Friend and Olive Oil

Since I studied and received my  “Wine Sommelier" and also "Olive Oil Sommelier" license in Italy last year, now not only understanding wine but also we start having a passion for "real good olive oil".  

Before all this, I thought oil is oil, did not notice so much difference between the good one and bad one.
It's like many non "rice eater” who might think the rice is all same, or not so much different to the others but there are a big differences, taste, flavor, old one, new one, etc.

Anyway...  just before we went to Italy, we got information about one of world best olive oils came from a Sicilian medieval town call "Buccheri" - where our Sicilian friend Emanuele Hesael Pavano (some call "Siracusa Jonny Depp") comes from. He is a singer in Siracusa, we met him in a restaurant at Ortigia, enchanted by  his performance and romantic voice

So we visited Siracusa and met him again last month.
He was very kind and drove us to his home town "Buccheri", managed to meet a producer of the world gold award olive oil "Agrestis Flore D'oro DOP", and very fortunately got the oil, too!!!! ….we could carry back only two bottles but so so happy.

Emanuele, La ringrazio molto per tutto!!

"Buccheri" is about 1hour and half away from Siracusa by car.

Agrestis Flore D'oro DOP

(got Gold Award in New York International Olive Oil Competition in 2013)

Emanuele Hesael Pavano

(YouTube Link:Hallelujah(piano e voce)

Thank you very much, Emanuele!! 

Grazie mille, Emanuele!!

Mr.Hirano's Photo Gallery May2015

Let us introduce Mr.Hirano "a Japanese world traveller"'s Photo.

Spinecheek anemonefish

Latticed Butterflyfish

Signalfin Gobi

Pennant Bannerfish

Big Thanks to Mr.Hirano san from Cha Cha!!

Salp around Bunaken Island

Salp

around Bunaken Island, we have seen quite few different types of Salp like this picture.

Usually "Transparent Alian" looking creature.

(photo taken March2015 by R.Downey)  

What is "Salp"?!

"A salp (plural salps) or salpa (plural salpae or salpas[1]) is a barrel-shaped, planktonic tunicate. It moves by contracting, thus pumping water through its gelatinous body. Salp jet propulsion is one of the most efficient in the animal kingdom.[2]The salp strains the pumped water through its internal feeding filters, feeding on phytoplankton." 

by Wikipedia

Our Guests saw yesterday one of Salp was shape like this one.

(by Goodheart's Extreme Science)

by Bunaken Cha Cha

Before Sunrise

Before sunrise.

from Cha Cha @ Bunaken Island, Indonesia

Wondering Nudibranch

Giant barrel sponge - Day bed for "Angelfish"

Happy Anniversary Cha Cha!!

Happy Anniversary Cha Cha!!

16 years ago we started live on Bunaken Island.

Thank you for all our guests and friends, family, and travel agents, all people supported us for all these years!!!

and Thank you for my Raf chan ❤︎❤︎❤︎ who is cooking the Italian grandmother "Ragu" at moment.


We will celebrate tonight with Sassicaia.

We got this bottle in Montecatini when I became a "Sommelier" in Italy last year.

SUPER SEA VIEW!!

This was yesterday.
It was breath taking, superb sea view as it is now. but for us water was still not clear enough looking because of the wavy days and quite heavy rainy days we had for a while in this wet season.

Can you imagine when the dry season arrive and water become super clear as usual around Bunaken and see this same SUPER SEA VIEW???   We can not wait!

The World You Did Not Know...?! Got to see this site!

I know this site in Japanese, but you GOT  TO!!  GOT TO!!  SEE these picutres on this web site!!!!

http://1puku.jp/pukuneta/37377?mg=h150312ne6

You can see some big pictures of some of strange creatures like this actually exist on this earth??!!
I really thought some of these are came from outer space till I saw this site tonight.

You can see picture from top of
  1. Umbonia Spinosa
  2. Goblin shark (Deep sea shark)
  3. Galapagos bat fish (The big bright red rips are so sexy!!)
  4. Panda ant
  5. Atretochoana eiselti
  6. Hummingbird halk moss
  7. the last one is this one they call this "Glaucus atlanticus"  ... a sea slug???

VIP Snorkelers ?? Huge Passenger ship in front of Cha Cha

Early this morning we were quite shocked to see such a huge Boat so close to the reef, maybe more awareness is needed if these big boats come often to Bunaken, they should really not stay so close to the coral reef and especially on a falling tide, luckily nothing bad happened but for sure there are many possible dangers so close then four of their zodiac start going around reef with some passenger.  Maybe VIP snorkelers??
Found out it was a Cruise Ship, 90m long with possibility of 140 guests......wow

Happy New Year 2015 - The First Dive @ Bunaken Island

New Year Dive 1/1/2015

Happy New Year Smile!!

We are closing resort at moment due to the renovation, but our friend came over for new year.

After the bad weather, some dive site looks really poor bisability, but when we reached mandarin point at Bunaken, the "bis" was not bad at all.  we saw some of these huge coral were broken and  looks still new damage, maybe that was the resulf of big wage while the storm the other day. 

apart from that, it was very nice calm dive among the impressively beautiful coral.

Happy Holiday!

Gonzo is not well...

Unfotunately Gonzo is not in good condition since end of November.

It seem like he may have had a stroke.. we think he lost sight in one eye and not able to hear from right side well anymore… occasionally he has seizures too.

It's really a heartbreaking  situation.  There is only one vet in Manado, but he is not available... another disappointment.  we just do our best for him.  

Good news is he is still eating at least and sleeps almost all day on the beach

Like a post card!

Want's to take this kind of picture myself but never succeeded so far.
It's beautiful...

Let's jump in!!!!


Thank you, Dave ✰✰✰✰✰

Late Autumn Leaves in Bunaken and Siladen Isaland

These days we started to see "autumn colors" on trees in Bunaken and also Siladen beach front.

Coral wants to say something....?

This coral look like few mouth with pink rips...

Red dragonet fish@Bunaken Island

used to be almost wild....

"Kuro chan(black in Japanese +chan)", a descendant of the Cha Cha regend cat family "Miyau Miyau & Miyauko".

She was a almost wild kitten but tooks years and years to come this closer. still not be able to touch her or stroke her.

Travel Friends and partners.

A Coral @ Bunaken

Good looking!

Healthy reef of Bunaken Island.

Manado Tua

TK was qute mild current. spanish macro, bumphead parrotfish, napleonfish, jackfish, octopus, barracuda, etc. 

a day of Bunaken sky

a cloud formation.

Famous Rock Star Guests?!!!!!

We sometimes have very "stylish" guests like this.
 Maybe they are the  "Famous Rock Star" .... or very unique guests??!!

Mr.D&J, Thanks for the good fun. hahaha...

Bunaken Olive and Sunrise.

Selamat Ulang Tahun 69th Indonesia!!

Selamat Ulang Tahun 69th Indonesia!!

 (Happy Independence Day, Indonesia!!)

Herb gardening in Cha Cha.

When I started work in Japanese Bank in London after marriage, never understood why some of my Japanese colleague who was same age or younger than me were talking about their new hobby "Gardening".  Unfortunately I was really not interested, it was sound very boring.
But now 15 years later(!!),  proudly I will speak about my herb garden in Cha Cha.  I am still not a "Green finger's person", but started gardening from necessity, cause in Manado, they do not sell "Italian basil" or "fresh coriander" or "Dill".  Hmm.. I love coriander!

Beginning was we bought some seed in Italy but forgotten about it for a year, then one day I just planted some seed before it's go bad.

Wow.. look at some results!  When I look after more, they grow happily and more and more coming out.  Amazing.

Finally I can use coriander for rice spring roll, basil for pasta, dill with tuna, etc for Cha Cha guests menu.
Also started to grow Italian tomato for trial. we are looking forward to see the first little Italian tomato in Cha Cha in near future... (cross finger!)

 Basil

Coriander

Rice spring roll with fresh Cha Cha coriander with home made sweet chili source.

Italian tomato plant start growing well.

A good day for diving.

Diving with our guests Pierre & Marie.
Merci!

Good day for snorkeling @ Bunaken Island

Hana chan playing with sand

Hana chan growing bigger but she is only 10 month old puppy.

Last Minute Booking Special for May/June2014

Last Minute Booking Special!!!!
Only for direct booking May/June 2014, from minimum 2 people.


more detail ↓

For Non Diver Package
http://www.bunakenchacha.com/lastminute_nondiver2014.html

For Diving Package
http://www.bunakenchacha.com/lastminutes_diver2014.html