A Fiery Wake-Up Call
August 12th. I woke up at 7:00 AM on the bus.
I was actually jolted awake at 2:00 AM earlier, but I wasn't hungry at all back then.
By morning, I figured I should eat something, but wow, it was unbelievably spicy!
Whatever that spicy stuff on the eggs was, it packed a serious punch. Definitely woke me right up.
Hello, Manado!
From 7:00 AM, it was about another six hours until we finally rolled into Manado.
Man, was I exhausted.
After hitting the bus terminal, a kind local I met gave me a ride straight to my hotel.
Once I got settled, I headed out to the downtown area. It's surprisingly spacious and has a real metropolitan vibe. You can definitely feel that it's a major, somewhat sophisticated city as you walk around.
Mie Ba Kuah: A Taste of Home?
For dinner, I decided to try a local dish called "Mie Ba Kuah".
I had never eaten it before, so I honestly had no idea if it would even be good, but I was determined to try something totally new.
Turns out, the "Ba" stands for pork. Since Manado has a Christian population, eating pork is allowed here.
And the taste? It was basically like Tonkotsu ramen! The pork bone broth tasted so close to what we have back in Japan, and it was absolutely delicious.
Next Stop: Tomohon
Today was mostly just a massive travel day, but I'm so glad I finally made it to Manado.
Tomorrow, August 13th, I'm heading out to an area called Tomohon. Can't wait to see what's next!
