[lang=en]
In Indonesia, the nickname “Kota Kembang” (Flower City) has been for gazillion years trademarked by Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java.
For another Indonesian city of blooming roses and orchids— Tomohon, North Sulawesi, in this case— there are always alternative nicknames, like “Kota Bunga” (also means Flower City). Right, an ultra-distinctive alternative.
Anyhoooo, it’s a nickname Tomohon truly deserves. The city has plenty of flower gardens, roadside nurseries and an annual flower festival. Sadly, it seems the highland city’s fragrant blossoms attract more bees and butterflies rather than tourists.
So, what makes a trip to Tomohon an unforgettable one? Is it something that smells equally or even more unique? Exactly. It’s the Tomohon fresh market.
There you go, the stench of dead flesh
Located conveniently right next to the bus terminal, the daily market in Tomohon is a good stop on any tour of the North Sulawesi highlands. The market sells just about every kind of food known for The Minahasans of North Sulawesi, who eat anything with four legs apart from chairs and tables.
Just skip the spice and vegetable section, and go straight to the highlight of the area: the meat section.
The meat section isn’t too hard to find. You’ll surely smell the meat (or dead flesh) and hear dogs yelping in pain as you wander through the market. When you notice the humid air and see hordes of flies buzzing around, you’ll know that you’re there. Now, enjoy the horror show!
Obviously the butcher section is not for the faint of heart
The vendors of this section sell dog meat, bat meat (with complementary wings!), snake, lizard and even monkey. You can watch the slaughtering and see plenty of bloody carcasses for your enjoyment. My favorite part was watching the vendors burning dead bats’ hair off with a blowtorch before impaling them on sticks.
Are those for Ozzy Osbourne gigs?
However, I couldn’t stand watching a dog getting whacked with a wooden bat a few times on the back of its head and faced the death while other dogs watching from their cages. They seemed to realize that the same grim fate awaited.
I’m glad I left the gruesome scene with my sanity intact.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKetJyl95yI&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Any idea how that bat got so burned?[/ame]
Source[/lang]
In Indonesia, the nickname “Kota Kembang” (Flower City) has been for gazillion years trademarked by Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java.
For another Indonesian city of blooming roses and orchids— Tomohon, North Sulawesi, in this case— there are always alternative nicknames, like “Kota Bunga” (also means Flower City). Right, an ultra-distinctive alternative.
Anyhoooo, it’s a nickname Tomohon truly deserves. The city has plenty of flower gardens, roadside nurseries and an annual flower festival. Sadly, it seems the highland city’s fragrant blossoms attract more bees and butterflies rather than tourists.
So, what makes a trip to Tomohon an unforgettable one? Is it something that smells equally or even more unique? Exactly. It’s the Tomohon fresh market.
There you go, the stench of dead flesh
Located conveniently right next to the bus terminal, the daily market in Tomohon is a good stop on any tour of the North Sulawesi highlands. The market sells just about every kind of food known for The Minahasans of North Sulawesi, who eat anything with four legs apart from chairs and tables.
Just skip the spice and vegetable section, and go straight to the highlight of the area: the meat section.
The meat section isn’t too hard to find. You’ll surely smell the meat (or dead flesh) and hear dogs yelping in pain as you wander through the market. When you notice the humid air and see hordes of flies buzzing around, you’ll know that you’re there. Now, enjoy the horror show!
Obviously the butcher section is not for the faint of heart
The vendors of this section sell dog meat, bat meat (with complementary wings!), snake, lizard and even monkey. You can watch the slaughtering and see plenty of bloody carcasses for your enjoyment. My favorite part was watching the vendors burning dead bats’ hair off with a blowtorch before impaling them on sticks.
Are those for Ozzy Osbourne gigs?
However, I couldn’t stand watching a dog getting whacked with a wooden bat a few times on the back of its head and faced the death while other dogs watching from their cages. They seemed to realize that the same grim fate awaited.
I’m glad I left the gruesome scene with my sanity intact.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKetJyl95yI&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Any idea how that bat got so burned?[/ame]
Source[/lang]
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