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A Week in Manado - Part 1
Just a couple of days after we came back from Melbourne, we departed for a week-long holiday in Manado. This was not the first time we were here, you can view pictures from our 2012 visit on my old posts. There was a good reason for our back to back trip. See, Garuda had another ticket sale, and the promotion for Manado is only valid for travels ending by June 30th.
We started our journey with a morning flight, not too early though so it was okay. This time we invited to take our nanny who had been working for us for over 25 years to come with us, because she had a sister who lived there.
It was cloudy and drizzly when we arrived, despite the fact that it was end of June - the supposedly dry season. On the plane with us, was my mom's sister and her husband who were going home to Manado. Their son picked us up at the airport with 2 vehicles to fit all of us. Thank God for families!
Our first stop was Smile Cafe, famous for their awesome soesen, rhumhorn, and bakwan. They tasted heavenly.....
Soesen and rhumhorn
Bakwan Campur
Bakwan Bakso Goreng
Fried Banana
From there we went to my cousin's apartment where we will be staying at for the length or our stay. DH was feeling under the weather that evening so he stayed behind at dinner time while we went to San Francisco Restaurant and had Babi Tore (Crispy Pork). On the way back to the apartment, we stopped by at Manalagi Cafe and had some young coconut and Pisang Goroho ( a type of banana that's not sweet, supposedly suitable for diabetic people). Generally the bananas are thinly sliced and crispy fried, served with Sambal Roa (Roa fish chilli sauce).
Pisang Goroho with Sambal Roa
We rested well that evening, and were ready for our journey when we woke up!
The apartment balcony
View from the apartment
View from the apartment
View from the apartment
My cousin's dad came to pick us up from the apartment, and of course, our first stop was for coffee.... It was at the legendary Rumah Kopi Tikala, supposedly the oldest coffee house in Manado. I was told they have their own groups of people who hang out there everyday, days and nights, and this is where all kinds of information get exchanged and all kids of deals take place.
Apparently caucasians don't usually go there, so DH got a special massage from one of the old guys there...
Kopi susu
Back Massage
Well of course no one else got a massage...
After coffee we got together with my mom's older sister and we all went to Bitung, a small town near Manado where you can get the freshest fish in the area. On the way, we stopped at Biapong Kios 17 to get some pork steamed buns for my mom and her sister.
Steamed pork bun
We arrived in Bitung about an hour later, and the destination was Ikan Bakar Mando Resto. Mando is very good at choosing fresh fish and grilling them. My aunt came and join us from work at the restaurant, and she had pre-ordered our food the day before so it was all ready when we arrived. So much fish!! And oh so good!!!
Miss Kiki and the three Omas
The picture taking ceremony... lol
Ikan Woku
I forgot to mention that it was my uncle's birthday that day, and he invited us to his birthday dinner at Wahaha restaurant. But before that, we stopped by at the Manado Town Square (ManToS) for creambath. Miss Kiki decided that she wanted to try creambath too, so... why not.
The birthday dinner that evening was fun, with a variety of food and music. Too bad we didn't capture all of the food on photos. They had live music playing at the restaurant, and in Manado, you don't have to ask twice (or at all) for the guests to come up and sing. :D
One of my cousins went up to sing, my aunt also went up to sing. We asked Miss Kiki to see if she too, wanted to sing. She was hesitant, but I think she did. So I offered to go sing with her and she immediately agreed. When it was her turn, she wanted to sing "Let It Go" but they could not play it. So after browsing their song books, we decided on "Don't Cry Joni." Yup, Miss Kiki likes oldies...
If you're wondering how she knows that song, here's a clip from when she was 3 years old...
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