Mountain View

We are dropped off at the edge of Bukittinggi and have to make a long walk to the center. The name of the town means high hill, so we have to climb that as well. Besides, it is difficult to read the map, which isn't correct either, so it takes some time to get where we want to be. The hotel we picked, however, doesn't exist anymore, but there is a good alternative. A little while later we are relaxing and enjoying the view of Mountain view Guesthouse.

Our first day in Bukittinggi we take it slow. We take our time to find out what can be explorer around town, and how to move on to Java. We also meet Johanna. She is a Dutch girl in a room next to us, and she has an Indonesian boyfriend, Jas. She is here for the third time now, and has a lot of tips for us.

Wedding

In the afternoon, Johanna suddenly arrives, asking us if we want to go to a Minangkabau wedding. Well, that's a yes, and in the evening the four of us join the wedding, celebrated in between the houses, where the people are waiting on chairs. The bride and groom are in a house, and once in a while a group of people can visit them. They are offered some food, after which they can congratulate them and make room for the next group. The bride and groom stay inside.

When it is our turn, we take off our shoes and go inside. In a large circle we sit on the floor, the men cross-legged, the women with their legs to the side. The food is typical Padang style: in the middle are dishes with chicken, meat, and vegetables, mostly prepared with many spices. Everybody gets a plate with rice and takes wat het wants from the dishes. It is an art to shape the food with the right hand into little balls, and eat those. We have some more trouble with it, and finish last. Then we congratulate the bride and groom and go back outside.

Outside, a band is playing. Everybody is invited to come and sing on stage, but we decline. We can not refuse to make a dance, however. So here we are, on an Indonesian wedding, and the few Dutch people have to start the entertainment. Maybe it is the lack of alcohol to loosen the people up a bit. A number of guests do want their picture taken with us, so apparently we are the attraction here. Around 10 PM the party is nearly over and everybody leaves. We do not get to see the bride and groom again, they are probably counting the gifts in the anonymous envelopes.

Through Sianok Canyon

The next day, Jas offers his services as a guide for a walk through the nearby Sianok canyon (Ngarai Sianok). From Bukittinggi we walk down and via some rice fields we end up in a forest. Further downhill we arrive at the river that flows through the canyon. We follow the river and pass it several times since it flows from one side of the canyon to the other. We see enormous bugs, and flying foxes, a bat species with sizes up to 1 meter. We pass several small waterfalls and see a few monkeys in the distance. The climb up is hard, but once on top we have a magnificent view over the canyon. Via the silver village, where people are making silver jewellery, we walk back to Bukittinggi.