It all looked very splendid, the cliff-sides raised perhaps 50-80m vertically (161-258ft). We could also see small water-falls. In the bottom, the stream twisted in and out. We walked upstream and at one time, we met a couple of young people. We asked for directions and they pointed further upstream. They followed us, but we were capable to find the way on our own, so we decided we would not give them anything, if they wanted money. We had just asked for directions. They said the place was 5 minutes away. It was more like 15 minutes or so. The cleft became more and more narrow; at times, we had to walk in the middle of the stream to get further on. Then we saw a fox fly high above us, making contour against the sky. Impressing. Perhaps 70-80cm (28-32inch.) in wing span. Then we saw tons of them hanging on branches above. Impressing. They had the real Batman-contour. We clapped and yelled and what a sight! 20-30 flew around high above. Impressing! If you ever get around, go and see for your self. One the way back, we met a couple of Germans. They were told in town that it was impossible to find this place without a guide - ridiculous. Just ask for Big Bats. We wanted to go another way back, and we were showed up a vertical mud staircase - it had also started to drizzle. We ended up in a small silvervillage. A nice atmosphere here; we could hear a quiet background music playing, the quiet drizzle, the cozy cottages, a sleeping dog, a couple of chicken and so on.
Our 'guides' asked for money (of course), but they did not seem to be very disappointed not to get anything. The 3 Danes had been in this village to buy silverware a few days before, so they knew the prices. It was a rather small village and every second house had a display case with handmade silverware. We got bananas and a cola for lunch in a small joint. Then we looked in 3 different places for silver chains (every link was 'homemade'). The price for a chain was between rs7-15.000 (3.87-8.30$), depending on how much silver it consisted of and how strong it was.
We only had to walk for about half an hour to get back. Also a pretty trip. We were back around 3pm. It had been a superb trip. After a snack at Canyon, we spend a couple of hours at the market. I bought a nice ring with (almost) a moonstone for rs3500 (1.94$). Niels and Kurt bought more T-shirts. Meanwhile, I bought some cinnamon-bark-sticks. rs200 (11c) for a 40x5cm piece. We were a bit hungry and when some vendors wanted to sell us some mega pancakes with sugar, chocolate and nuts for rs500 (28c), we first split one in 3. It was very good, so Kurt and I split one more. They were called Martapak - try them!
Back at the hotel, drinking coffee. Our Australian friend told us that they showed an American movie at 10pm for rs2000 (1.10$) called Maniac Cop 2. Not difficult to figure out what kind of movie it was - but what. When Niels came back from Canyon, we was in for it too. The theatre was huge - perhaps 60x15m (193x48ft). Braided seats. As mentioned, the Australian had a good sense of humor. At one time, at young man sat next to him and asked if he would mind. Not to begin with. The guy had some questions to ask. When the movie started, he said: Have you noticed that people around in this theatre is sitting very spread - and you know what? We Australians like that too - do you mind moving right one seat ? He was like that. The film was perhaps the worst we had seen for years - but what, we were prepared. The Australian also thought we had had our ration of 'ass and tits' for the next week (not because it was that kind of film, don't misunderstand me).
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| Day 47: Thursday 14 March - Bukittingi |
We had not quite decided what to do today, except seeing the zoo. The entrance fee was rs500 (28c). It had a lot of monkeys, but no snakes, except 4 phytons. A bit disappointing. We saw the kind of monkey we had heard on our trek in the jungle - it barked very loud and had a big throat, but I don't remember it's name. The cages were really sad - we saw a white-bellied Eagle in a 2x2x2m (6.5ft3) cage - horrible. A lot of mothers with their children were here.
On the way back, we passed through the market and ended up buying some Martapaks (the pancakes). Niels wanted to go back for a nap; Kurt and I went for a walk, to see the town.
We had not walked far, before 3 muslim girls wanted to converse with us. We did not mind and had a good talk. The Zoo is on the top of a hill, and the town is kind of shattered around the hill. We went to the big Mosque. It still looked like it was under construction, so we did not enter it. We had a nice walk; it is a pleasant town. I decided to have a haircut too. 'Mona Lisa' was next to the hotel. Glodia, a 17 year (204 months) old girl, gave me first head-massage for 15 minutes (1/4 hour). Then wash, more massage and cut. The last part of the cut was taken care of by the owner. A superb job for rs7000 (3.88$) - it was the first time I've been to a hairdresser for more than an hour!
Niels had gone for a walk, so we proceeded to a park opposite the zoo - Taman Benteng. We were hardly inside the gates before a young guy wanted to sell us tickets to the (small) park. He wanted rs100 (6c). OK, it was cheap - when we hesitated, it was more the principle in paying to get into a park. The 3 Danes HAD told us that everything here would cost us; e.g when they had ascended a volcano, halfway up they had been stopped by a person who wanted to know where they were going. They were on their way to the top. They had to pay for that! Well, we paid too. A class of school children from Padang (further south) surrounded us - Alan and the gang. Alan had some difficulties in remembering that I didn't like being called Sir. Kurt and I had each our crowd, but fortunately their bus came for them. They could also confirm that everybody paid to get into this park - not only tourists. We had thought of trying to have dinner somewhere else than at Canyon. We found a nice place, but they did not have a very big selection (and I wanted a Taco) and it was also more expensive. So after a quick salad, we went back to the only place: Canyon Coffee-shop. Banana Taco - rs1000 (55c), Fried Rice with egg - rs900 (50c), Coconut-milk juice - rs800 (44c). Now we were full (Saya sudah kenyang). Our 3 Danish friends had made a Diploma for the Canyon for the best food in town - so if you pass Bukittingi some day, look for it on the wall!
Later this evening, I went to the conspicuous Clock-tower. It is funny to look our over the town; you don't see many lights - only one in each house.
A Danish family had found Canyon too. To adults and two kids. As you might know, the people from Copenhagen have a very special accent; so we almost died from laughter when one of the children called: 'Adddd - Far, se en stooor Pissemyre!' (Bwrd - Dad, look at this biiig ant).
The weather was a bit strange. The usual 15 minutes late afternoon rain did not come until 6pm. Besides that, it had been a pleasant cloudy day.
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| Day 48: Friday 15 March - Bukittingi-Pekanbaru |
Today would be yet another travel-day. Pekanbaru is placed on the east coast, in the swamp-land where all the oil is. On the way to the bus station in a minibus, we passed the meatmarket and you really lost your appetite for meat for a while. We also had to pay rs50 (3c) in bus station tax!!! Okay, still not a fortune, it is just the principle I'm complaining about. A.N.S fixed 3 seats on the back-row (after moving a couple of people). My backpack was placed on the floor and people kept coming. Remember to come in good time; our bus departed 15 minutes before scheduled! (at 9am). After the first 20-30 people had tramped on my backpack (it hurt me more than my backpack), I took it up and held it in front of me instead. A bit more uncomfortable. Splendid mountain road. We saw smoke from one of the volcanos close by. Wow! We really wanted to climb it and see a real active volcano and smell the sulphur - next time. The driver was just as bad as all other Indonesian drivers. Not a single decent driver is found in this country - they drive like crazy. We had a lunch break at 11:30am - well timed; the driver could change tire meanwhile. We had some boiled corn cobs and watermelon for rs100 (6c) each. Very good. The last hour was in the swamp-land to the east - in one hour we came just as far as we had come in 5 hours of driving in the mountains. We had also passed the equator again; no big globe this time, though.
We arrived at 3:30pm and instantly some people wanted to help us on. He followed us to a guesthouse (Gemini) where we got a room for rs5000 (2.76$). The guy also drove one of the other people who arrived to the boat to P.Batam. The Indonesian handbook states that you only can get to P.Tanjungpinang, but now you can get directly to P.Batam (just south of Singapore) almost every day at 4pm. The price is between rs35-40.000. But we heard some horrible stories of the sail. We heard (second hand) of one time where all of the crew were drunk (and nobody steered for half and hour - one of them committed suicide as well.
A young guy, Jose, wanted to show me some of the town - just a fifteen minutes ride on his motorbike. That was OK with me. What I did not know was that he drove me to a place where Englishlessons were held. It was a funny experience. The teacher came out and prepared me of what would happen. I should just tell a bit of myself and answer some questions from the young people (between 14 and 23 years old). I walked forth and back and answered all their questions they had written in their exercise book. They asked if I was married, had a girlfriend etc. The teacher told me I could just pick one of the girls if I wanted. We all had fun for 20-30 minutes. It is very important for the Indonesian to learn English. This 'school' was full from monday through sunday.
We drove back and watched the news from Malaysia; then we went for a walk to find something to eat. It is very humid here and even when you stand still, the sweat is running from you. We met Jose again and he showed us a place where we could eat. From outside, it looked like the usual joints, but we were showed upstairs, where we sat alone in a big room. Kurt and Niels wanted rice and chicken, but I had noticed they looked 'hot', and I had seen some people downstairs eating something that looked like pancake with meat, vegetables etc. (Pizza ?) It was called Martabar and it tasted great. Kurt and Niels almost lost their taste bud for good - it was REALLY hot.
To other (local) boys we had met at the guesthouse joined us for a walk. One of them invited us to see his fathers pineapple-farm tomorrow. We accepted. We had read books and asked the different people what to see here in Pekanbaru. Everybody agreed: there was nothing to see here. It was just a transit and oil town. They wanted us to taste the famous/notorious durian fruit. It looks like a big green melon with prickles. It is notorious because it has a terrible smell. Signs in hotels and guesthouses forbids people to bring this fruit inside. We did not like the taste though. A lot of vendors sold this fruit on the street.
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| Day 49: Saturday 16 march - Pekanbaru |
Another humid day with 32o (90F). Our pineapple friend did not show up, so at 11am we took a minibus to the market (Pusar Pasat). The driver wanted 500rs/person (28c), but I had seen a woman give him 3 coins - that means max. rs300. I was a bit mad at the driver and gave him, after some discussion, rs1000 (55c) for the 3 of us. It seemed to be OK. We walked around the market for a while but did not find anything special. Well, they had a rococo-pillow for rs7.500 (4.15$) (before haggling). We had a small lobster for rs3.000 (1.66$) and fried rice. We were helped on a bus to the harbour (rs500 for 3). It was very uninteresting and we soon left. A couple of old, worn quays and warehouses. The water was very uninviting - Coca Cola coloured, as our book said. At Gemini, we saw one of the final matches in All-England where also some Danes played.
We were told to go to a kind of amusement-park tonight. There would be live music at 7pm. The place from yesterday was closed, but we found a place next door. An elder Canadian couple entered. Kurt remembered them from Carolina and it turned out to be true. They were also on their way to Singapore. They got around the same ways as us, but spend perhaps a bit more. We met them again in the airport and again at a fastfood restaurant in Singapore! When we got to the amusement-park, we thought we was at the wrong place. Only childish things here and we got more and more convinced. No young people or music either. We had almost reached the exit when we met a boy and a girl whom we had met earlier. They insured us that it was the right and only place and that the music would start at 8pm. He studied Biology and she (her name was Nelli) studied Religion. We talked a lot during the evening and we paid for a couple of photos. They promised to mail a copy to us (we never heard from them though). The music started and it was mostly rock and pop. It was OK. Nelli left at 9:30 and the guy told us about his study and job. He had been on a 3 month assignment to an Indonesian island (where they couldn't understand him) to shoot a 'Badak' - a kind of duck - of which only 30 were alive in the whole world! After 3 months of jungle hunting, he succeeded (so now there is only 29).
On the way back, Niels went to Jose's place to watch the finals in All-England. Happiness in all the homes here; Indonesia won most of the medals.
The next day would be our last on Sumatra and we would come to Singapore - a city that did not belong at all in South East Asia.
We all enjoyed Indonesia very much and we are all looking forward to going there again some day. |
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