Reflection & Rumination: March 2010

So, after dipping into the sea, we went all the way up hill. Most of our times were spent on travelling in Day 3 of our Manado trip actually because we went from Bunaken to Manado. From Manado to Tomohon. Then from Tomohon to Tondano. And finally from Tondano back to Tomohon again.

Rewind back again and let me explain...

We left Bunaken Island in the late morning after breakfast. Upon reaching Manado, we took a ' 'mickrolet' (the blue van) to "Karombasan" bus station. From there, we board on a public bus with a Rp 6,000 each to Tomohon. So, all in all it cost only about Rp 8,000 for about an hour of bus ride to the city of flower, Tomohon.

The air along the journey gets cooler and cooler as we go higher and higher. I don't see much flowers but air was definitely fresher and refreshing in Tomohon. The first thing we did when we arrive Tomohon was LUNCH!!! Lunch was at "Sineleyan", which is just a junction away from the turning into the bus stop. It is along the mainroad, on your left if you are travelling from Manado. This restaurant is surrounded by some sort of a pond or lake. And just adjacent to them is another pond for public fishing.

At that time, they only have Ikan Mas and we ordered few fishy in different types of cooking. Ikan Mas Goreng is definitely a must order! The rest are so so. The greens as usual they have kangkong only (as in the green leafy type of vege). Come to think of it, I think the whole Manado only serve kangkong, nothing but kangkong.

Anyway, lunch was a satisfaction. And yeah, something to beware of:

This dish may look timid and simple BUT it is very, VERY SPICY!!! All the small, little green chilli padi will guarantee you an emergency need for iced water.

Restaurant's environment and food was really not bad. The most uncomfortable thing is that, the water and waste goes directly back into the pond. All the hand wash detergent, the remains of food (including fish bones) + tissues were all thrown conveniently back into the pond. The moment those wastes were flung off from above, all the fishes below will swarm towards the shower.

And I do not even want to know where did our fishes in the lunch come from.

After lunch, we head towards Tondano by "mikrolet". Then from there we switched to another "mikro" to "Remboken" to see the lake. The route was bumpy but was breathtaking. The air was chilly and we have to go through padi fields surrounded by volcanic mountains.

And the lake was really BIG. So big that it looks like a sea!

We were also told that there is this tourist spot which has hot spring water for bathing. And that was how it looks from the outside.

This tourist spot was full of people of course since it is a long holiday for their country. We did not manage to get any hot bath or anything. The place appeared run down.

We just walked around, saw some boats.

Saw some trees.

And saw some other boat. Plus some really old, second-hand-looking-Winnie-the-Pooh-mascot and a pool filled with people and kids, rather than water.

Initially we thought of putting a night in Tondano or Remboken but at the end we decided that we should at least go back to Tomohon. Well, you know why.

This so called tourist area is located really deep inside. You can almost lie down on the road for half an hour, without cars passing. The main transportation deep in this place called Remboken is Ojek. They are motorcylists which will transport you around like a taxi. But of course, only one passenger per motorcycle.

After much waiting and travelling. We finally made it back to Tomohon. Yeay! We were saved! :)

We stayed in this place called, El Lokon Inn. It is new, comfy, clean and feels like home. But, it is not cheap, Rp 300, 000 per night. I mean relatively speaking since my trips to Indonesia had always been the low budget type.

It is a double storey inn, run by a couple but owned by some other people living in Jakarta. The couple was really nice and helpful. We were the only guests that night and it totally feels like home.