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latest picture: November 23, 2017

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            Ternate

208  Section of map regarding the ferry links

within and to the North Moluccas (we used the

"yellow lines" from the west [Bitung], in the

center [Bastiong, Rum, Sofifi] and eastwards

[Weda, Patani, Gebe])

209  On 11/16/2017 our ASDP ferry

“Portlink VIII” sets sail at the Northeastern port

of Bitung in Sulawesi and heads to the islands

of the North Moluccas. It's our 3rd ferry trip in

Indonesia. The commercial center of the northern

Maluku group (Ternate and Tidore) appears

210  Ternate with the near-conical volcano

Gamalama 5'627 ft. [1'715m] is our first North

Moluccan island. It's greeting with a beautiful cap

of white clouds, measures 43 sq.mi. [111km²],

counts about 210'000 people and the road

around it is barely 30 miles [50km] long

211  We are welcomed on the bridge of the

relatively new ASDP ferry “Portlink VIII”

(built 2016), where the captain offers us a coffee

212  Happy are the ones, who are able to grab

for the night-time sea journey a sleeping mat.

After the captain’s intervention, we are

also among them. There are no cabins

213  “Actually I would rather be in the

air than on the water” – a white cockatoo

(Cacatua alba), which is amazingly quiet

214  Our ship is approaching after a 15 hours,

167 miles [268km] long but quiet sea journey the

ASDP ferry terminal ‘Bastiong’ of Ternate. South

of it (on the picture) are the contours of the island

of Tidore (5'676 ft. [1'730m]), in the front the

1'266 ft. [386m) tall Maitare Island

215  Equipped with his camera, Emil is

standing at the railing of the ferry putting himself

in the right mood for the spice island of Ternate

216  Settlements are sprinkled particularly on

the east and south side on the coastal slopes

of the tropical volcanic island of Ternate. Its

volcano Gamalama is pretty active; it was

since 2012 through all the years restless

with smoke, ashes and earth tremors

217  On 11/17/2017, 11am, our ferry berths

at the port of Bastiong in Ternate. Emil is

waiting his turn to drive ashore

218  The time cas come: Our LandCruiser

is able to leave the hull of the ferry after

20 minutes and drives onto new territory: The

North Moluccas or also called North Maluku

219  Houses on stilts line the shore

of Ternate’s ferry terminal of Bastiong

220  We enjoy the view from the 6th floor

of the Muara Hotel in Ternate of the near-

conical, 5'627 ft. [1’715m] high Gamalama

volcano that dominates the city …..

221  ….. one of the many impressive mosques

on the tropical slope dominating Ternate – an

ancient Islamic Sultanate. North Maluku consists

of four former major sultanates: Ternate, Tidore,

Jailolo on Halmahera and Bacan in the south

222  A new weather condition, another

view: A tropical rainy front passes by

and engulfs the Gamalama cone

223  View to the eastside of the city of Ternate.

In the background Jailolo Mountain on Halmahera

Island, reachable by a 2 hours’ ferry ride

from Bastiong to either Sofifi or Sidangoli

224  At the most beautiful sea location lies

the mosque Raya Al Munawwar. Ternate first

of all, but also the whole province of North

Maluku, is predominantly Muslim

225  Ternate City spreads along the seashore.

The perfectly shaped peak in the background

is the volcano Kiematabu (5'676 ft. [1'730m])

on the island of Tidore

226  “Kedaton” – the former Sultan’s Palace

was built in 1796 and is now converted into a

museum (since the death of the last sultan in

2015 'temporarily' closed)

227  Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Michael

Jackson, B.B. King, Nelson Mandela und

Martin Luther King (fltr) are greeting from a house

wall opposite of the Sultan’s Palace of Ternate

228  Domes and minarets (front Al-Muttaqien

and back Raya Al Munawwar) dominate the

townscape of Ternate –

here in direction Southwest

229  Liliana at Tolukko Fort. It was built

by the Portuguese in the 16th century to

control the trade of gloves. From its seaside

cliff it offers superb views …..

230  ….. to the forest covered slopes

of the still active Gamalama volcano

with its scattered settlements …..

231  ….. and across the rusty corrugated

iron roofs of Ternate towards

the island of Halmahera

232  “Batu Angus” (burnt rocks) was formed

by a lava flow from an eruption of the

Gamalama volcano in 1673 …..

233  ….. the lava flu into the sea and

continued under water for quite a distance …..

234  ….. An asphalted path leads

through the bizarre lava region

235  Christian sisters seek shade at one of

the pavilions at “Batu Angus”. Heat can get

unbearable within the black lava formations

236  A Christian and a Muslim

child on their way to the kindergarten

237  Children in special costumes are waiting

to perform at the Muara Hotel in Ternate.

Because of the black-red-yellow-green colors

it's about a historic Soya-Soya dance, which is

performed in honor of important personalities

238  The calm, deep green “Tolire” crater lake

on the foot of Mount Gamalama, surrounded by

forest, is said to be infested by crocodiles

239  Jungle vegetation is growing rampant

and engulfing everything around it

240  The humidity of the jungle benefits

the growth of mushrooms and fungi

241  Danau Laguna – also called Lake Ngade,

known for its lotus flowers and holy crocodiles

that should bring luck when spotting them …..

242  ….. a blooming lotus flower

(Nelumbo nucifera) with sparkling

dewdrops on its large leaves …..

243  ….. view to the other

lake side with fishermen huts

244  The branches of a dead tree tower

ghostly at the Kastela beach into the sky. In the

distance "our" ferry 'Portlink VIII' reappears,

with which we arrived from Bintung

245  The kids from the kindergarten

at the Kastela beach have a tea-brake

246  The crumbling Portuguese fort Kastela

southwest of Ternate, built 1522, was the first

colonial fortification of the Moluccas. On

2/28/1570 Sultan Khairun of Ternate

was killed by the Portuguese

247  On the north coast of Ternate lies

Hiri Island (2'067 ft. [630m], also a

volcano with its steep slopes

248  The small harbor of Sulamadaha,

from where boats sail to Hiri Island

249  A boat is transporting motorbikes

across the sea to the island of Tidore

250  A deserted black sandy beach at Cape

Dukomadihi near the "Little Tolire Lake"

(at right) at the northwest coast of Ternate

251  A beautiful relaxed stop at the black

sandy beach of Cape Dukomadihi with

lovely view to the Hiri volcano

252  The skies see us off with a fantastic

cloud set-up on our last night before leaving

the island of Ternate after totally 10 days

            Tidore

253  11/22/2017: Liliana is standing at the railing

of the ferry “KMP Aeng Mas 1” that will sail with

us in only 20 minutes from Bastiong on the island

of Ternate to Rum on the island of Tidore,

our second Maluku-island-destination

254  Promising mood over Tidore – a

volcanic island similar to the one of Ternate – with

a size of 45 sq.mi [117km²] but a population of

only 60'000 people; its tallest peak, Mt. Kiematabu,

is 5'676 ft. [1'730m] high. The circumnavigation

road measures also barely 30 miles [50km]

255  The sun is rising behind the big neighbor

island of Halmahera (6,860 sq mi [17'780 km²]).

View from our homestay “Penginapan Seroja”

in the main town Soasio in the southeast

256  “Old Soasio” the main town of Tidore's

rich history, enchants by its abundance of

flowers and plants. Even the sidewalks

are adorned with flower pots

257  Our LandCruiser is allowed to park next

to blooming orchids of every kind at the “Pengina-

pan Seroja” homestay in “Old Soasio” – a cozy

place which however has seen better times

258  An empty motorbike rickshaw is waiting

for guests at the roadside of “Old Soasio” – a

nostalgic sight that reflects the sleepy island

character of Tidore. There are no trike

rickshaws on Ternate

259  An information sign in Soasio

of a different kind

260  Friendly Tidore faces are smiling into

our camera. The majority of Tidore’s population

– an ancient sultanate that had also territory on

Halmahera – is mainly Muslim

261  The flower pots on the sidewalks

of Soasio don't only enjoy the eyes,

they also serve as a seat

262  Fort “Benteng Tahula” is reigning over

“Old Soasio”. It is testimony of the short presence

of the Spaniards in the early 17th century

263  School kids visiting Fort Tahula

are taking a rest under a shady tree

from the steep ascent

264  Not only plants and flowers grow in

the garden of Fort Tahula, but also a little

maize field has been planted

265  View from Fort Tahula across the roofs

of the sleepy seaside town of “Old Soasio”

in the southeastern corner of Tidore

266  A fig tree is spreading its large roots

at the steep entrance stairway to the

fortress “Benteng Torre” in Soasio

267  The North Molucca island group is

within sight of each other. Here the view

southwards from Tidore’s Fort Tahula to the

islands of Moti (3'120 ft. [950m]) and behind

it Makian (ragged, 4'452 ft. [1'357m])

268  The entrance to Fort Torre in

Soasio is surrounded by beautiful flowers. It

was built by the Spaniards in the 17th century

269  Fort Torre lies amidst black

lava rocks. Its overwhelming floral

splendor sticks out everywhere

270  Due to the fertile volcanic soil,

flowers grow in abundance at Torre

Fort and give it its special charm

271  Only Liliana interrupts the compact

tropical picture at Fort Torre in Soasio

272  A blooming frangipani plant (Plumeria)

within the fort area. It reminds us to Tahiti in

the Pacific, where women stick this blossom

as adornment behind their ears

273  The Christ’s thorn (Euphorbia milii)

is one of the most frequently growing plants

on the island of Tidore. The blossoms

are of a surprising size

274  View from the walls of Fort Torre

to the pretty pavilion and the southern part

of the neighboring island of Halmahera

in the far distance

275  Again and again high growing palm

trees tower above the tropical vegetation

of Tidore. The highest mountain of Tidore,

Kiematabu, hides already at 8am in the clouds

276  A lovely villa at a priviledged seaside

spot at the foot of Fort Torre

277  A couple of mangroves interrupt

the omnipresent colorful coastal houses

on the north and northeast coast

278  A small ribbon of sand along the

north coast before the village of Rum,

Tidore’s ferry terminal from Ternate

279  With a group picture on our ferry

back to Ternate, we say good bye to Tidore.

We will remember this tiny dot on the

map as lovely “flower island”

More websites from the "Borneo-Sulawesi-Moluccas-Papua" trip:

Part 1: Pictures from Sarawak-Kalimantan-North Sulawesi – Miri/Malaysia via Kuching and Balikpapan to North Sulawesi from Aug. to Oct. 2017

Part 2: Pictures from the second part of North Sulawesi – Tomohon and surroundings, Tangkoko NP in October 2017

Part 4: Pictures from the North Moluccas Part 2 – Halmahera in November/December 2017

Part 5: Pictures from West Papua Part 1 (Irian Jaya) – Sorong and westerly ‘Trans Papua Road’ in December 2017-February 2018

Part 6: Pictures from the Moluccas Part 1 (Central) – Seram in February 2018

Part 7: Pictures from the Moluccas Part 2 (Central) – Ambon in February/March 2018

Part 8: Pictures from Papua Part 1 – Yapen in March 2018

Part 9: Pictures from Papua Part 2 – Biak in April 2018

Part 10: Pictures from West Papua Part 2 (Irian Jaya) – Manokwari and easterly ‘Trans Papua Road’ in April 2018

Part 11: Pictures from South Sulawesi-Kalimantan-Sarawak Part 2 – South Sulawesi via Kalimantan to Kuching and Miri/Malaysia from May to July 2018

More websites from Indonesia and Timor-Leste:

• Pictures and report from the first part of our Indonesian trip in Java and Sumatra from November to December 2006
• Pictures from the second part of our Indonesian trip in Bali from January to March 2007
• Pictures from the third part of our Indonesian trip in Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores in April 2007
• Pictures from the fourth part of our Indonesian trip in Sumba and West-Timor in May and June 2007
• Report and pictures from Timor-Leste (Oecussi and Mainland) in May 2007
• Pictures from the fifth part of our Indonesian trip in Southern Sulawesi before and after Toraja Land in June and July 2007
• Pictures from Tana Toraja (Toraja-Land) in South-Sulawesi in June and July 2007
• Pictures of the sixth part of our Indonesia trip in Kalimantan (Borneo) in July 2007
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in North Sumatra from March to April 2010
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in West Sumatra in May and June 2010
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in Southern Sumatra in June 2010

More websites from East Malaysia und Brunei:

• Report from Brunei in September 2006
• Report from Sabah in October 2006
• Report from Sarawak, Part 1: Northeast (Miri) from June to August 2006
• Report from Sarawak, Part 2: South (Kuching) in November 2006
• Pictures from our Borneo trip through Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and Kalimantan from August to November 2006
• 1st Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser in Miri/Sarawak/East Malaysia from 6/15/2006 - 8/26/2006 + 9/17/2007 - 9/24/2007
• 2nd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser at the same place from 7/30/2012 - 10/4/2012
• 3rd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser at the same place from 2/6/2017 - 5/3/2017 + 7/16/2018 -