Same old eyes, in new world

I remember one of  Henry Miller quote - One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things, i could agreed more for him.

What i see in Medan?

Traffic in Medan is absolutely Traffic! "Me first" rule all the way road, beat the red lights, everyone cut everybody and for foreign pedestrian like me, crossing the road in Medan is absolutely dangerous and life threatening! honking is common sight - they just love to honk for everything or anything in seconds frequencies also the public transport - it's more worst. One time i take Angkutan and seat behind the driver and that's really not good for my heart. Seeing drivers in Medan always make me think: Why they such in hurry anyway? 

Rural countryside small city and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture. Buffalo is many like cats and dogs. Children going to school barefoot and if they riding Angkutan, they really fully utilized the capacity because few of them will be hang on van door or just simply seat on the van roof. I think that was amazing...the road condition is hills and sloppy but they really can hang onto.

Open air seat

Furthermore children barefoot in road tar on the sunny day that i can see a distance mirage but still they can walk barefoot comfortably - awesome.

how to wear sandals: in the arms not foot

Medanese is really know how find a money, i think nothing free in Medan. At the moment at the jetty to Samosir Island a bunch of kids swimming and screaming for thrown money, not until you throwing the money they will climb on the boat and keep clingy. Be careful also if they offer you a service because they will charge you, like help carry the luggage, push you a trolly, fill up your imigression form or help you pay the airport tax and what pissed me off, at the airport when i request the shop owner to post me a stamp-ready-postcard on behalf she want me to pay Rp5,000 *sigh* so it's true-nothing free here.

Kids in jetty

What's Cookin in Medan?

While on the way to Toba, I can’t remember the place but along the road there are many stalls that sell Lemang and Rambutan. Even though Lemang is so familiar in Malaysia but what make it difference from here because they dip with Kaya(coconut jam) instead of Rendang - it’s edible and delicious. Drinks we had Passion fruits juice blended fresh – pink and sweet iced cool. 

For 1 serve Lemang and 3 passion fruits juice it's cost Rp48,000.

Lemang and homemade kaya.

This is my favorite food while i'm in Medan: Sate Padang!

Final night in Medan, we have dinner at Kg. baru that is famously known for its Sate Padang. Served in banana leaf bowl – sate is mixed together with sauce and lontong (ketupat). The sauce is look like curry but it’s not a curry, creamy and definitely prelibato deliziosa! 

Price: Rp14,000

How to get here, we simply take Angkutan Rp2,000. I don't know if Beca will be appropriate transport because it's quit far if you're from town.

Sate Padang

Horas Medan - Day 3

From here Day 2

It's third day, we going back to Medan.

We staying at Istana Maimun area, so many choices of hotel and guesthouse here and plus it's nearby the airport. We pick guesthouse for Rp100,000 per night. Early in the morning we searching for Post Office to post a postcard, it's quit far from our hotel so we decided to take Beca for Rp10,000, the price you can bargain from the driver but if you paying more than Rp15,000-the price is consider expensive. So try to bargain, you will get the fare is as low as Rp5,000.

From inside the Beca

Post Office - Stamp will cost Rp8,000 to Malaysia

From post office we just walking-touring around the city, what catch my eyes is there always be a big board bloom with flowers that purposely for greeting on special occasion like wedding, convocation etcs.  

Colorful ~ So colorful

We spotted a temple resemble like Kinkaku-ji Castle-Japan but we cannot go inside because the building currently in renovation. Too bad!

From there we taking Beca to Jalan Mojopahit to buy infamous layer cake and bika ambon. The famous brand is Zulaikha, price is differ by size and flavor. It's so delicious and come with convenient box.

List price:

Bika Ambon Original - Rp38,000

Bika Ambon Flavor - Rp40,000

Bika Ambon Up-flavor(blueberry, cheese) - Rp45,000 to 48,000

Layer cake (small) Original - Rp33,000

Layer cake(small) Flavor- Rp38,000

Brownies - Rp30,000

We had lunch and going straight to Istana Maimun. Entrance fee is Rp8,000. There is absolutely nothing much you can do here, no board information, no introduction and even you pay for entrance fees the castle is totally not improper maintenance and dirty. Display items also is limited, only paintings and ancient sofas. 

That's the ending of my Medan tour, at night we have dinner at Kg. Baru and meet new friends. The next day we going out early as 5.00am because my friend's flight at 6.30am while mine at 8.00am. But ended up my flight delay-she already heavenly in KL while I have stayed until 5.30pm and arrived KL at 9.00pm. How unlucky I am?  

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Communication in Indonesia it should be no problem if you can speak Malay because it's not much differ between Indo language and Malaysia language but still there is different in certain terms. This is what i thought useful to remember:

Dictionary:

Horas - Welcome

Dingin - Cold

Mencet - Jammed

Mobil - Car

Mogok - Actually a noun e.g: car broken down - mobil mogok   

Speda - Motorbike

Manis Dingin - Iced Tea

Senduk - Fork & Spoon

Pulsa - Top-up credit
Karto Post - Postcard
Titipan - Souvenior

So many other words but this is the only i can remember.

Hotel Mezra, Balige

In day 1, we staying at budget Hotel Mezra located at Balige town cheap rate at Rp150,000 (Rm50) per night but the room is satisfiable. Location is very convenient - beside the hotel is mini shop like 7-eleven & internet cafe. What the best about that net-cafe is that you can use it for free if you only want to browsing. But if you planning on internet surfing that will only cost Rp2,000 (Rm0.70) per hour. Printing is Rp1,000 each. During nightime so many food stall will open opposite the hotel, delicious and cheap too.  

I forgot to take picture of the room, but the room come with basic features with attached toilet and water heater. Also they serve bed to breakfast, send away straight to your door-how good is that? it's only simple breakfast like bread and butter, half-boiled egg and very nice tea but still make full enough.

What the best about staying in Toba is the water is very clean even the plain water taste so good maybe because the water source from the lake make the water quality in Toba is very excellent.

Horas Medan - Day 2

From here - Day 1

Day 2 - A fresh morning start.

Every morning this area gonna have a morning market sell fresh vegetables, fruits and local handmade. I buy 2kg of SnakeSkin Fruit or Buah Salak for Rp8000(RM2.80) /kg, very cheap! Very fresh even i can eat buah salak like i'm eating apple. Actually this is first time i'm eating buah salak and never regret that i did. 

Balige in the morning

Public transport in Medan is Trishaw (Beca), Angkutan and conventional cab. But different area the Beca is differ, like in Balige the the Beca is running by Vespa scooter and can only fit to single passenger. While in Medan town Beca is running by motorbike and can fit to 2 passenger.

Vespa Beca in Balige

Bike Beca in Medan City

After done sightseeing we going to The King tomb and Batak museum. No entrance fee for the king tomb but you will be charge Rp10,000 (local) and Rp50,000 (foreigners) for Batak museum.

The King Tomb

We continue to Samosir Island by ferry, but locals refer it as boat (i think it's too big to be call a boat). Fare Rp5,000 per person. They got many pit-stop, and for that day we just going to Tomok Island (shopping souvenior) and Tuk-Tuk Island.  

Jetty to Samosir Island.

Horas Medan - Day 1 (Part 2)

From here Part 1

We stopped at Porsea and have a lunch there. For muslim it's kinda hard to find halal food here but you have to be guided because here only got one or two restaurant that only serve halal food.

Definitely NO menus for muslim:
B1 - Roasted Dog
B2 - Roasted Pig
B3 - Roasted Sow Pig
If you see this B1, B2 & B3 in menu it's definitely non-halal.

Rumah Makan Lamhot, landmark - near the lake and steel bridge.

The cooking almost the same with Malay cuisine not much differ, only they serve more fishes, but warning all cookery is very damn hot! the chili or in local it's called Cabai really sting and will make you tears.

On the bottom right-side-yellow square is Kikil, which is actually a buffalo skin cooked with curry sauce. Dunno what it's taste like, i don't eat it.

After lunch, again for hours journey we took off to Bukit Dolok Tolong, Balige. We hiking (by car lol) and reach the top. Dolok Tolong is like private place which not anyone can enter the top, so it's lucky for us but too bad it's almost raining and the sky getting dark.

Any idea the sign mean?

After that we drop by at near local village.

 
And lastly we hang-out at this very beautiful and magnificent place until sunset.Very relaxing and cool spot, i can seat for hours even a day here, why Malaysia did not have a beautiful place like this?

Then we continue to Balige town and check-in Hotel Mezra for a night stay.
Day 2 

Horas Medan - Day 1 (Part 1)

Since my photos for Singapore trip is unable to locate right now (+__+' ) so i'm gonna update my Medan trip first. This trip is kind a special to me because this is first time i'm traveling with strangers and first time i'm traveling lesser than a week. Very short trip: 4D 3N and totally a last minute decision.

Why it has to be Medan?

I've been to part of Java, Indonesia (i.e: Bali, Bandung and Jakarta) but none for Sumatra Indonesia. Medan is the largest city and is the capital of the province of North Sumatra with populations 2,109,330 (approx), common race is Batak and main religious is Christian. The most attraction is Danau Toba and Medan city itself.

It's took 45mins getting Medan from KL, my flight is early 7.40am and arrived Medan by 7.35am this is because Medan is early by an hour compare to Malaysian timezone. Upon arrival we meet Pak Supir (Guide)-Ridu, a very nice guy, then we straight away ahead to Parapat, Danau Toba, it's take almost 6hours to get there. Because of the non-developed road condition in Medan it's more time consuming on the road to get each destination places. Average traveling time to most places is about 3-7hours!.   

Danau Toba Area

Lake Toba is very huge 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide (the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in world). Lake Toba came from Toba volcano eruption from 75,000SM ago damages and changes Ice Age at that time. After the eruption the volcano gone and became the lake. Circling the lake are villages and in the middle of the lake is Samosir island is what to be believe used to be the top of Toba. 

Signature roof - represent Batak

What a magnificence view you can see here in Toba, a fresh air and even the sky is very blue. Mostly villagers here still living with rural countryside - bathing and washing using water source from the lake, even walking barefoot and the houses is still keep in traditional. 

   
Part 2 : Dolok Tolong HERE