Padang - Bukit Tinggi (Day 2)

Today is my second day in Bukit Tinggi and also becoming my second day in Sumatra. Yes, I never been to Sumatra before, that's why I am so excited when I ask to travel to this island. So far I have been travelling to all major island of Indonesia, except Sumatera.

My plan for today is finishing the work as soon as possible so I can still have time to see some sightseeing locations in Bukit Tinggi. I heard from the Hotel Receptionist that in here there is a long undergound tunnel that was built during the Japanese colonialsm. The tunnel was design as the prisoner for Indonesian who are againts them. The cave also designed as the getaway from the enemy. Rumour said that it is very long and only some area has been restored by the local government. Some other says that it is even longer than the "Gucci Tunnel" in Vietnam that now become one of attractive tourist agenda.

Later I found that my journey is actually started during the lunch time when our local partner bring us to the traditional market that selling the local food as known as "Nasi Kapau". This type of cullinary is specially made locally in area of West Sumatera, which is famous for the chilly (hot) food ever made on the earth. Once we arrive at the place, I ordered the standard menu plus some extra chilly since I do love to eat hot food. But as I came from Eastern of Java, usually I combine with some soya sauce and I called the food "Hot and Sweet". Some of my friend that came a long with me says that the food is too hot for them but not for me. This market that serve the food is located near the Bukit Tinggi landmark "Jam Gadang". It is a tall and high clock with some West Sumatra ornament. "Gadang" in local dialect means "Big". The place is also near by the first Indonesian Vice President, Muhammad Hatta.

The sun is moving to west and the work is finish, and I think it is a good time to explore the Tunnel. On the way to the tunnel, I manage to take a picture of the Ngarai Sihanouk, a beautiful scenery in Bukit Tinggi. The next picture is the entrance to the tunnel and we need guidance from local people on the journey. On the wall near to the entrance showing the tunnel that has been restored so far.

After around one hours journey under ground we are reach to the end of the tunnel and to get back to where we park our car, we need to climb over a ladder. The local people named the ladder as "1,000 tangga" or a thousand steps ladder. Actually the steps as not as that much but it is an expression on how high we need to climb.

My last frontier today is visited the first Indonesian Vice President, Muhammad Hatta's house that already restored. The house is equipped and furnish with all the material belongs to him. The rooms that he used to slept, the bike he used to use to go to school and all material belonging to him. A series pictures about the house and inside it can be seen below:

-Dian-

To fly to Padang you can choose Mandala Airlines and you can book the seats On Line here.

My Thursday Morning

Hoaaaeehhmmm.... I woke up at 04:00 AM this morning and felt a bit cold, I think because of the rainy days last night. It is already early April but the rain is still heavy last night all over Jakarta. I started get them since I get out from PLANGI - Plaza Semanggi, one of the Mall in Jakarta. During my journey back home, thunder is flashing all over me and make me felt that my GOD Allah is taking my pictures last night, He.. He.. He..

This morning, I need to go a bit early since today is the second day for my wife becoming an Instructor on the FOO Class on one of the state enterprise company of Indonesia. When I take out my motorbike, my second son, Rizqy is approaching me and ask a help to be put on the bike. Once he is on it, I manage to take three pictures of him as showing below. He is so cute, isn't he? He still have eight tooth, four at the tops and four at the bottom. Usually he likes to put the horn while he riding it and of course that the first thing this morning. And the silents of my block is broken by my bike horn, Ha.. Ha.. Ha..

-Dian-

Padang - Bukit Tinggi (Day 3)

Today is going to be my last day in Sumatera since I need to get back to Jakarta, my Home Base. I had a very good experience, journey and business aswell while I am here in Bukit Tinggi. I check again my e-ticket and it was written that the ETD - Estimate Time Departure will be at 16:40 LT (Local Time), and will be arrived in Jakarta, Soekarno-Hatta Airport around 18:15 LT. This means that I need to check-in on 15:40 LT at the latest, hmmm I am still have enough time to check-out from Novotel Bukit Tinggi at 09:00 LT at the latest so I still can enjoy the journey back to Padang. Nowadays there is a lot of choice to go back from Padang to Jakarta, one of my favourite is using one of the Private Airlines in Indonesia, of which you can search and book online via their website at here.

After had a lite breakfast, I go directly to the check-out counter and finish the check-out process and I also bought some souvenirs from the Hotel for my colleague. And of course I am order the car to bring me back to the Padang Airport, West Sumatera. As usual, the journey from Bukit Tinggi was amazing views with all the original rainy forest, the train track that has a special equipment on the middle (third rail located in the middle that helps the locomotif climbing from Padang to Bukit Tinggi). It is now quite rare to see the train passing by and on my journey back I did not met them.

The Hotel staff suggested me to stop by on one of the waterfall near Padang. This place is quite famous for them during the weekend. The name is "Cagar Alam Lembah Anai Air Mancur", which means a Waterfall Lembah Anai. After an hour journey, we can see the places and after we parks the car, we start climb a bit to the Waterfall. In a short the waterfall is not as high as I am expected but the place is quite nice. It was surrounded by rainy forest with wild monkey screaming and jumping from a branch to another. Please ensure you left all the foods safely otherwise they will come and ask for it.

The pictures collections of the place is presented here.

-Dian-

Supported by Mandala Airlines

Cutie Kettle

Hmm… my little boy is now already four years old. I am still remembering when he was born on the middle of the cold night in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia that time. He is so small, cute and he is crying when the nurse bring him from the surgery room.

Now he can sing several songs, and one of it is with a title of “Teko Kecil” or “Cutie Kettle” in English. He leant this song at the school of Playgroup Muhajirin Mosque located in the eastern part of Jakarta.

The whole songs tell a story about this kettle of which we use them to boiling water. He will scream once the water is boiled so we can take him, and pour the hot water to make a cup of coffee or tea.

Below is the video of him singing it, and hope you enjoy it…

-Dian-

Higher Education = Longer Life

Yes, for a higher educated people, their life expectancy will be longer than the non-educated groups. A recent study published by the Harvard School of Medicine has stated that people with a better education tend to have a longer live? Hmmm, I might be agree… base on some fact such as the higher educated group, tend to have a better way to choose to stay health by choosing the food combination and nutrition for their health. But let we continue our reading to their study…

They have been studying two groups; one is the high-educated group and the non-quite high educated group. Between 1980s and 2000, life expectancy increases occurred nearly exclusively among high-education group. Comparing 1981 – 1988 with 1991 – 1998, life expectancy at age 25 has grew ¼ years for high education people but as less as 0.5 years for the low group as quoted by AFP and reported by Jakarta Antara News on 11th March 2008. And its grows by 1.6 years between 1990 and 2000 and remain unchanged for the low ones.

The difference in longevity means that you would have enough time to complete more degrees of your choices.

I am a bit agree with this study since for those more educated group, they will have a knowledge on how choosing the right food for their health, making a good life by staying away from the stuff that causing diseases such as smoking, air pollution etc.

With their knowledge they know on how they can save the earth so the nature can produce more healthiness environment for them. They will have knowledge to make their life easier and healthier for them.

What I can see the children in Indonesia who has born after the war in getting the Indonesian Freedom has a better life expectancy than before. The more they get more education, the more they will life longer.

In short, if you want to have a Longer Life, please consider again to go back to School, College or University and get some degree…..

Enjoy your life while you can….


-Dian-