations, weighed my purse and decided that I still have some cash to spare. Thus, on the 6th day of the promotion, which was also the very last day, on the 27th of July, 2008, I finally made the call and bought the tickets to Manado for two at the very last minute, which comes with 3 days 2 nights stay in a Villa Duplex room at Cocotinos hotel, complete with breakfast, and a complimentary massage, all for the price of RM 641 per person.

Satisfied that I had made a very worthy purchase, now all that was left was to plan the trip. "Hmm.. What will we do when we go there?"

So, I emailed the person in charge to ask for more information about the tours offered by the hotel. Mega, the coordinator in charge, mailed me back, recommending a 1-day Minahasa Highland tour on the day we arrived and snorkeling at Bunaken Island on the 2nd day.

However, looking through the itenary, visiting a pottery factory, traditional market, and traditional houses did not appeal to me. After all, in Malaysia we have these things too. In fact, the place where I come from is famous for pottery too! So, I opted for something else instead, which was the visit to the volcano!

Within 2 weeks, everything was settled. Now, all I could think of was Manado, Manado, Manado. I just couldn't wait to fly to the Isle of Sulawesi!

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*Click here for a more accurate idea of the location of Manado.*

12th september

12th of September: Our flight was scheduled to take off at 6.40 am, early in the morning at LCCT. So, that meant we had to arrive at the airport at 4.40am. Luckily, Air Asia's bus service to LCCT from KL Sentral begins as early as 3.30 am. Thus, we managed to board the 3.30 bus and arrive at LCCT at 4.3o. Just nice.

Since this was Air Asia's first flight to Manado, there were not many people. We didn't have to wait in a long line such as those people who were travelling to Kuching, or Terengganu, or Miri. That meant 2 things. Either the other travellers came earlier /will be coming later than us, or there were less passengers! I hoped that it'd be the latter reason.. so the plane wouldn't be so crowded.

At the LCCT, There are not many places for people to sit and rest. All seats were taken. So, I decided to have McDonald's Big Breakfast set and read through all the articles of the Friday's, 12th of September, The Sun Daily.

At exactly 6.40 am, we boarded the plane. As the flight stewardess announced where we were heading to that morning, a young lady suddenly ran up to the head of the stewardess crew. Her eyes were filled with tears, ready to cry any minute, begging the air stewardess to stop the plane. The chief of the air stewardess looked really annoyed and told the girl that she should have been more careful. I can still hear her telling the girl in a rather high pitched tone, "Please don't repeat this again the next time. Not every plane will wait for you, you know. 'coz we all have schedules to follow. We have to call the bus again, communicate with the tower again, etc. etc. etc. However, considering that this is your first time, we will wait for you. Please hurry."

The rest of us passengers just looked on curiously as the scene unfolded in front of us, each of us speculating what had just transpired between the two. Thankfully, the pilot was quick to in clearing the air. Just about 2 - 3 minutes later, he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, one of our passengers has apparently left her passport somewhere in the airport. We are going to have to delay our departure so that she can regain her passport. Let's hope she finds it soon. This is our first flight and we certainly don't want to be late."

As we sat there in our seats, we too hoped that she'd find her passport soon. After all, she had paid quite a large sum to go on vacation, just like the rest of us. I was about to bet with my friend, whether the young lady would be able to find her passport, when she reappeared after what seemed like hours. With that, the pilot announced for all of us to be seated quietly, buckle up, and be ready to fly to Manado! "Yes!" We're finally leaving!

At 7am, we left the airport. I was so tired that morning because I had not slept since 2am. so, I slept throughout the whole journey, undisturbed by the calls of the stewardess for food or for the sales and purchase of Air Asia merchandise or goodies.

Finally, at 11am, we arried at the Sam Ratulangi Airport! Everybody clapped 'coz the pilot made such a good landing. All of us had arrived in one piece, and that was definitely a reason worth celebrating!

It had begun to drizzle slightly outside and most of us were worried, wondering if our plans to visit Manado would be disturbed. I was unperturbed. Since I'd be here for only 2 days, rain or shine, I would stick with my plan just to see how Manado looks like.

Welcoming Dance from the Warriors of Manado

As we stepped down from the plane, we were hurriedly ushered in through the immigration. The officers let us pass through and as we waited for our luggage, About 20 taxi drivers were already waiting to pick us up. All of them came up to us, asking, "Miss! Miss! Where do you want to go? Where are you going?"

I was certainly confused. I am supposed to be picked up by the people from Cocotinos Resort, but I don't see them anywhere. Starting to panic, I began to wonder if I communicated the right message to the receptionist at the hotel. Suddenly, a man in a white shirt came up to me and asked, "Where are you going?"

Somehow, I just decided to answer "Cocotinos."

The man nodded and said, "Come here." and helped to carry our bags to the corner of the airport. I was confused. There was no identification, not even a sign on his shirt to signify that he was from the Cocotinos Resort, how was I supposed to know that he can be trusted? Hmm.... Luckily, the girl standing beside him was wearing a shirt with a coconut tree on an island logo on it. I had spotted the Cocotinos logo. Ok ok. This is genuine. Good! Finally, I let my guard down. This is the group I'm suppposed to follow.

"Hi! I'm Maggi!" The girl introduces herself. "I'm from Cocotinos. Lewi (Pointing to the same guy who brought us over to the corner), will be your guide for today. When your tour is over, we will bring you back to the hotel. Joseph (indicating to the guy on her left, in a black shirt), will be driving you around. So, you want to go now?"

At that moment, as I recovered from my initial shock of being hassled by so many taxi drivers, and finally feeling secure in a crowd of strangers, I looked around me only to realized that there are several men dressed in red, huddled together in a group. I think they're about to perform. But what?

Sensing my curiousity, Lewi offers some information. "They are going to perform the war dance. It's the local dance of Manado."

I must have looked somewhat reluctant. Maggi then said, "It's ok! You can watch this dance first. After all, you're on the first flight of Air Asia to Manado. That's special, you know. You're the only group of passengers that gets to watch this dance, live. The future batch of passengers to Manado won't get this chance like you do."

Wow! I'm feeling really special today. I feel so honoured! I'm going to watch a dance that nobody else will see after this! Hurrah! Few seconds later, the group of men in red separated themselves and arranged themselves into a circle. As one of the drummers played the drums to the rhythm of our heart beats, 2 dancers began dancing to the beat of the drums, with the sound of their anklets and bracelets clanking along.

Oh! Now I'm interested! You definitely can't drag me away from this! I gotta stay to watch this!

Look at all the skeletons hung around his waist!

He's getting ready to fight!



"Who's winning? Who's winning?"

"AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHH! I won!"

Yes! At the end of fight, the warriors once again gather in a circle. The chief starts singing and the rest echo along.

Presently, this dance is still performed in some of the villages in Manado. In real life, however, people do cut themselves up. Miraculously, they don't bleed. A point well emphasized by Lewi, our tour guide, many, several times. "Magic." he explains.

The word magic, to me, conjures up images of fairies and pixies, just like the Disney World Animations. I think in this context, 'Black Magic' would be more appropriate because it involves cutting up oneself, which involves lots of physical pain and worst of all, bleeding. Eeeww... Come to think of it, it'll be really scary to witness the real fight.

I'm glad it was just a performance.

The Warrior and Us. Observe his headgear!

First Day in Manado-Visit to Mt. Mahawu

As soon as the Kebasaran Dance ended, Lewi, our tour guide whisked us away from the crowded area. Joseph hurriedly carried my heavy, black bag into the 4-wheel drive and Maggie, (whom I suppose is the coordinator for this trip), told us how lucky we were to be one of the first passengers from Air Asia's inaugural flight to Manado. As we talked, I found out that she had been to Kuala Lumpur several times and really love the city! Ahhh... how nice to have somebody who loves the city. Soon, as everything was settled with the other Cocotinos guest, we parted ways with Maggie. With that, we were 'in the care' of Lewi.

As we sat in the car, Lewi began introducing Manado. "Manado is located in the North part of Sulawesi. Most tourist come here for diving and jungle walks. It is not very developed yet it has the most beautiful underwater flora and fauna in the whole wide world."

Then he looks at me and asks, "Are you Chinese?"

I nodded silently, still trying to warm up to the idea that I am actually in Manado. The very first moment I touched down, I still can't believe my eyes and ears and all my 6 senses that I am have finally arrived at Manado. I have been wondering the whole time, how come this city/island looks so much like Malaysia? I was expecting it to be slightly cooler, slightly different. Perhaps, I expected it to look like Bali, where we could see beaches everywhere we go. But no, as we travelled along the road, all I saw was winding roads, houses, stalls, just like the kampung in Malaysia. I am very bewildered.

As my mind was transported back to the present by Lewi's question, Lewi continued to tell us that Manado is a city populated by Chinese. Majority of the Manado population consist of Christians. Only a handful of them are Muslims, and most of them are located near Cocotinos Resort instead of the city of Manado.

The main commodity of Manado, and Sulawesi, as a whole, is coconut products. So, there are lots of coconut plantations in and around Manado. Even as we we were landing, the first thing I noticed about Manado were the abundance of coconut trees. The whole city seems to be surrounded by them! Every piece of land seemed to be made for the purpose of planting Coconut trees!

Can you see the Coconut Trees in the Picture?

On the way to our first destination, we pass by several fruit stalls and churches. Our generous tour guide stops by one of the fruit stalls to buy some some langsat. I happily devour them because I'm starving. Ahh! The sweet, delicious little bites of langsat are really thirst quenchers. I am still bewildered how can Manado be so similar to Malaysia. In terms of fruits, the weather, the plants and the environment. I still haven't managed to figure out why Manado looks exactly like all states in Malaysia.

As we stop by the fruit stalls, I notice these gigantic fruits on the bottom shelf , which looks almost like the polygon in my daily simulation model. I wonder aloud, "Hmm.. What fruit is that? It has rather pointed 5 sides.. and it's so orange!"

My travel partner knocks me on the forehead. "Jean! Wake up! Those are papayas!"

My eyes almost popped out! Geez! Those are papayas? How is it that I couldn't recognize them? I ran out of the car, across the road, and snapped away at these gigantic fruits. Back home, it doesn't look so big and so pointed. At home, the sides of these humongous papayas certainly doesn't look so obvious. At least, in my mind, they're slightly elliptic, rather than a pointed pentagon or hexagon.

Oh my! I can't believe I can't recognize a papaya when I see one! My neighbour has a papaya and trees and frequently gives us free papayas for consumption. I should be able to recognize one when I spot them. So, how can it be that I can't recognize a fruit that is obviously a papaya?

(This will prove to be a series of events that will occur repeatedly until the end of the day.)

Papayas! Up Close, it looks like papayas! But from afar, the Papayas looks really pointed, like five angled beans or starfruit.

I think maybe it's because I've been living in the city for far too long. Surviving on fruits that have been peeled and cut, served on the plate, paying one ringgit just for a packet of papayas and other fruits, not seeing its original shape and colour, I suppose I have forgotten how the whole fruit looks like. Man! Look what has become of me just after staying on-shore permanently for 1 year! I can't believe my own eyes and my mind! Both of these crucial parts of my body are seriously deteriorating! huhuhu!

As I look up from the fruit stall, I notice a big church just across the road. I mentioned it to Lewi and Lewi adds, "Hmm.. Yup. In Manado, because majority of the occupants are Christians, you will find churches at every corner of the road. In fact, there's a church between almost every 5-6 houses." I notice that this fact is not exaggerated. It is true! The churches look really cosy, warm and inviting! Its roofs are pretty high too, which makes it look pretty cooling! I have such a strong desire to attend the Sunday Service here. After all, it's been a long time since I listened to the pastor preaching on Sundays. I do miss the worshipping part! I promise myself, I'll definitely go to church after this trip.

As we venture ahead, the roads are getting more and more winding. Our young, handsome guide remarks, "Jalan di Manado nih.. bengkang-bengkok. Serupe macam ahli politik kite. (The road in Manado is really winding, turning here and there. Just like our politicians)." Our guide cracks a joke out of the blue. hehehe! I can't help but agree. Looking at the political situation in Malaysia, they do seem like the hilly roads in Manado, swaying to the east one moment, and north west the next minute, highly unpredictable, causing all its drivers so much discomfort and yet, because it's d only we road we have, we still have to continue using it, regardless of the inconvenience.

As I was enjoying the ride in the outskirts of Manado, having my surprisingly well-prepared tasty egg-chicken-cheesy sandwich, Lewi briefly described our tour route for the day. First, we'll be visiting some tombs at Airmadidi/Sawangan. Then we'll be stopping by some Japanese Caves. After that, we'll enjoy the scenic view at the famous Lake Tondano. Finally, our last destination will be Mount Mahawu. The whole journey will take about 8 hours. By the time we reach our hotel, it 'll be about 8pm. Wow! I was so excited about the prospects of looking at the view from the volcano that I just agreed to whatever had been planned. The most important thing was that I'd be able to see the volcano.

Map extracted from http://www.minahasa.net/en/about-map.html

So, as planned, we headed straight to Sawangan, Airmadidi to visit the tombs of the ancestors of this land called, Waruga in the local language. Waru means Home, Ruga means body. In short, it means "Home for the Bodies". That's literal translation.

A billion thoughts cruised through my brains when told that our first stop would be at the tombs. "Why should the first stop be at a grave-yard? Isn't it a bit haunting? Imagine visiting the graves of the dead, with their bodies still buried beneath the earth. Literally walking among the dead. Geez! What a great way to begin my visit to Manado!"

Then again, I suppose it is a sort of respect for the dead. After all, without our ancestors, where would we be today, right? Would we be just as successful now were it not for them? After all the sacrifices that they've been through, the fights that they've fought, the lives that they've led, we ought to pay our respects to them whenever the ocassion calls for it. I suppose this is one of those times.

As soon as arrived in the small village of Airmadidi, I reluctantly stepped out of the 4WD. Hmmmm.... I do feel ackward visiting the graves at this time of the year. In Malaysia, we do visit the graves of our relatives. Malays visit the graves of their relatives during Hari Raya, in November.. sometimes October.. whichever month the festivals falls in; Chinese visit the graves of our ancestors usually in the month of April in the Lunar Calendar. I myself visited the graves of previous soldiers who fought in the World War II when I was in Labuan for the first time. So, what's different this time? I suppose probably because this place seems a little haunting. It reminds me of those scenes in the movies where the dead rise from the ground when the sun sets.

When we stepped out of the car, the local guide introduces himself. Somehow, I've forgotten his name. Anyhow, he brings us for a brisk walk through the fenced area housing the tombs for generations.

I am in awe. I stand in a multitude of tombs, housing generations of men and women who have braved through years of turmoil. I am suddenly sobre. I say a silent prayer for these souls who have been burried here.

"Welcome to the Waruga." begins the guide. I suppose he is in his 40s. He has probably given the same briefing a zillion times.

"As you can see on your right, these are the waruga of the Minahasa tribe. There are lines on the Waruga. Each line represents the number of people in the tomb. 4 lines means 4 people are in there. Usually the people belong to the same family."

I wonder how the people are put into the tomb one after another. Fortunately, there's a wall outside which depicts the method. The dead are made to sit in a cross-legged position and slowly lowered into the tomb as below.

"The pictures on the tomb describe the profession of the people who 'reside' in the tomb." The guide explains. The first profession we are taught to read is the most interesting of all. It is that of a mid-wife.

The home of the Waruga consist of 4 sides. The first side we saw was that of a human holding a bamboo knife, which describes a mid-wife.

The next side show a baby's head popping out from its mother's womb.

Gradually, the baby's body appears.

Finally, the young baby is all grown up into a young man/lady.

Then our guide brings our attention to the fact that all Waruga-s are facing towards the North. He explained why.. but somehow it has slipped my mind again.

These grave-site houses several people from all over the world. From the pictures on the home of the waruga (Waru), we will be able to tell their nationality. If we see a dragon on the Waru, it means its occupants are from Mongolia. If we see a sun, it means they're Japanese. If the humans in the pictures are dressed in long robes and holding a sword, means they're Spanish/Portugese.


We also learnt to interpret that the humans on the tombs who looked strong and tall, were chiefs of the village.

Once our tour at the graves ended, our guide took us the the nearby museum. It housed several artefacts salvaged from the graves as they were weathered by the strong winds and rain. They included plates, bracelets, etc. The bracelets were about 2" in width and 4" in diameter. I was so shocked! "The people who carried the Waruga last time must have been super-strong." Analyzes the guide loudly. Look how big and rough the bracelets are!

A ah! This never crossed my mind! No wonder archaelogists loved to visit tombs and such to learn about where we come from.

When the museum tour ended, I waited outside for the 4WD to arrive to pick us up. All of a sudden, 2 shy kids came up to us, and smiled! One was a short, impish looking little kid; another was tall, who looked like the big brother taking care of his little brother. Aww... they were so adorable! I noticed the younger brother was holding a big parang (knife)!

I don't think the adults in my village would have been approved of this! During my childhood, if we were caught holding a knife in our hands, we would have been berated for carrying such hazardous tools around.

It was only as we drove out of the village, that I found out that he was going to cut logs with the big, sharp knife! How dangerous for a kid to be handling such sharp things!

Soon we are hitting on the road again. Along the way, I see several square holes in the hills on my left hand side. My curiousity sparks light up again. "What are these holes for, Lewi?" I ask.

" Ahah! These holes are one of the Japanese Caves. They extend miles and miles into the hills. When the Japanese came and conquered Indonesia, they used it as prisons and storage silos. Some of the rebels used to hide in these caves too!"

Japanese Caves

I am wondering how they manage to build the caves. The rocks in the hills are hard. How did the men manage to make it square shaped? Why didn't the rocks collapse? How did they make it straight? Why didn't it go crooked? I have so many questions I think I shall reserve them for the future when I meet my civil engineering friends. heheh!

Steep steps leading down to various parts of the caves

We explore one of the caves and come across poisonous looking spiders hiding on the walls of the caves with its next of eggs! EEEEEEWWWW! Using the torch light, climbing up and down the stairs, among the winding paths, we spot a few blue birds, black birds, bats and hideous looking worms and cockroaches.

Beautiful blue bird in the cave

Cockroaches with long, sharp feelers

Pregnant Spider with lots of eggs!

Look at this Lizard!

In the caves, it's cooling. The air is moist. Wet, almost. The only signs of life are from the creatures in the caves. No greens. All brown, blue and black. When I spot the young, green ferns growing at the entrance of the caves, I am bowled over. I feel like running outside to celebrate these little signs of life with the rain pouring outside! A little green moss here, some emerald creeper plants growing there.. makes so much difference among the dark, brown stones. It almost makes that corner feel like home, warm and cozy.


Soon, it's time to venture out into the open air. Time to visit the Danau Tondano (Lake Tondano). I just can't wait! This lake is famous too! My guide is more excited in introducing us to the catch from that lake! We're going to savour mas goreng( fried gold fish), pekedil jagung (Corn Pancake), grilled carp, kangkung, ikan bilis pancake, avocado and papaya dessert and sour sop juice! I'm so excited! I 'm so hungry! I feel as if I can eat almost anything! But mas goreng? eeeeeeeeeeeewww! People actually eat gold fish here!

"Do you mean, you fry those cute, little gold fishes we rear for pleasure in the aquarium? The chubby little fishes with gold fins, and shiny scales on its body?" I ask my tour guide.

"hahaha!" My tour guide laughs, amused!

"Of course not! We don't eat those cute, little fishes! This, is another species of gold fish. But, it's considered as gold fish too!"

"oooooooooooohhh.. " Now I understand.

I look out of the window and see acres and acres of paddy fields! I've always loved looking at paddy fields. They provide a certain sense of tranquility, peace and wealth. Looking at the backdrop of the mountains covered by the clouds, the greenish paddy fields growing so healthily, I feel so contented!



Look at this beautiful house in the middle of the paddy fields! I would love to own a house like this, one fine day. There are even some swans or ducks floating lazily around the 'pond' of water. Ahhh.... kampung life. How I miss it!



On the way to the lake, it was raining very heavily. I noticed people sitting in the rain, holding one umbrella in one hand, fishing rod in another. Some were even wearing rain coats, holding umbrellas and planting padi in the rain. Others, sat under the umbrella in the paddy fields, just staring out into the air, while some others... wore rain coats and ushering the ducks back home.

So I asked, the guide, "Hmm.. it's raining! Why don't these people go in and rest at home?"

"ya lah. .. ... sebab nak tunggu hujan berhenti, tapi hujan tak henti (They want to wait for the rain to stop, but the rain doesn't stop!). " At that particular moment, I felt so silly for asking such a question. In short, he was saying, "Rain or shine, life goes on. It doesn't matter whether it's burning hot, or pouring cats and dogs outside there... we still have to plant padi, catch fishes for lunch and dinner.. .sometimes, it's a good way to past time too."

As singles living in the city, we have it all too easy. If we want to have fish for dinner, we go to Manhattan fish market. If we feel like eating chicken, we go to KFC. If we want to have curry rice, we go to the nearby Mamak stall or Chakri's Palace , the Thai restaurant. We don't have to rear our own ducks, plant our own padi, and catch our own fish. If it rains, we stay home. If it 's too sunny, we complain it's too hot and opt to stay at home and surf on the internet.

At that instant, I suddenly had the realization that I was too pampered. These people, working under the rain, understood the true meaning of life; while I, was too sheltered to realize that regardless of what happens, life still has to go on, rain or shine. So what if I get scolded sometimes? So what if things don't go my way all the time? So what if I don't get what I want? So what? Life still goes on, Jean. So, suck it up and don't be a snob.

The Happy Ducks - Reminds me of the story 'Ugly Duckling'

After a long journey up and down the hills, we finally arrived at the famous Danau Tondano (Tondano Lake). The view from the lake is simply breathtaking! I couldn't help myself from snapping pictures of the magnificent view the moment my gaze fell upon it!

The fantastic view of Danau Tondano

Look at the light breaking through the clouds after a storm

We had a delicious lunch by the lake!

Mas Goreng (Fried Gold Fish)! Never knew that it'd be this tasty when fried! Now every gold fish I see will remind me of the lunch on the plate!

I even got a chance to see the restaurant owner catching a few live carps from the la ke, with his bare hands!

Our Dessert-Sweet Papaya Avocado Drink

Fish Farm

Cute Houses on the Lake - 3 Little Pigs

After lunch, I got the golden chance to see 2 farmers chasing their ducks back to its 'quarters'! When I asked the driver to stop for a moment so that I could snap a picture of the ducks, the farmers laughed their hearts out, asking, "ape?? Ni pun nak ambik gambar? (Geez! These city kids are so amazed by the sight of this ducks waddling back to their homes! They must come from the city!) wahahahahah!"

To them, it part of the scene in their daily lives. For us, it was like a scene out from National Geographic!

See! It's raining and the farmers still continue chasing the ducks back home!

I wonder how does the duck know where to go? Why doesn't all of them run heather-scatter? There's nobody leading them in front.. the farmers only 'shepherd' them from the back of the group.

The sight of hundreds of ducks waddling on the wet road was simply captivating!

After a hearty meal, soon, it was time to get to the top of the mountain! I was so excited! I could hardly sleep in the vehicle. Nevertheless, I decided to listen to my body instead of my soul!

By the time I woke up, we had just reached the foot of Mount Mahawu. As I rubbed my eyes, Lewi introduced the carrot plants, onions and carrots to us. When he pointed to the carrot leaves and flowers, my mouth gaped wide open! Now I knew how carrot plants looked like.

These are the leaves of carrot trees

I used to think carrots were like onions, where they have 3 'leaves' sticking out from the ground. That's how carrots are drawn in the cartoons anyway. Remember how Brer Rabbit used to sink his two front teeth on the carrot, with 3 strands of leaves sticking out at the end? That's where I got my idea from.

So do you know how carrots are planted? Ahhhh! The seeds for planting the carrots are obtained from this carrot flower! So, this is how carrots 'breed'!

The journey up the mountain is really steep. We trekked quite a bit just to reach the top. What do you think we saw after climbing the steep mountain? A hah! So this is what we saw! The crater!

Search on the internet reveals that Mount Mahawu is capped with a 180 m wide and 140 m deep crater. In 1789, there was a small explosive eruption and in 1994, fumarole, mudpot and small geyser actitivies were observed along the greenish shore of a crater lake. The locals have grown so comfortable livin g near the volcano that they wouldn't even evacuate if it happens to erupt again.

As we stood there admiring the clouds and the hills, the cold mist floats silently into the crater .

Me! Taking pictures in front of the Lalang whose name I forgot! I even had the nerve to ask him, "Umm.. Lewi.. what do you call this plant?" When he answered, "lalang!".. I could have knocked my head against the car door.

In Manado, bamboo is quite abundant as well. Almost everything is made from bamboo. As such, we can find kopi bambu, ikan bambu, muzik bambu. Even the frames for the creeper plants , ladders up the tall coconut trees are made out of bamboo! I suspect the uses of bamboo might more be more than that of the coconut tree in Manado.

Bamboo Ladder up the Coconut Tree

Bamboo frame for the Creeper Plants

As we trekked down the hill, we noticed these cute family of wooden 'Teddy Bears', all dressed up in bow ties, ready to attend a party. So, I decided to take a picture of this handsome family.

One Big Happy Family

Before we knew it, the time was already 5.30 pm. It was getting really dark. So we decided to call it a day. On the way down the hill, I just loved the scenery of this countryside so much so that I had to stop for a minute, and take in the view.

Lettuces remind me of 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel... Let your hair down.'

As I was having a panoramic view of the this vegetable farm, Lewi remarked, "Look down! Do you see any sweet potato plants?"

Hmm.. First of all, I don't even know how a sweet potato plant looks like. I've had sweet potato leaves with 'pan mee' before. But a real, live sweet potato plant? I've never even bothered to find out how it looks like. On that stress-free day, however, I was suddenly so interested. Such an easy question, yet I did not know its answer. haiz... hazukashii hazukashii... (so embarassing!). hehe!

I look down on the ground and all I see are green plants everywhere. Honestly, they all look the same to me. How do I know which is which?

Lewi points to the reddest plant on earth and says , "Jean! Look at this! So, this is a sweet potato plant! Come , let me dig it out for you to see!"

Tender Sweet Potato Leaves

So, he uses his fingers to dig into the wet, muddy earth and tada! We have a sweet potato! It's just a baby sweet potato, haven't grown to its full size yet.

Sweet Potatoes in the Ground

On the way, we also spotted many cinnamon trees. This is one of them. I just found out that cinnamon trees are abundant in Manado as well. All the farmer has to do is scrape the bark of the cinnamon tree, dry it under the sun and voila! we have cinnamon sticks and cinammon powder! Such a simple process, such a common looking tree. One would never have guessed that cinnamon can fetch such a high price just by looking at this tree!

Cinnamon Tree

On the way back, we stopped by at a construction site for traditional Minahasa houses. There's something very unique about the building concept and sale of houses in Manado. Upon completion, they're put up for sale. Potential buyers from other locations will survey the different types of houses available. Once they make up their mind on the house of their choice, the contractors will cart the whole completed house away to the selected location of the buyer, regardless of the distance.
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Traditional Minahasa Houses

Ahh.. at the end of the day, after learning a little about the culture of Manado's Minahasa people, their houses, music and food, 10 hours of sitting in the 4 wheel drive, 4 hours of flying and being awake for more than18 hours... we finally reach Cocotinos, a small beach resort, located right in the heart of Kima village, just by the sea.

As soon as we stepped out of the car, little kids came running to meet us and greet us. Some even smile shyly and say, "Hi!! Hello! How are you?"

I was deeply surprised and touched! My my! These kids are so well behaved! They're so friendly and not shy at all! I'm tired but all their warmth has melted all that! Soon, Mega, the person whom we have been liasing with all this while meets us and smiles really sweetly at us too.

At the end of the day, i was just too exhausted to dine and wine at the Cocotinos cafe. So, I opted for the free massage package, which consisted of 45 minutes of full body massage and 15 minutes of foot reflexology. Ahh.. It was such a heavenly experience. Listening to the sound of the waves hitting against the sand, whooosh.... whooooooooosh... whooosh.... whooooooooosh... repeatedly... and soon, I'm fast asleep in my super, soft and cosy bed. Oh!What a hectic and educational day it's been!

13th september-Snorkeling and Walking Around the City

The next morning, I woke up on a very soft and comfortable bed. I felt so good lying in bed that I didn't want to get up at all! But I would only be spending 2 whole days in Manado! I better make full use of my time here! So I pulled myself out of bed and took a nice, hot shower! Ahh... it felt so good!

Then I opened the door to the outside world and once again, I was amazed! I knew I was staying by the sea... but since we arrived in the night, the day before, I didn't know how the view from our room looked.. or how the hotel looked like! I was so surprised that I "ooooh-ed" and "aaaah-ed" aloud to myself as my travelling partner slept soundly on her bed. Though I desperately wanted to wake her up to breathe in the fresh, mildly salty sea breeze, I couldn't bring myself to wake her up as she was sleeping like a baby.

So, I took the first step out of the door, looked around ,relishing the opportunity to be able to enjoy this view. It's been so long since I've been out to sea that I have almost forgotten how good it felt! It's really refreshing to wake up to the sound of chirping birds, gentle waves hitting on the shores of the beaches, and the sight of colourful flowers greeting you with a brand, new smile each day.

View from My Room

Ahh! Clear Skies, Blue Seas... And A Big, Green Boat

As I stepped out into the garden, my senses are finally awakened once again. In KL, the only 'green' I notice is that of the PETRONAS logo, which I see every day. Other than that, the 'green' that I am exposed to are those on T-shirts and TV.

I have long forgotten that different shades of green do exist naturally on this planet! Look here.. there's dark green, bright green, moderate colour of green just on this small plot of land.

I walk along the beaten path and I arrive at the cafe, which happens to be right above the sea too! It was simply soothing! I take some bread and tiny, delicious pancakes for breakfast and choose the best spot for sea-viewing. Ahhh.... tranquilizing. Time just seems to stop on this island. I've completely forgotten what day of the month it is, nor the time, nor the year. I have a strong desire to stay here forever. Stuck in this time zone, until I grow bored again. Yet, as advanced as we are in technology, mankind still hasn't invented the ultimate machine that allows time travel. So, in the meantime, we shall use up all our holidays and live them to the fullest!

My special spot for sea-viewing!

As soon as my friend wakes up, she comes over and joins me for breakfast. A waiter surprises us by giving us our own personal plate of fruits for dessert!

My Personal plate of Papayas and Lemons

Yes! Yes! Today I'm going to snorkel around Bunaken Island! This place is reputed for diving! I just can't wait to start! I hurriedly finish my breakfast and eagerly went to try out my diving gear although I don't dive. Today, I'd be joining the diving team . I'd be snorkeling nearby as the divers dive deep into the ocean. The idea doesn't seem too tantalizing. Nevertheless, I have not received any official lessons on diving. So, I can only snorkel for the moment. Yet, I'm excited about the prospect of snorkeling at one of the most famous diving spots in Indonesia!

The little diving hut in Cocotinos Resort

All diving gears are kept in an orderly sequence here

This is the boat that I'd be taking for the day

At 8am, I started trying out different sizes of snorkeling masks and several pairs of fins. Before I tried them on, the person in charge of all these gears asks me, "So, do you know how to wear them?"

I shook my head. When I went to Redang Island about 5 years back, I tried learning to snorkel, but I just didn't feel comfortable. So, I threw everything aside and put on my goggles instead! We had such a fun time feeding the fishes and looking at the colourful fishes swimming around us.

Now, I have totally no idea how to wear all these! Besides, the last time i went, I didn't have to use snorkeling masks and fins! The chief diving guide, Jackie, however insisted on me wearing a diving suit. I have never worn one before. So, I didn't really liked the idea of snorkeling in a diving suit! It seems tight and uncomfortable. Furthermore, I didn't see the necessary reasons for doing so. So I held up the diving suit and asked Jackie, "Why should I be wearing this? Do I really need to put it on?"

Jackie made a serious face and said, "Of course! When you go snorkelling later, you might be bitten by some small fishes!"

Oh oh! I definitely do not want to be bitten by fishes! Fine. I shall wear it. Though I don't think the fishes will bite me. So, I took the diving suit and took it with me on the boat. Hmm... the divers here are very professional!

Bunaken island is just right opposite Cocotinos resort. It takes about 40 minutes to reach our first diving spot. There, we get into our diving suits and the divers will snorkel for about 50 minutes, while I will snorkel about 55 minutes. At each diving spot, this routine will be repeated.



On the way to Lekuan 1, our first diving spot, I noticed that there were 2 layers of clouds in the sky! I've never noticed before! The clouds were so close to the sea that I felt they were only about less than 5 metres apart! Now, I've never realized this before!

As I remarked to my snorkeling guide, Hunny, he remarks, "Oh! You've never seen this before? wow! Here, in Manado, we see this everyday! Look!" he points out towards Manado Tua island (in the picture below). " You see there, the cloud covering the mountain? The fishermen around here believe that if the clouds are covering the mountain, it will be a clear and sunny day. If the clouds are hovering above the mountain, then it will rain soon!"

"Waaaaah! Really?" Another amazing discovery. True enough.. in the afternoon, it began drizzling! Never doubt the words of those who has lived on this earth long enough!

As I sat quietly in the boat, some of the mat sallehs climbed out to the front of the boat and disappeared. "Hmm.. where did they go???" I wonder. So, I climbed up as well and was so amused! I couldn't laugh out loud... I could only laugh in my heart! I saw them sun-bathing on the roof of the boat! The diving team had even prepared a mattress for them to lie upon! wow! No wonder they can come diving for 2 weeks continuously! How relaxing!

Before each dive, our chief diving guide, Jackie, would give us an outline of the terrain that we would be visiting. His fellow team member would use a thick felt marker pen to draw on the white board, while he would explain everything.


Lekuan 2, our second diving spot, was a steep wall. The divers would dive down to 25 metres. There'd be only 1 entrance and 1 exit point. The guide even told us what sort of fishes to expect while diving/snorkeling! Before he even finished explaining, I just couldn't wait to jump into the deep, blue ocean!


Of course, before I jumped in, I had to obey some house rules, which was to put on the diving suit, the snorkeling mask and the fins! They were truly uncomfortable. At first, I wore the diving suit back to front! I was so embarassed! Hunny, my snorkeling guide, couldn't stop laughing and consoled me by saying, "Don't worry! This always happens! hhahaha!"

Me in my diving suit!

When I finally put on everything appropriately, I jumped into the water! But the water kept entering the snorkeling mask! I couldn't see anything! I kept kicking and struggling in the water! Though I knew how to swim, putting on the fins had however 'handicapped' me. I felt so helpless! Hunny then decided to put a life jacket on me to make life easier for him and me. hhahaa!

I then found out that the snorkeling mask had to be tied at an appropriate length. It couldn't be too loose, otherwise water will seep through. It coulnd't be too tight either, otherwise, it'd cause abrasions on my face and leave deep sun-burn marks for days! I definitely don't want that happening! So, at the first diving spot, I didn't see much! 'coz I kept struggling in the water, kicking into Hunny, holding onto Hunny, busy pushing away all the hair out of my face, putting the mask back on, taking it out when it becomes misty again, and repeating the whole cycle for a couple of times until it was time to return to the boat. Ahh!! So tiring!

Soon, we proceeded to the next spot. This time, I knew what to expect. So, before I jumped into the water, I made sure my hair was away from my face, put the mask on before I jumped , and I began learning to snorkel properly. Before I decided to snorkel at Bunaken, I totally igonred the fact that I was severely short-sighted, thinking that it didn't matter. After all, I would be under water, the fish would come swimming towards me anyway. However, because I forgot to bring some bread, little did I know that I'd be watching them from afar!

I think Hunny must have had a tough time guiding me towards the right direction and attracting my attention towards special fishes, creatures and corals! Since both of us were underwater, most of the time, I didn't understand what he wanted me to look at. I just looked at what I could see! I'd be lucky when the sun shone upon the fishes andI'd be able to see the fishes swimming ahead happily from one point to another. However, when the clouds passed by, the sun rays were blocked, and I'd be as blind as a bat, plunged into darkness, leaving me much room for my imagination.

One incident still stays vividly in my mind. Hunny was prodding me to look at something really rare and significant amongst some corals on the seabed. He asked me if i could see. I looked at what Hunny was pointing to, the direction of his fingers, but I just couldn't figure out what he wanted me to look at! The water depth was about 5-10 metres.. and I just squinted my eyes as much as possible, trying to see clearer and look further ahead. But I just didn't get him! So, I asked him to go up to the surface. and made him talk.

"What do you want me to see, Hunny? I don't see anything!" I exclaimed.

"Arrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghh!!!!" Hunny sounded so frustrated! hhahah! "I want you to see the turtle ler! Did you see it? Did you see it?" He asks excitedly.

"Oh no! I can't seee!!!"

"Ok.. never mind, never mind! Let me point it out to you!"

Hunny holds his breath, and dives deep down to the seabed, points directly at which I presume to be a turtle, looks up to me in his snorkel mask and asks in sign language, "Do you see? Can you see?"

I can't help burst out laughing underwater! I think Hunny is suffering. The shell of the turtle and the corals are both brown, almost the same colour! I better not make him stay down there for too long. I better say "yes" before he drags me down to have a closer look at it too! So, I simply answered "yes!" and gave him a thumbs up sign. Suddenly, I had this realization that my eyesight was really bad. I need to get a real good snorkeling mask adjusted to the power of my eyes before going snorkeling again next time!

At all 3 locations, Hunny pointed out many creatures and corals to me! Unfortunately, I could only spot about one-fourth of what he pointed out to me. Half of the time, I was left to my imagination. Because at the place where I was snorkeling, the water was quite shallow, most of the corals were already dead. The seabed was mostly brown, with corals that looked hard and of the same colour as the sand! I didn't see many live corals which were bright and swaying to the left and right. When the sun-rays shone upon the fishes directly, I was the happiest person that day 'coz it certainly improved my vision! When the sun shone through the seawater, I could see shiny schools of fishes swimming with a certain direction in mind. The best part about snorkeling at Bunaken was I got to see several blue starfishes at the bottom of the seabed! I also spotted a few nemo fishes , eels and baby barracuda! I was so happy! Though I can't have them for lunch, at least I can see them swimming underwater! It was certainly a magical sight to behold!

When I told Hunny that I'd be better off looking at these underwater life at the marine museums, he totally disagreed! "Jean! You ought to learn diving! Snorkeling is not going to bring you anywhere! Trust me! Once you learn diving, you will get addicted! You will want to dive again and again!"

Yes! Yes! I know it! After this, I will take diving lessons as planned. I definitely don't want it to be my last thought before I heave my last breath.

During lunch, a man in a small boat came rowing by. He was chatting with one of the diving team members at the bow of the boat, with a big bag of stuff beside him. I kept wondering what was in the bag until I couldn't stand it anymore that I went to the bow too! Lo and behold! The guy was selling things! There were Bunaken T-shirts, wooden toys, wooden boats and airplanes to fix, just like Lego, bracelets, anklets and necklaces all made of seashells. I was so taken in that I decided to buy one for my cousin. But, when I put it on, I loved the sight of it so much so that I decided to keep it for myself instead. hehe!

The small boat... I especially love the sight of the two bamboos on both sides of the 'sampan'. See! Another demonstration of how useful bamboo is on this part of the island.

This is how the man 'latched' onto the bigger boat

While the divers were waiting for about 1 hour to re-fill their oxygen tank, we sat on the boat, looking out to sea. When I happened to look down into the ocean to have a look at the water, I realized that we had stopped at a very shallow part of the sea indeed! I could see through the water! Unfortunately, I couldn't see any fishes swimming happily around. All I saw were the corals which were stagnant.

Corals in Bunaken... probably growing at the wrong water depth

Corals on another side of the boat... Doesn't the sea look so inviting? It's beckoning us to jump into its open arms!

On the third dive, as I was putting on my life jacket, Hunny said, "Jean! Don't you dare put on the life jacket anymore! You can swim! So, just jump into the sea and taste the freedom."

Well, I thought, I ought to try swimming with the fins on, and the life jacket off. After all, there's no harm done in trying. So, I threw the life jacket aside and jumped into the deep, blue sea. I was so happy that I was finally calm in the water, and I could stay afloat without kicking and struggling, that the diving team took a picture of me! heehhe!

Yes! I finally made it!

As I snorkelled around the Bunaken island for the 3rd time, I saw a bunch of colourful corals swaying silently according to the motion of the underwater current. I wished I had an underwater camera at that time. Then again, the best memories are always those that remain in our minds. We don't have to snap pictures all the time. As I oogle at the coral, Hunny urges me forward, as if saying, "Hurry hurry. There's not enough time for you to look at this! There are still so much more to see!" So, I follow along. This time, I'm more calm. I'm able to take in all there is to see, bit by bit.

By the time I have finally mastered the 'art' of snorkeling, Hunny shows the time's up sign. It's time for me to climb up to the boat. He swims away from the corals and back into the part of the sea that seems bottomless for once. Time flies. I didn't even realize that it was already 5pm! Awww! I really do want to stay longer here!

As I climbed up onto the boat, I look around Bunaken island. It had such a magical charm on it. I just couldn't take my eyes off it as our boat Captain slowly steered the boat towards Cocotinos Resort once again.

Bunaken Island-I can see the cross perched high up on the church!

After snorkeling, I sat at the cafe on the sea, waiting for my friend to arrive from her highland tour. I took out a few magazines to read under natural sunlight. A waiter came by to offer me a cup of tea. As I sipped the tea, I looked out to sea. It was almost 5.30, or around 6pm. The sun was setting. Right in front of my eyes was the most tranquil scene ever! A picture of pink, violet, blue, red and orange, flooded the skies. I was awestruck. How long has it been since I last had the time to observe the colours of sunset or sunrise? When was the last time I sat on the grass and enjoyed every passing minute without a single worry on my mind? All these seem as if they happened eons ago. And now, I'm reliving them, nostalgic, all old feelings rekindled. I remind myself, "Jean! U must learn to appreciate the simple things of life again. Sunrise, sunset, rain and shine, the colours of the flowers, leaves and branches, learn to enjoy them again."

At night, we took a ride into the city. First stop, we bought some kuih terang bulan. In Malaysia, we call it 'ban zhang kuih' or in Malay, apam balik. The creative guys spreaded lots of butter, chocolate, cheese and sprinkled lots of peanuts and sugar over it. They folded it into half, cut it and gave each of us a piece to try! I took one bite and I hungrily devoured the rest! It was sinfully delicious!

Next stop, I bought some souvenirs for my friends and relatives. At the 3rd stop, I bought a local traditional bamboo music album. 4th stop, I bought some local kerepek.

At about 10pm, we stopped for dinner at a local Minahasa restaurant. Though we had to wait 1 hour for our food to arrive, we were certainly entertained by a group of fellow patrons who decided to put on their best dresses and sang several Christian songs! The moment I heard the lyrics and the melody, I knew they were hymns and worship songs. It's been a long time since I went to Church and I feel that I ought to go back real soon. Well, it's never too late. hehe!

After our dinner, we decided to go to Pantai Bahu for a long walk. Built on reclaimed land, it houses a mall and some expensive cafes and restaurants right beside the beach.

Bahu Mall-All Lighted Up In The Night

As we looked up into the sky, we saw a rare phenomena. There was another ring of light around the moon. Aptly named Corona, the rings are formed by refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the sky among the clouds. In Vietnam, as I travelled with my friend on my last day in her hometown of An Giang Province, I saw the corona too! I wonder if I 'm destined to see Corona-s on my last day of holiday each time. Stunned into silence. Dumbstruck.

As a plane flew past, our guide said, "Look! Look! That's the only fly that can't be eaten here in Manado!"Apparently, in Manado, Minahasa people consume bats, dogs, rats and even snakes! It is said that the Minahasa restaurants will serve any living thing that flies, walks, swims, slithers or crawls on the table. Sara, my travelling partner, could only nod weakly in agreement. The mere mention of the phrase 'fly that can't be eaten' strikes a vivid and horrifying image in her mind.

Earlier in the morning, she had witnessed live puppies being butchered and its meat sold for consumption. One of the guys in the market even made her smile at her own camera while she stood beside one of the meat stalls! On the bucher's table, the puppies were dead. All of them were black, about 1 feet long, laid down side by side with their mouths wide open. One could still their teeth, tongue and eyes. Oh! The helpless little puppies!

In our local market, meat such as chicken, duck and beef, are sold only after they've been slaughtered and cut up into pieces. Some are even deboned and de-skinned! But here, in Manado, dogs are sold like fishes! Imagine that!

A lover of dogs, Sara was overwhelmed by the sight that greeted her. She saw dogs caged in a compound, the clock of their lives just ticking away as the locals dropped in one by one, to select the best dog to be chopped up for food on the table. The smell in the market was so overpowering that when she arrived at the hotel, she could still smell it the whole night! Needless to say, Sara didn't even touched a single bite of our dinner which consisted of chicken, rice and onions. She could only drink up her favourite sour sop juice.

Now, Am I glad I went snorkeling!

Bats on the table

Jungle Rats on Skewers

Slithering Snakes Waiting to be Sliced Open

Grilled Fish