I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS POST TWO FOLD.
First to give tribute to Lorne Blair who I had the privilege of meeting in my travels to the Ring of Fire. Second as promised;
"THE ISLAND OF SULAWESI"
I first became intrigued with the archipelagos after reading the exciting books such as the "Malay Archipelago," by Alfred Russel Wallace also "Ring of Fire," by Lawrence and Lorne Blair, I had no idea that at the time I decided to visit these wonderful and mysterious Islands I would have the pleasure of meeting Lorne Blair who unfortunately is no longer with us, to the adventurous soul in us all his passing was a great lost. On this trip however I took a diving trip with him in the Bunaken's crystal waters where almost every imaginable species of tropical fish and coral would dazzle the eye of the beholder as it did mine.
IN MEMORY OF MY FRIEND LORNE ON OUR DIVE TRIP.BENTENG (fort) Pandang / Ft. RotterdamBuilt in 1545, during the rule of Tuni Pallanga, the tenth Sultan of Gowa, it overlooks the seafront. When the Dutch captured the city in 1667, the name was changed to Fort Rotterdam. The ramparts overlook the sea and bear marks of the capture still 300 years on. The hero of Indonesian independence, prince Diponegoro, was imprisoned here for 27 years. His cell is in the south west section of the Fort. It is not marked but there is a statue of the Prince on horseback in front of theFort. His tomb is also in the town on Jalan Diponegoro.
TORAJA LAND !
After Bali and Java, the third most popular destination in Indonesia is Sulawesi. Sulawesi island contains a great variety of exotic people, culture and natural wonders. It is another unspoild paradise. A journey into the strange world of mysterious Toraja People is truly a rare adventure, made especially eerie by their hauting tombs - holes carved out of sheer rock faces guarded by wooden effigies that stare out across the jungle.
The entry to Tana Toraja is marked by a gate built in traditional boat-shaped architecture. The road passes through the mountains of Kandora and Gandang on which, according to Toraja mythology, the first ancestors of celestial beings descended from heaven. The majority of the people still follows an ancestral cult called "Aluk Todolo" which governs all traditional ceremonies.Torajan culture is a complex blend of ancestor worship and animistic beliefs where rituals for the dead are colorful festivals to pave the way for the soul's entry into the hereafter. This unique culture, the scenic beauty, cool climate and gentle people are the main reason that Toraja is gaining popularity as a tourist destination. For many visitors, Toraja will linger in their mind as a land steeped in mystery, magic and ancient traditions. It is one of the world's rare cultural treasures.
FINALLY IN MEMORY OF MY FRIEND A VIDEO FROM HIS BROTHER Dr. LAWRENCE BlAIR.
Well that is all for today but please return tomorrow for our trip to the Island of Ambon where we will visit the river of Eels.
Until tomorrow "Peace."
