11 - 12 April, Pedaling around Gunung Merapi, West-Sumatra, Indonesia

The only place we find to rent bikes in Bukittinggi: Cafe Bedudal, run by an easy-going rasta team
Probably no other crazy tourists wanting to be the main attraction for the local travelers, using bikes instead of motorized vehicles
2 mountain-bikes in fairly good condition and suggestions for the trip from the owner



Starting late morning because of a heavy rain in Bkt
Slight ascent for about 10 km while leaving Bkt on a busy, noisy road
Gunung Singalang (2877m) to the right and Gunung Merapi (2891m) on the left-hand side
Koto Baru: 1st village we go through after leaving G Singalang behind us
Lunch in an outside canteen of some main institution of Padang Panjang
Changing to a smaller one with much less traffic



Stop at a wooden mosque, around 200 years old
Merapi is in clouds on our left and valleys, plantations and short lookouts to Lake Singkarak on our right


The road starts to become a killer-kind with steep ups and downs, the weather is hot and humid and we are sweating like never before
Sometimes pushing the bikes uphill



Visiting Pariangan, the oldest village of the area: beautiful venue at the side of Gunung Merapi; invitation for a tea at one of the traditional wooden houses; public spa for bathing separately for men and women, taking the waters from the local hot spring

























Well-deserved downhill ride after Pariangan to Batu Sangkar
Spending the night in Batu Sangkar and starting the next day with a short walk around the guesthouse
After having lontong for breakfast, our host says goodbye: "see you next time if we are still alive"
Getting on our bikes again for a detour to Pagaruyung, King's Palace: about 5 km of ups and downs from the guesthouse and then back to BS

Wandering around the palace and buying a never-before-seen fruit, looks like potato, called saus (looking it up in the dictionary) - 'Here's the "potato" fruit; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manilkara_zapota, we call it "SAWO" ;)' - thanks Yantri :)

The serious uphill ride starts soon after BS and lasts for about 30 - 35 km
Several short but really needed stops: having coffee and 'potatoes' at a tiny local waring where the owner knows about Budapest, buying and eating a tasty papaya by the road, picking up avocados along the road



















Gunung Sago (2263m) appears to the right
Still pedaling or walking with our mouths open amazed by the magnificent landscape
Already got used to locals laughing and yelling, honking cars and 'moto's
Becoming too exhausted to answer the loud “Hello"s and waving
Tabek Patah: a helpful local shows us the coffee and banana chips factory







Tasting freshly made fried banana
Free sample of mulberry tea and kawa daun with a view of a pretty valley during a half-hour downpour





The air and our spirits are fresh and cool again after the rain



Ups and downs are not as steep as before but still with stunning views



Busy road again from Baso
Last stop in a small village next to the main road
Sitting on the lawn at a small warung, drinking tea and tasting sweets with a view of Gunung Merapi and Singalang again, the top of them covered by clouds
10km more to Bukkitinggi in noise and smog but "who cares?" after such a trip
Arriving back to Bkt at sunset

April 6-9, Danau Maninjau, West Sumatra

 

As our minibus works its way down the 44 hairpin bends, more and more is being revealed of the wonderful volcanic lake, surrounded by high cliffs. The crater walls are covered by dense rainforest, and the shores are dotted with palm trees, roofs, and mosques. The lake has plenty of fishfarms and jetties; this is how most people make a living here. Fortunately, our guesthouse has a clear view of the lake. The bungalow we get is just a few steps away from the waterfront, so Atti takes the chance to having a swim right after we arrive. The water is calm and warm thanks to some underwater springs. We feel as if we arrived at the most beautiful lake we've ever seen. Although we're tired and feeling dizzy after the long bus trip from Toba, Évi wants to go to the waterfalls and so we do go. The sun is scorching and the air is humid after rain; it eases only when we start walking up the hillside through cacao gardens and coconut palms. The gardens turn to jungle soon, we follow a small stream and on the way notice a centipede.

 

 

 

More fauna appears with huge ants, lizards and beautiful butterflies. You really feel like you're in the jungle after a 20-minute walk from town. The sound of the waterfall gets louder as we climb some rocks to finally arrive there. It's well hidden away; lianas hang in front of the pool, creating a living curtain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back Atti realises that there's blood in his slippers: he finds and then removes a small leech but soon after it turns out that another one is sucking blood from his other foot. Neni, the owner of the guesthouse has a good solution to stop the bleeding: Atti sits at the bungalow with his legs up, with good quality coffee covering the wounds. It really helps.

A road curls all around the lake; obviously we can’t resist going next morning to rent bikes. We ask at three different places but no luck (the bike is broken, they say - there's actually nobody here to fix them). Finally at the market there's a guy offering 2 bikes. Both are a bit rusty and not all the gears are working, so we bargain a bit and can take the two for RP 45,000 (EUR 3) instead of the initial RP 70,000. The scenery is beautiful, fishponds and rice fields lay all over with palm trees in between. People are harvesting rice, carrying heavy bags, others sit by the road at their stalls, selling dried fish crackers stored in big baskets. Candlenuts, cloves and cinnamon are being dried along the roadside.

We reach the opposite side of the crater which is steeper; there are no fields here but small fruit gardens on the lakeside and dense jungle on the other. The road turns to a narrower path with trees bending over it. There's virtually no traffic; we only hear the birds singing as we pedal on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have to stop soon at a small shop because it starts to rain. The owner, a lady invites us inside, serving freshly cooked corn and sweet potato. They try to make a conversation but due to our very basic Indonesian language skills it's rather they are talking about themselves while we are trying to catch words and figure out the story. Going on, we see old wooden houses, some are built in Minangkabau style and also one made out of cigarette boxes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rain comes again, it means another stop for us but after there is a magnificent view over the lake with clouds covering the whole crater.

 

 

We hang around in Maninjau village for one more day. Besides swimming in the lake we're lucky enough to catch the busy weekly market in the morning. Lontong (below) is our breakfast, then a delicious martabak accompanies the coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lontong is a typical street food breakfast you can get almost everywhere in West Sumatra. Generally people buy it at warungs as it’s a long process to make it. It consists of compressed rice, jackfruit boiled in spicy coconut milk, topped with krupuk. Different variations include long beans, noodles, boiled egg and even peanut sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3-5 April, Marom, Sumatra, Indonesia

On the same day when we decide to finally move on from Silimalombu we received a text message from Bondan. We met him at Marcus's festival only briefly but he was overwhelmingly generous, positive and supportive during our stay there. We also feel that we have something in common. He has a place next to Lake Toba and it's on the way to Bukittinggi, our next destination: it's easy to say yes to his invitation. He picks us up in Porsea city, arranging transport to Marom village (3000 inhabitants) where his land is located. We are told to leave and store our backpacks in the village at a friend of Bondan because it's not easy to get to his place.

 

We are getting more and more excited to see Lumbantoga or 'jungle island' as he calls it and get going immediately. Walking on the narrow path between rice paddies after a downpour is challenging even without our backpacks. People are harvesting rice, and carrying heavy bags. There's a breathtaking view of the lake. Bondan’s small jungle is getting closer and closer; we can hear the birds chirping on the trees and Bondan answers them by imitating their singing.

 

 

Entering this tiny island in a sea of rice fields we find two old traditional Batak houses and some smaller buildings surrounded by giant fig trees among others and different types of towering bamboo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are fruit gardens and young trees planted by him as well. The place with its old buildings and light filtering through the canopy has a calming, magical atmosphere. We listen to the story of the families who once lived here but left for village life. As the sun goes down and darkness falls we get to know much more deeply Bondan's beautiful dream of making Lumbantoga a small paradise again.

 

 

He's also committed to gradually changing the villagers' approach to garbage ('my main enemy') and making them understand that cutting trees is bad for them in the long run. Now that we're here, he's also trying to shape their thinking with his daily little propaganda on being more open towards foreigners ('we're from the same roots, - don't see money, see the human being!'). He wants them to understand his dream and find followers for it. Of course, there's a need for support from outsiders as well. We walk back slowly to Torang's home where we left our bags, through the rice fields to spend the night there. Pita, Torang's wife, makes us a delicious dinner of noodles with vegetables and peanut sauce which we mix with rice. We finish the day with a glass of tuak from Torang's garden where he spends his days making some money for his family. Fortunately Torang can express his thoughts, feelings and also ask questions in English quite well. He is very open to the world and interested in how things are going in Hungary; we cover topics such as insurance, health, governmental structure, sports, food, traditions and celebrations. We spend hours during our stay discussing and comparing our thoughts about the Indonesian and Hungarian/European way of life (we get to know that Pita has given birth to their children at home with the help of a nurse; hospital care and health insurance is very expensive and paying for the doctors or hospital care is still necessary).

Next morning Évi wakes up early to noises from the kitchen. A nice smell fills the rooms and she does not hesitate to join the team working there. Delicious sweets are being made for sale to nearby warungs. Pita starts the day at 4 am, Torang joins her around 5 and a hundred pieces are ready by 6, when Torang gets on his motorbike to deliver them. They work together to make a variety of delicacies like green pancakes, and small round-shaped deep-fried and steamed doughnuts, some covered with sesame seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The filling is freshly ground coconut melted together with fine palm sugar. Pita follows the tradition of her mother making the same sweets and selling them to the same warungs. By the time the sweets are ready, their two sons, (age 2 and 4) are awake and come to taste some, as do we. Pita makes breakfast for the children and for us, then come the pigs and chicken. No wonder she needs some rest after all this since she is in her eighth month of pregnancy with their next child.

 

Bondan arrives and we walk from warung to warung, chatting with the locals with the help of our knowledgeable guide, and having tea here and coffee there.

 

 

We also report to the village head which is obligatory for guests. He smiles and nods while Bondan talks about us. We also see weavers at work, family gardens and the school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 'air panas', hot springs not far from Marom. On the way there's a nice little mound we climb for splendid views of rice fields and the lake.

 

Passing by villages we see people making hand-woven ulos (scarves) and other clothing. Villagers are smiling and excited by our presence, not much foreigners had been here before. A dozen girls gather at Torang’s house, they’re in a frenzy to talk to Évi. After a brief English lesson, it’s NOT optional for Évi to take photos with them.

 

 

We pay another visit to Lumbantoga and finally it reveals its secret, a wonderful beach as well.

 

 

Finishing the day Bondan takes us to 'Warung Tuak' which is teeming with men: the next day is a holiday. This is the place where we drink the first really tasty, fresh tuak. No wonder that delicious durians also appear on the table, offered by the amazingly friendly, open and curious people. They pour more and more tuak into our glasses while we talk, drink and laugh ...