yesterday we all went on a tour around the northernmost area of northern sulawesi. how is that for north? we went to a market, but we were a little late, so most of the stuff what closing down. then we drove around the countryside a bit, until we arrived close to the top of a volcano. we had to climb the rest of the way up a muddy path, but we all made it. it was really foggy while we were there, but just as we were about to head back down, it suddenly cleared up and was beautiful, you could see clearly all the way down into the crater.
after climbing back down we headed off to find some gado gado (a delicious local dish made with vegies, tofu, and peanut sauce), but we never found any, but luckily we did find some food, then we drove through more amazing countryside, and around a big lake with fish farms.
i have a million and one pictures, but i will control myself and only torture you all with a few. we were so many people, the big thoren family and guides and family members of guides, that we had two cars. thought this was a sweet moment of zoe waving at the car behind us that had emma and moa in it.
we even went to a pottery village, where anita got to check out all the local techniques. we arrived back at the hotel around 1930, hungry and tired, but happy. of course lumbalumba provided another delicious meal. then today we went diving, and i finally got to see pygmy seahorses again. when they say pygmy they mean pygmy, tiny, miniscual, maybe the size of zoe's little fingernail, and then they are hiding out on a coral that looks exactly like them. you take your eyes off the seafan, it can be quite difficult to see them again. i will close with a shot of one of the little guys.
then i free dove down and stole a little big of air!
after the standard lunch of yummy pad thai, anita and i hopped in. yawabon was full of nudis!
we hung out with a lionfish for a bit...
and more nudis!
the weather was perfect, the boatman lovely, and chicken island standing proud..
another great day out for all three generations!
while anita and thomas dove, zoe and i took a bit of a snorkel around yawasam...
then it was time for anita and i to hit the deep blue (or murky brown as it was)...
all in all, a great day out at sea for the whole family.
took emma for another bubblemaker session yesterday, went really well, she even managed some really nice summersaults.
then, in the evening, anders, cilla, anita, and i went on a mandarinfish dive, since we never really saw them at lumbalumba. We certainly did here! i even got a couple of shots of them mating. fishporn, you gotta love it!
then today we finally got zoe to swim in the pool without holding on to somebody, she was not happy and it was less than a meter, but it was a milestone! tomorrow we head over to bunaken for our last days of luxury and family.
after climbing back down we headed off to find some gado gado (a delicious local dish made with vegies, tofu, and peanut sauce), but we never found any, but luckily we did find some food, then we drove through more amazing countryside, and around a big lake with fish farms. 
i have a million and one pictures, but i will control myself and only torture you all with a few. we were so many people, the big thoren family and guides and family members of guides, that we had two cars. thought this was a sweet moment of zoe waving at the car behind us that had emma and moa in it.
we were all very excited about the dive and came back to an amazingly tasty buffet dinner. a great way to start off the trip. then today we went diving. took the boat over to bunaken and finally got cilla and anders back in the water after a 7 year dry spell!
then when we got back we all enjoyed a bit of splashing about in their amazing pool. looking forward to the new year's eve festivities.
