Manado

A fisherman preparing his boat to go out to sea.
 

After twenty one years away, I have finally returned to Manado.  My memories are hazy since I left when I was eleven, yet I still remember bits and pieces of this small city of my birth.  Many things that I thought were big as a kid turned out to be quite small now that I am a grown up.  Many things remained the same, yet at the same time, there were so much new that it could have been an entirely different place.  Meeting my relatives after so long was the main reason for my return and I am glad to be back.

Despite being treated well by everyone, I cannot help but miss Toronto.  Manado, a city of 400 000, seem so claustrophobic to me.  It made me appreciate my new home even more now that I am here.  The chaos of city traffic, the oppressing heat, and the overall strangeness of everything here made me realize that despite my wanting to visit, I could never live here again.  After all, I have spent more of my years in Canada than I did in Indonesia.  Not to sound ungrateful, I do like the orderly life I have in Toronto.

In any case, below are pictures I took of things that I deem interesting.  National Geographic photographer I am not but enjoy regardless.

Part of a maze-like network of walkways in a market.
 

A suspension bridge under construction.
 

A normal day at an old marketplace.
 

Small wooden boats carry cargo and passengers to and from small islands surrounding Manado.
 

My uncle buying satay for lunch. He wanted them grilled longer.
 

I attended many church service here, known as The Cathedral. It is newly renovated.
 

Another view of the suspension bridge under construction.

My cousin picking up some parcels aboard a small island hopping ship.
 

Christ Blessing Statue, second tallest in Asia, and fourth in the world.