Bunaken: Divers Paradise

Today I found these old pictures so I’d like to share them here. It’s all about Bunaken Island. Have you ever heard of it? Its a National Marine Park in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. They call it a paradise for divers. I was lucky enough to always have a job related to travelling..several years ago..so Bunaken is one of the places I was able to visit many times. Yet, I never go there for diving nor snorkeling — I can’t swim 🙂 — so unfortunately I have no underwater photos. For more information about Bunaken, you can visit (http://www.sulawesi-info.com/bunaken.php).

Manado Tua Island & Bunaken Island a view from Tumpa Hill (Gunung Tumpa) at Manado

At Liang Beach, west of Bunaken Island (Tumpa' Hill is visible in the distance)

At Pangalisang Beach, east of Bunaken Island

One of the resorts in Bunaken

Passangers boat to Bunaken

Enjoy the trip

For more information about how to go to Bunaken, please visit http://www.jotravelguide.com/ID/indonesia/manado/bunaken.php.

Linow Lake, Tomohon

@ Linow Lake

 

Linow Lake, a sulfur lake

 

Linow Lake, way to go..

 

Linow Lake, home sweet home...

Linow Lake is located in Lahendong, Tomohon. It’s about 30 km (about 18 miles) or less than one hour from Manado. It’s a magic lake! 🙂 It contains of rich sulfur so on sunny days one could be lucky enough to catch the view of its changing color.

I missed the time when I visited this lake anytime & no need to pay for the entrance ticket! There is a private kind of cottage located by this lake, as you can see through my 2nd pic, and you have to pay for Rp. 25.000 (less than 3$). But in return, they will serve you with a cup of coffee or tea, and a local dish / cake.

When you eat a boiled-egg, of course you could also smell it, right? That’s the familiar smell once you are approaching Lahendong village. From the main road, you need to go up a small road on the left (about 700m), pass another cottage (Villa Esmeralda), and down to this beautiful lake.

Just Another Reflection

I took this photo at Padang Beach in West Sumatra in 2008. The address of my blog is actually inspired by this photo. It really speaks up for my purpose in writing every single post here. I love looking at this photo, imagining any possibility it depicts and soaring high above my wildest dreams for my life…

I know God has a purpose in me through every talent and ability He’s entrusted me. It’s my part now to walk it through, live it, gain more, and bring it back to Him when the twilight comes my way.

One thing for sure, I am not going to bury all my potentials and bring it all to the tomb. Though sometimes I fail & fall, but I know He is always there on the other side watching over me & always ready to raise me up again.

 

(Image credit: http://www.jotravelguide.com)

Kora-Kora Beach

As I said earlier in my other post, I started to love history, especially those that are related with my country, Indonesia. Previously, when I visited a place like this I used to merely enjoy the beauty of the nature & took some narcissism photos like these.  🙂 Now I see it from a different angle that take me back to the colonialism era our country endured in the past. I’m not trying to explain it though 🙂

Just a brief information about this place, it’s called Kora-Kora Beach and located in Kapataran Tondano. Spell it and it sounds like Japanese. But when I track back through history, this beach was named based on a Moluccas’ war ship that was shipwrecked on this shoreline  when a fight against Dutch took place.

It’s nice to spend time here, moreover there are two sweet resorts called Olivia Resort (-not me-) & Supit Reunion Resort to stay in. The last one needs a direct approval from its owner (the family of dr. Bert A. Supit) who lives in Tomohon which is less than two hours trip by car from this place.

With my hubby at Kora-Kora Beach

dr. Supit, who owns this 3ha land above this beach, said that there are actually two Dutch bunkers in this location. But during my visits there (three times) I didn’t notice the other one. Maybe it was covered by weeds like any other historical sites in Minahasa 😦

Dutch bunker overlooking the offshore

I ever stayed in this resort back in 2005 when I took 32 old people from Holland (the youngest was 72 years old!!) in their three-week-tour around Manado-Minahasa-Bitung (all in North Sulawesi). It was an exciting experience!

At night, as we sat at the porch overlooking the offshore of North Sulawesi, we could see ships from Bitung passed through. They usually head for Luwuk – Banggai in Central Sulawesi.

But, unlike any other beach, it’s not safe to swim here because the coastline is just a few meters away then it comes to a really deep ocean (as I was informed).

Well, I hope to be able to go there again one day and explore more of it.

Our Handprints at Kora-Kora Beach 😉

Cap Go Meh 2012 in Tomohon

We were on our way to downtown this afternoon (February 6th) but we could not take the usual route. Instead, we were diverted to an alternative road because some ‘Nce Pia’s are in action as you can see below:

The Ex Dutch Seaplane Base / Naval Base in Tasuka, Tondano

When I was a student at school then at university, I really didn’t have a great interest in studying historical subject. Sometimes, I learned it just because I had to pass the exam and forgot it right away when the exam was done. So, learning history at that time is just for the sake of a good grade on my progress report. 🙂

But recently, since I started writing on my blog here, seemingly I am raising a new passion in me to study about things happened in the past, especially the ones related to the history of my hometown and the surrounding areas in Minahasa, North Sulawesi. This time, I am trying to answer my curiosity about a historical place I ever visited in Tondano when I still worked for www.jotravelguide.com

Here I am talking about an ex Dutch seaplane base in Tasuka village which is located by Tondano Lake in Minahasa Regency. It’s quite difficult to get as many information as possible about this historical site. I just found a few information of it on the internet then combined it with my former interview with the local people there.

This former Dutch seaplane base, which is called the MLD (MarineLuchtvaartDienst) or Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service, was built in 1936. There is also a bunker and a munitions dump just across the road. Reportedly, there were no major air attacks there during that time. Maybe it’s because that base was more functioned as a stopover point for refueling, repairs and rest for the crews.

On December 26^th, 1941, it was attacked by the Japanese. Actually, there were six flying boats based there but on that day, one of them was out on patrol. That unexpected raid destroyed the remaining five flying boats.

As I said earlier, there was also a bunker there. Not so long ago, the local people built their houses close to this bunker and used to hold their weekly devotion of evangelism there. But since the local government announced the issue of preserving this historical site, they were allegedly told to move from there so they built new houses not far from that site.

Below are some photos of this seaplane base, the bunker, and the munitions dump.

The Ex Dutch Seaplane Base in Tasuka, Tondano

Entrance to the bunker

Inside the bunker. It was so dark in here that we needed a flashlight. We went through a very small connecting door on the left as the man was facing to.

The munitions dump

My Lyrics

I love making lyrics for songs but it’s been quite long time ago since the last ones I made. I learned that falling in love is the perfect moment to start writing the lyrics (to me). Below are some of my lyrics. Just a kind of nostalgic moment to cherish a God-given gift, my answered-prayer, a special man who has now become my husband.

“It’s all about loving you”
(Nov 4th, 2008, 19.08 – 20.13; at home)

What a feeling I have inside
It keeps burning and won’t subside
I can’t find a word to describe
Just let it flow with the stream of time

This thrill in my heart…
It’s because of you…
I can’t get you out of my mind…
It’s because of love, it’s because of love,
It’s all about loving you….

What is it going on with me,
I’m so helpless every time I think about it
So crazy I’m so crazy about you
Do you know that…
Do you know that…??

“Love and Time”
(Nov 8th, 2008; 01.36 – 02.06 at home)

There’s a voice in my heart
Telling me you are the one
You are the one I’ve been waiting for so far
It won’t be wrong this time

The way you smile, laugh and talk
I just can’t help myself to forget it
The way you see me in the eyes
Is there anything better than that?

Words unspoken, time will tell
Let love finds its way
To get the two hearts connected
I believe, sooner or later,
We’ll belong to each other

Love and time,
Just like two of us
Love and time……….

This one is dedicated to my friend, Chrysant & her husband. Sorry, I’m still thinking of the right title for this one 🙂

Nov 16th, ’08 at home (00.06 – 00.32)

When seconds turn to minute
and minutes to hour
I know I really mean it
to safe this love of ours

For we both know
on what our love is laid
so let it grow
till no more need to wait

to spend my whole life through
to bear the bad and the good

You’ll be forever my lover
There will be no ‘It’s over’,
Though it will be tougher
Than what we could imagine
Only believe there’s a hope just around the corner
All we need is to keep our faith in prayer

I have more lyrics actually, but since I just wrote them down each on a piece of paper so I don’t know where I keep those precious papers. Hope I could find them and add them to this post.