FULL INDONESIA ITINERARY:
Sumatra Island: Medan, Lake Toba, Aceh Besar, Padang, Bukittingi, Kampung Lawang
Java Island: Jakarta, Bekasi (tour), Bogor (tour), Bandung, Yogyakarta, Borobudur (tour), Prambanan (tour), Solo or Surakarta and Surabaya
Bali Island: Denpasar, Bali Pecatu (Bukit Peninsula), Ubud, Gunung Kawi (tower), Padang Bay
Gili Air Island
Lombok Island: Kuta Lombok
Nusa Lembongan Island
Nusa Ceningan Island
Sulawesi Island (Celebes): Makassar (Ujung Pandang), Kendari, Lembo
Kodingareng Keke Island (makassar visit)
Samalona Island (Makassar visit)
Lae Lae Island (Makassar Visit)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
KUALA LUMPUR (SEPANG) – MEDAN (On Sumatra Island in Indonesia)
Pop of Indonesia: 264 million(4th most populous country in the world after China, India and the United States)
Medan Pop: 4.3 million (2nd most populous city in Indonesia after Jakarta)
Today was a great day; I was going back to Indonesia to meet friends I hadn’t seen in 37 years! Claude and I left with the shuttle from Hotel 99 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to get to the airport. We had breakfast in the terminal before boarding the Boeing A320 heading to Medan in Indonesia. The flight lasted less than an hour. Upon arrival, we quickly passed customs and feverishly looked for my friend Eka, scanning all the faces of the Indonesians around us. Eka was caught in traffic and arrived about ten minutes after us. What a joy to find her after so many years! We hugged very hard, emotionally. She introduced us to her eldest daughter, Amalia, nicknamed Antie. (She is 25 years old and works for an NGO.) Before leaving the airport, we took the time to withdraw Indonesian rupees from an ATM, buy two SIM cards for our cell phones and go to the Lion Air counter to check in our luggage for our next flights.
We joined Anief, Eka’s husband, who had patiently waited for us in the car. (He owns his own delivery company.) We went to dinner together at a restaurant where we ate a variety of excellent Indonesian dishes. In a friendly atmosphere, three of Éka’s co-workers joined us on their lunch hour.
In the afternoon, Eka, Anief and Antie took us to the State Museum of North Sumatra Province. This museum contains nearly 7,000 collectibles including cultural ruins related to the ancient Batak and Nias religions.
Two small groups of young students kindly asked to interview us. They asked us a few questions about Canada and our acquaintances from Indonesia, embarrassed but proud to speak to us in English.
On the outside of the museum, a festival was held. We lingered at the Sumatran coffee promotion booth where we were given a taste of their excellent black coffee.
Afterwards, we went to the Mesjid Raya Mosque. This one is huge and grand. With a scarf on my head and barefoot, I went back to their place of prayer to admire the interior. Claude and I then went behind the mosque to see the cemetery and the tombs of the kings while Eka, her husband and daughter prayed.
We then went to see the Istana Maimoon, the sultan’s former palace made up of 30 rooms, some of which are open to the public. Those are colorful, large and pleasant rooms to visit.
We ended our tours with the Tjong A Fie Manor. This magnificent residence belonged to a renowned Chinese merchant. The many rooms of the mansion are richly decorated. What an impressive historic building!
We went to dinner together in a small restaurant in the « Street Food » about ten minutes from Eka’s. Our Indonesian dishes were delicious, but I forget the names in Bahasa Indonesia.
We finally arrived at Eka’s house. We met her youngest daughter, Hanie. She is 23 years old and works as an architect. Their family home is in an area secured by guards. It is a beautiful house with three bedrooms, one of which was reserved for us. We settled down and once showered, we ended the evening relaxing in our room, tired of our long day, but happy to live such an experience!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
MEDAN – LAKE TOBA
In the early morning, Eka was busy preparing us a good mid-continental breakfast (eggs, bread, jam) half-Indonesian (rice, meat, spicy vegetables). Yum! Yum!
I wanted to help with the dishes but Eka insisted that I don’t do it, explaining that she has a housekeeper who comes every day to take care of the housekeeping.
Eka must appreciate this help because normally she works from Monday to Friday. She gets up at 5 a.m. to pray, leaves at 7 a.m. from home and returns from work at 6 p.m. It takes 1 to 2 hours to get to work in the morning and the same time to return at the end of the day. (Traffic is hellish in Medan, Indonesia’s third largest city.) My friend’s weekdays are very long. Eka is a director for Tirta Lyonnaise Medan, a French water treatment company.
We left with their driver towards Lake Toba, a popular site for Indonesians and foreign tourists. Before we left Medan, we stopped by Rheinard Tobing, a former Canada World Youth contestant whom I hadn’t seen in 37 years. Unfortunately, his mother had died two days earlier, and he was looking after her body in the family home. He was really happy to see me after such a long time! He introduced us to his wife and five-year-old son Marshall. His seven-year-old daughter was still asleep so she couldn’t be seen. Rheinard spoke at length about his life in Europe, in Java and then back to Sumatra to care for his aging parents. Interestingly, Rheinard is of the Batak religion. Eka explained to me that the funeral rites of this ethnic group are complex and spread over several days. I was very surprised to see all the giant posters made of flowers, stung on the grounds along the entire length of the street where the deceased lives.
Back on the road, we finally got out of Medan, a busy industrial town. We stopped at the Masjid Al Ikhlash. While Anief attended the Friday prayer dedicated to men, we walked with Eka in the small village behind the mosque. She showed us several fruit trees: mango trees, jackfruit, etc. Eka then went to pray with the women at the mosque. We waited for her with Anief, the three of us enjoying fresh fruit, sitting in the shade of a large tree.
A little further down our road, we stopped at the Beringin Indah 2 restaurant to sample the speciality of the place: small birds (ruak ruak and puyuh). Accompanied by rice, vegetables, fried tofu and spicy sauces, the meat of these little birds tasted really good.
After lunch, we stopped at a telecommunications company to fix my internet connection problem. We waited a good half hour before we were served. In the end, the problem didn’t come from my SIM card but from the setting of my device.
Taking a high-altitude road, we finally arrived at the beautiful Lake Toba. What extraordinary landscapes we have discovered! I was really amazed at the sight of the sunset over the lake and excited every time I would see monkeys on the side of the road. There were brown ones, long-tailed macaques, and greys whose names I don’t know. Some were really big and impressive to see.
Lake Toba (Danau Toba in Bahasa indonesia) is a 100 km long and 35 km wide lake located on the northern part of Sumatra at an altitude of 905 m. It is the largest volcanic lake in the world.
Eka chose to take us to the Inna Parapat Hotel. Wow! The site is beautifully landscaped with flowers and shrubs. Our room is spacious with balcony and lake views. Enchanted by this magical setting, I set off to join Eka and Anief on the hotel’s private beach below. I had time to take some nice pictures before the rain started to fall. I then joined Claude in our room.
In the early evening, after the prayer of Eka and Anief, the four of us went to dinner at the hotel restaurant. A guitarist made us sing on the microphone, following the lyrics of the songs on our cell phones. We had a great time while enjoying some great Indonesian food.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
LAKE TOBA (PARAPAT) – SAMOSIR PENINSULA – KARO HIGHLANDS – MEDAN
Eka, Anief, Claude and I had an appointment at the hotel restaurant at 7 a.m. The breakfast buffet consisted of a large selection of Indonesian and « western » food (as the Indonesians say).
We then left the hotel to go to the ferry to the big Samosir island, crossing the Saturday street market where they mainly sell fruit, vegetables and fish. The scenes I saw took me back 37 years on my first trip to Indonesia.
Under cloudy skies, we stayed on deck throughout the 45-minute crossing. I took the time to savor every moment at the sight of such beautiful landscapes surrounding the lake.
Samosir is a large peninsula of Lake Toba. It is often believed that Samosir is an island because a canal has been dug through the isthmus that connects it to the shore of the lake. The lake and peninsula were formed after a volcano erupted 75,000 years ago. Tourist accommodation is concentrated in the Tuktuk area. The peninsula is at the centre of the Batak culture and many customs are still active in Samosir.
When we arrived on the peninsula, merchants looking for customers invited us to enter their shop overflowing with beautiful traditional Batak clothes and accessories. Eka haggled over a shirt for Claude and pants for me.
We went to see an exhibition of traditional Batak life-size houses. Visitors were invited to dance to ethnic music. We spent a moment looking at them before continuing on our way to the tombs of the Batak Karo royal family in the village.
We returned by ferry to Parapat where our driver was waiting for us. We set out on our way back, through Karo Highlands. This narrow and high road lengthened us but was worth it. Overlooking the lake, what beautiful landscapes we saw! We made two stops to feed the many monkeys standing along the road and eagerly waiting for the passengers of the cars to give them food.
We also made two stops to observe the active Sibayak volcano and the erupting Sinabung volcano but currently pose no danger to the Batak population living in the small town below.
We had dinner at Ijabu restaurant in the highlands. We ordered an assortment of chicken, beef and seafood skewers on the grill with rice, vegetables and spicy sauces as an accompaniment. It was delicious!
We arrived around 8pm in Medan in a traffic that never stops. We quickly went to bed, tired of our long day but really grateful to Eka and Anief (and their driver Rahman) for taking us to Lake Toba and Karo Highlands, both truly exceptional places.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
MEDAN
We started our day with a good breakfast consisting of a good fresh fruit juice and Indonesian pastries. We then went for a walk in the neighborhood with Antie and Hanie, under a blazing sun. The girls showed us mosque, rice fields, corn fields, sugar canes, papaya trees, etc. When we came back home, a good fresh shower was required.
We had dinner with our family as their Sunday tradition dictates. Eka had prepared several dishes (ayam goreng, nasi putih, fish, vegetables, tofu, etc.), all accompanied by hot sauces. We enjoyed it!
In the early afternoon, we relaxed in our respective rooms and at 4pm, the six of us left for a snack at Pulawi Durian restaurant. Eka bought a durian that we shared. This fruit is very popular with Indonesians, but its strong smell can smell up to a distance of 2 km! It is defended in the carry-on baggage of planes and on buses in some countries. I had already eaten it 37 years ago, but I had forgotten the taste. I can’t say I love this fruit, but I still ate three servings. I preferred the small and sweet durian « pancakes » served fresh.
Anief, our driver, then set out to take us on a tour of town. We saw the architect’s office where Hanie works, the governor’s office, the post office also called « Point 0 of Medan », the mayor’s office, the governor’s house, the mayor’s house, the murals painted on the walls of the houses, the Hospital of Medan, the Chinatown with its huge Buddhist temple Vihara Setia Budi (the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia) and Little India with its beautiful Sri Mariamman temple.
We finally went to dinner at the Koki Sunda restaurant. I was really impressed by the beautiful green decor inside the restaurant. I was suddenly emotionally moved, and the tears came to my eyes; I realized how lucky I was to realize my dream of one day coming back to Indonesia with my spouse to meet my Indonesian friends.
We sat on cushions on the floor. Under the table, the floor is lower so that we can sit normally. On the small coffee table in front of us, a nice variety of Indonesian dishes were served to us. We ate like kings!
On our return home, sitting around the kitchen table, in barely bearable ambient heat, Eka kindly offered me a nice pair of warm stockings that she knitted herself. This gift was in addition to the two others she had given me in the afternoon: a centerpiece and a small case, both nicely knitted by her. How she spoils me! She’s got a really good heart. I am very grateful to her for all she has done for me and Claude. I hope I can return the favor one day.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28
MEDAN – BANDA ACEH (pop: 400,000)
In the early morning, we bid farewell to Amalia and Hanie, the housekeeper and the stray cat that Amalia feeds every day and whom they have renamed « minou ».
Eka and Anief took us to the restaurant for a typical Indonesian breakfast with rice, meat and vegetables. The whole thing was well spicy but delicious! Anief took the opportunity to give Claude two beautiful rings. How generous!
Eka had offered us a massage but I suggested instead to visit the three Buddhist temples seen the day before. As she and her husband are Muslims, they waited for us outside the temples. We started with the largest temple, the Vihara Setia Budi, and then visited the other two. The oldest is the one we found the most interesting because it is divided into several sections whose decorations are very colorful and attractive. In addition, this temple was crowded with worshippers in action.
The four of us then went to the train station. We had a coffee and a doughnut, enjoying that last moment we had together. The separation followed, heartbreaking and touching. Are we ever going to see each other again? We invited them to come and see us in Canada, but I told them not to wait 37 years because we will be too old! I felt like I was losing my friend again like when we left 37 years ago.
On board the train, the 30-minute journey to Medan airport passed quickly. We had our noses riveted to the window, curious to see the landscapes. We have seen many rice fields but also poverty and waste-stained land near the railway. After China, Hong Kong and Singapore which are very structured, rich and clean, the contrast was striking.
Our flight from Medan to Banda Aceh (North Sumatra) with Lion Air lasted only an hour. When we arrived, it was with emotion that we found Akhyar waiting for us at the exit of the domestic flights. My « group leader » whom I had not seen for 37 years, is now 63 years old but he has hardly changed! In his van, we talked at length about our lives and the other participants of Canada World Youth (CWY), updating ourselves in the news.
We stopped for coffee at a restaurant where it is their specialty. Taufan, a CWY participant who was in an Alberta group and whom I had known in 1982, came to meet us at the restaurant. How nice it was to see each other after so many years!
Akhyar then took us to his house. Passing through the city centre, he showed us several important buildings that we will visit during our stay here. His house is located halfway between the city centre and the beach. Hanum, Akhyar’s wife, arrived a few minutes after us. She served us black tea and fried bananas as a welcome.
The house is large, and the interior looks like a museum with its traditional and picturesque decorations. Our 2nd floor room with bathroom and balcony is huge and charming. We are received like kings!
We took a nice cold shower and spent the rest of the evening in our room, going about our hobbies (writing, reading and documentaries on Youtube) while nibbling mangoes and bananas kindly offered by our hosts.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29
BANDA ACEH
We had a good traditional Indonesian breakfast with Akhyar: rice served in a banana leaf, cooked pumpkin and black coffee. We then left for the day with Akhyar. He set out to show us the sights of Banda Aceh.
We started with the fish market at the fishermen’s wharf. The picturesque scenes of the market reminded us of the fish market in M’Bour, Senegal. The wharf was packed with fishermen busy disembarking their catch of the day. The haggling was going well. Some fish really impressed me with their size and others by their beautiful colors.
Akhyar then took us to the boat that landed on the roof of a house during the 2004 tsunami. The boat was left in place to testify to the strength of the destructive wave from a height of 32 meters. The boat saved 59 people in the tragedy. From the house, all that’s left are the walls. A woman gave us a certificate attesting to our coming to the scene. Another presented us the book she wrote describing the events. Both survivors of the deadly tsunami (300,000 dead lie in a huge mass grave in Banda Aceh), they told us their heartbreaking story of family members perishing.
My friend Akhyar lost one of his sons (18 years old), his two parents and six members of his relatives (9 in total). He was in Medan at the time of the tragedy. His wife, who was at home, ran to take refuge with two of his sons on the roof of a nearby building immediately after the earthquake. They saw the wave coming into the street, ripping everything in its path. Water, debris and an uprooted banana tree engulfed their home, leaving about a meter of debris and mud on the first floor. They had to wait for help before they could leave the roof where they had climbed. Their house held up thanks to the doors and windows that were open because Hanum had just cleaned the house and she had left them open to ventilate the house.
On his return from Medan, three days after the tsunami and still without news of his relatives, Akhyar was finally able to go to his house. From the airport, he took a mototaxi (seven times the usual price due to the shortage of gasoline) and had to climb over bodies and tons of debris over the last 350 meters that separated him from his house still standing. Someone came to meet him to tell him that his wife was alive but that one of his five sons was missing. Two days later, still in an indescribable state of anguish, he learned that his parents and six relatives had died. He, his wife and their four surviving sons spent a few days in a shelter. Akhyar then sent them to Medan where they were welcomed into a restaurant set up to receive refugees. My friend stayed in Banda Aceh to look after his house.
On his family’s return to Banda Aceh, they lived on the second floor of their house for six months, devastated by the disaster and still in shock, before starting to clean up the first floor. After that, it took them two years to clean everything that was recoverable. Today, the house is beautiful and filled with decorative objects. Only the dirty doors kept the traces of the tragedy and a mark on the kitchen wall indicating the level at which the water rose: 160 cm from the ground. The fateful date of December 26, 2006 is inscribed on the kitchen door.
Akhyar received CAD$500 in financial compensation from an NGO for the loss of his assets. The city, 40% destroyed, has received help from several countries to help the victims: makeshift camps, medicines, clothing, food, etc. The houses built after the tsunami by international aid are all the same. Several city dwellers refused to change neighborhoods and wanted to rebuild their homes in the same place as before. The major clean-up of the city and arable land and the construction of the houses took place over a period of seven years. Fifteen years after the tragedy, life continues in Banda Aceh. The inhabitants are still recovering from their inner wounds, but they are felt resilient and driven by a force to live.
We continued our visits with the Negeri Banda Aceh Museum. Sumatran stuffed animals, traditional clothing and antiques, etc. are on display in a first building.
Next to the museum, a replica of a traditional Aceh house is open to visitors: Rumah Aceh. The house on stilts is divided into three sections: one for girls (including a kitchen area), one for boys and one in the middle for the head of the family and his wife.
Akhyar took us to a restaurant. Our dinner, consisting mainly of rice, fish and vegetables, all spicy and cooked in the Indonesian way, was succulent. We finished with a good « Arabic espresso », a speciality of the place.
We started the afternoon with the Tsunami Museum. The huge boat-shaped building has great potential, but the current exhibitions are very incomplete and unattractive. The 20-minute documentary is just about all that’s interesting. You can also see the flags of the many countries that came to the aid of the victims and helped rebuild the city of Aceh.
Under an overwhelming temperature, we waited until the end of the prayer in order to enter the next site. (Here, restaurateurs and merchants turn off the lights of their restaurant or business while they are away to pray. The premises remain unattended. Customers must wait for the return of employees to be served.) Sitting in the shade of a tree, Akhyar shared a mixture of coconut milk and fresh sugar cane juice with me. Delicious! I bought myself a small embroidered bracelet in one of the small craft shops in the square. I spent a big 50 cents!
We climbed on a huge barge of several tons that crushed everything in its path during the tsunami and which ran aground 5 km from the bank. The sailors, when they awoke, were stunned to see the disaster around them, having had no knowledge of anything inside the huge boat. Probably dead people lie under the behemoth. Around the boat, a few houses whose walls are left have not been destroyed during the great clean-up so that people can remember, and visitors can see the extent of the disaster.
We went to the Youth Education Centre founded by Akhyar in 1983. This language school provides English courses at different levels to groups of 6 to 12 students three times a week for each group. Akhyar left his executive position to his youngest son Afri Rizki, who specialized in English literature.
Akhyar introduced us to the teachers. They were very enthusiastic about our coming, and asked that all the young people be grouped in one room so that we could meet them all at the same time. Claude and I were the focus throughout the 75-minute lesson. Overcoming their embarrassment, the young people asked us all kinds of questions about us, our World Tour and Canada. They even asked us to sing. We sang our national anthem « Oh, Canada » to them. I then followed up with their Indonesian national anthem, which I never forgot. Then they all started singing in chorus with me. Taken with emotion, my throat tied, tears rolling down my cheeks, I beckoned them to keep singing. What a beautiful gift they gave me! The photo shoot followed inside the classroom and then outside the school with the students and teachers. We thought we were real Hollywood stars; they were so proud and excited to be photographed with us!
We went back to Akhyar’s. While waiting for dinner, we relaxed in our room. Around 8 p.m., we gathered around the table in the interior garden of their property: Akhyar, Hanum and Fitrayansyah, their second son. (He is 28 years old. He works and travels for the company Youth Holiday founded by his father). The meal prepared by Hanum was exquisite. Akhyar and I ended the evening looking at photos from our 1982 Canada World Youth Exchange program, reminding us of some good times together. (Akhyar lost all his photos in the tsunami).
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30
BANDA ACEH
Hanum kindly prepared a medicinal herbal tea made from ginger to relieve my sore throat. After having a good breakfast also prepared by Hanum, we left, Akhyar, Claude and I for our visits of the day.
We started by climbing to the top floor of one of the many evacuation buildings that were built after the 2006 tsunami. Akhyar gave us more details about the tragedy that affected his family. At the very top of the building, we could see the path taken by the destructive wave, starting from the ocean and rushing into the valley. A large two-storey house with only the walls and part of the roof testifies to the height of the wave.
Akhyar wanted to show us where his parents’ house was located and where he spent 12 years of his student life. Only a small fraction of the foundation remains; The tsunami razed everything.
We then went to Taman Sari Gunongan Historical Park. The small museum is of little interest to us as all the information is written in Bahasa Indonesia. However, the garden is beautifully landscaped, and the white mountain-shaped structure is rather intriguing. This monument has been built to please the sultan’s wife who liked the mountain. The structure includes a tunnel and outside steps that allow you to climb to the top.
Behind this strange monument, a white wall surrounds the sultan’s resting place.
On our way to the beach, we dined at a restaurant where excellent local food was served to us for a paltry price.
Our afternoon at Pantai Lhok Nga Beach did us good. While Akhyar was napping at his « adopted daughter » who runs a small restaurant by the beach, Claude and I bathed in the sea. After all the stories I heard about the tsunami, I felt a certain fear of bathing in this ocean of powerful currents. I could understand why it took Hanum 10 years to return to the beach after the tragedy; the destructive power of the sea must have haunted her.
Claude and I took a walk on the beach, enjoying the beauty of the scenery. The place has great potential, but tourists are becoming scarce probably due to the fear of islamist extremists who have long wanted the province to separate from the rest of the country. (Reconciliation with the central government took place after the tsunami.) The place is perfect for surfers and backpackers. A few « roomstays » and small restaurants wait patiently for customers.
We shared a coconut milk and then went for an espresso at the Saho Coffee Rooms. The place is charming with a gallery above a large pond filled with small fish and large lizards. Hanum joined us on a scooter. I was glad she was joining us. She is a busy little woman with the maintenance of her big house, the kitchen, her flower business and all her creative projects.
We then went to a second beach: Pantai Lampuuk. A few meters from the beach, Akhyar set out to build a guest house for his wife (« rumah ibu, » as he says) so that she could receive tourists through his travel agency YOUTH HOLIDAY and give cooking workshops. Behind the house, he planted trees and vegetables (citrus, cucumbers, etc.). At the back of the courtyard, a shelter on stilts welcomes groups of young people from his language school who come to have fun at the beach during the weekend.
Back at their home in town, Akhyar showed me the pretty garden of his inner courtyard, his big black and mustachioed fish and the annex that housed their restaurant. (They made the decision to close their restaurant for lack of time; their flower shop already asking them a lot.)
After relaxing in our room on the 2nd floor, we went down to dinner in the garden with Akhyar, Hanum and Rizki, their youngest son. The meal prepared by Hanum was simply delicious! How good a cook she is, as Akhyar says!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
BANDA ACEH – GEURUTE
Hanum prepared a good breakfast of fried bananas and waffles. We then left with Akhyar and Rizki for the day. We made a first stop at Pasar Atjeh, a public market where all kinds of goods and clothing are sold. We didn’t linger. I wasn’t attracted to local fashion: hijabs and full-length tunics.
Rizki, our driver for the day, then drove us to the magnificent Raya Baiturrahman Mosque. Barefoot, long tunic over my clothes and scarf on the head, at a temperature of nearly 40 degrees C, we took beautiful photos, amazed by the beauty of the architecture of the religious building.
Across the street, we took a break, time to quench our thirst with « dawet ayu », a local beverage made from coconut milk, green noodles and whatever.
We made a third stop at the Rumah Cut Nyak Dhien, a replica of the residence that belonged to a descendant of the royal family. Rizki took the opportunity to take out his drone and take some pictures of Claude and I holding the banner « YOUTH HOLIDAY TOUR and TRAVEL » in front of the beautiful traditional house. He will use the photos in a future promotional flyer of the agency of which he is now the director.
We then set off for Geurute, whose mountain road is winding, narrow and overrun by long-tailed macaques in some places. The forest is green and the panoramic view in Geurute itself is exceptional. We arrived just a little too late to see the two gorillas who come down the mountain each morning and pick up food at one of the roadside restaurants. Apparently, they’re not aggressive. While eating our rambutans, we still had a little visitor, a long-tailed macaque, who came to our table to seek his share of snacks. He stayed with us until our fruit bag was empty!
Back at Akhyar’s house, we rested in our « royal suite. » We ended the evening with a family farewell dinner. The eldest son of the family, Yordan (31 years old and specialized in computer science), his wife, their 7-year-old son and their very cute two-year-old daughter joined us as well as Rizki and a little later, Fitrayansyah accompanied by his girlfriend. So we were lucky enough to meet three of Akhyar’s sons out of four and two of his three grandchildren during our stay. The dinner was very lively with the 7-year-old who was very voluble, curious and interested in Canada. Aviation man, he already knows he wants to be an army pilot when he grows up and he has decided that he will come to study in Canada!
BANDA ACEH – PADANG (VIA MEDAN) – BUKITTINGGI
Padang Pop: 1.1 million; Bukittinggi Pop: 112,000
Our night was very short. This time, the late-night prayer woke me up, and it took me a long time to get back to sleep. At 4 a.m., we got up to catch the plane. Akhyar and Hanum drove us to the airport. The goodbyes were heartbreaking.
We took a first flight to Medan (duration: 45 minutes). Our six hours of transit passed quickly with writing and napping for me. Our second flight, Medan to Banda Aceh, lasted only 70 minutes. Shofwan was waiting for us at the exit of the domestic flights. We were very excited to see each other again after all these years. His driver Jasrizal drove us to Shofwan’s. We met his kind wife Imnati there.
After visiting their house, the five of us left (including the driver) in a van. We went to a woman who rents ceremonial clothes in her little house. Shofwan wanted to rent us traditional clothes for the next day’s wedding. We felt like king and queen, so dressed.
We then took a mini tour of the city: 7 km urban beach, governor’s house, beautiful mosque, etc. Several buildings are impressive to see with their buffalo horn-shaped roofs.
Caught in heavy traffic, we ended up leaving the city. We had dinner halfway between Padang and Bukittinggi at Mahakam restaurant. I ordered « batagor » consisting of an excellent spicy blend of tempeh, tofu, egg and vegetables.
We continued our way to the Mercure Hotel, the most beautiful hotel in Padang. We only had about twenty minutes to drop off our luggage at our room and shower before joining our guests in the lobby. Shofwan took us to a Dance and Music Festival where he had to give a certificate on stage. The small overheated performance hall was packed. How hot we got! We were perhaps too tired to fully appreciate the dance numbers that were too slow or too contemporary. However, the dance costumes were beautiful and the traditional musical instruments interesting to hear.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
PADANG – BUKITTINGGI – PAYAKUMBUH
Our night in our beautiful luxury room ended early. Jasrizal, the driver of Shofwan, picked us up with all our luggage at 5:30 am. We took Shofwan and Imnati on our way to a wedding. We had to get ahead of the traffic to come, due to the important « Bicycle Ride » planned on our route. We stopped at the Pergaulan restaurant in the city of Payakumbuh before heading to Koto Nan IV, one of the sub-districts of Payakumbuh where the wedding was held.
When we arrived on the scene, the highly decorated carriages were already ready to leave for the procession following the bride and groom’s carriage. With the help of Shofwan and Imnati, Claude and I quickly put on our costumes and then took a seat with Shofwan in the carriage behind the bride and groom’s. The procession then set off. Under the watchful eye of onlookers and escorted by a police car, we crossed the city, taking the main street. The wedding was quite an experience for Claude and me. We were all the rage with our costumes rented for the occasion but, as we got hot! Everyone wanted to be photographed with the bride and groom and with us. The photo shoot lasted for more than two hours. We were treated like VIPs. In fact, we felt like sultan and sultana! We mentioned our names on the microphone at least three times to welcome us! We served ourselves at the excellent hot buffet. We felt very privileged to be able to attend an Indonesian wedding. What an extraordinary experience!
After the wedding, we continued our journey to the Harau Valley. How enchanting the landscapes are! The valley is home to several villages, numerous rice paddies and four high waterfalls hurtling down the mountains.
We then arrived at the MERSI Hotel in Bukittinggi where a big surprise was waiting for me. My great friend Ilza, whom I hadn’t seen in 34 years, was there at the entrance to greet us! The hotel belongs to him and it is one of his two daughters, the youngest Ruby, who is the manager. She has a background in marketing. She has a 3-year-old child.
Ilza is native to West Sumatra. She has been in Jakarta for several years and works at Universitas Negeri Jakarta as director of the post graduate school and regularly gives seminars throughout Indonesia. « Prof Ilza » is a linguist by training. She is married to Erman, former director of literary studies at the Ministry of Education. Their eldest daughter is Gita. She is 31 years old and has a degree in psychology. Gita has two children: Athaya, 8, and Adzra, 2.
Ilza made us serve a welcome tea. Small, dynamic, sociable, playful, I found my dear friend Ilza, looking at her face in search of the features of her twenty years. Despite her 60 years, she has not changed much. The years have not altered our friendships and it was as if we had never allowed us to leave.
Claude and I took a nap in our room. This one is spacious and comfortable. The view from our window overlooks a mountain and part of the city below. Attentive, Ilza had us deliver a plate of fresh fruit to our room.
We met on the 4th floor of the hotel at 7pm to have dinner together: Ilza, Herman, Shofwan, Imnati, Claude and me. The restaurant is on the roof and offers magnificent views of the two mountains: MERAPI and SINGGALANG (hence the name of the MERSI Hotel).
After our excellent supper, Claude, Ilza and I went for a walk at the Big Bang, a small tower of the Bukittinggi clock. The square was crowded with people due to the Bicycle Tour. A stage had been set up for the event and we lingered for a short time to listen to the three singers accompanied by their musicians. We then went on the promenade overlooking the illuminated city. On the way back, Claude saw a beautiful white shirt. Ilza insisted on giving it to him. How generous of her!
When we returned to the hotel, Shofwan kindly offered us a Bukittinggi sweater as a gift and asked us to wear it the next day. He’s got his heart on his hands, this Shofwan! I ended the evening with Ilza on the roof terrace looking at photos from our 1982 Canada World Youth program. How nice it was to share our common memories!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3
Bukittinggi
Ilza had given me an appointment at 6.30am to visit Sianok Canyon, a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Unfortunately, the site was not open yet at this early time of day. I was still able to take some pictures through the fence.
We then returned to the Mersi Hotel where we had lunch with our four friends at the terrace restaurant.
Ilza got into our van to take us to Lawang, a small village where she grew up and where she now owns the house of her deceased parents. The road to get there is superb! The country villages are teeming with lush flora, numerous rice paddies and sugar cane fields. We made a short stop in front of his house. This one, in the traditional style of its corner of the country, is superb!
We continued on to Peak Puncak Lawang. From the top of the mountain, the view of the huge Lake Maninjau is simply sublime!
Back in the village of Ilza, we made a stop in a small tourist spot where we can see the old process to extract sugar cane juice using an ox. Ilza bought a few products including fresh sugar cane juice: delicious!
At Ilza’s house, an excellent buffet was waiting for us on the table of the large main room. A group of friends from Ilza joined us. The house looks like a museum. Many frames cover the walls. On either side of the main room are three bedrooms for a total of six bedrooms. The rooms behind, a little neglected, are for the servants. Large screenless windows offer a beautiful view of the sugar cane fields across the street. The place is peaceful and inspiring.
We bid farewell to Ilza and continued on our way, Jasrizal, Shofwan, Imnati, Claude and me. At Padang Panjang Minankabo Information and Cultural Centre, Shofwan wanted us dressed in bride and groom costumes for a photo shoot in front of the beautiful traditional house.
On our way back, we stopped to a restaurant where several dishes were arranged on the table, in the Indonesian way.
As the last visit of the day, we visited Fort de Kock, a former Battlefield of Dutch times. The park includes a tower, cannons and small relaxation shelters with traditional roofs in the shape of peaks. The trail leads to a suspension bridge. On the other side of the bridge, there is a zoo. As it was late and we were tired, we skipped this part.
Back at the hotel, we rested a couple of hours in our respective rooms. I then joined Shofwan on the small gallery on our floor to exchange photos of our stay together.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4
BUKITTINGGI – PADANG – JAKARTA (capital pop: 9 million; pop of the metropolitan area: 30 million)
Before leaving the Mersi Hotel, we had breakfast in the lobby. What a joy to eat roasts with jam instead of rice! We put our luggage in the van and took the beautiful scenic Road Malala. After an hour’s drive, Shofwan realized that he had forgotten his bag with laptop and tablet on the sofa in the hotel lobby. We had to turn back and then retrace our steps, which lengthened our route by two hours!
We had dinner at Kampung Bungus in Malim Restaurant located in the heart of a rice paddy. What an enchanting setting! And the food was delicious!
Continuing our path, we discovered the attractive Pantai Air Manis beach, the Sitinurbaya Bridge, the boat docks and a cemetery.
We passed the beach Pantai Padang visited two days before, to get to the airport. Once we got there, we bid farewell to Shofwan, Imnati and Jasrizal. The two women, Imnati and I, had tears in their eyes. It was very touching to see how time Imnati had had the time to get attached to us in such a short time! She and Shofwan were great hosts during our stay in Padang and the surrounding area.
SEE THE CONTINUATION IN THE ARTICLE ON JAVA ISLAND
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