Sulawesi Surprise! : Homecoming

It was like homecoming - After the laid back Tana Toraja, we were now back to the hustle bustle of Makassar. Though this provincial capital of South Sulawesi is touted as the largest city of Sulawesi Island, you'd not expect to see high rise gleaming buildings here like in Hong Kong or New York or even Kuala Lumpur. Nevertheless, there are things to be seen or do. Afterall, the city has a colourful history which can be traced back to the 13th and 14th century. In the 16th century, the Makassarese kings had advocated free trade and Makassar had then been a dominant trading centre in East Indonesia. A cosmopolitan mix of Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Siamese, Javanese and Malays had at one time been trading together and the Portuguese and Dutch had later butted in to claim their share of spices...

Going round Makassar... Can you guess which is part of Chinatown?

Traveling Tip: There are always things to be seen or do!