Wednesday, 6Dec06

Highlights: Minangkabau tour

Today was probably my coolest day in Sumatra so far. I really had fun getting out into the West Sumatran countryside. a big turn-around from my ho-hum experience in Padang.

The morning nearly hit a snag when the first tour & travel office withheld their services until “I” went out & found another passenger, to make it worth their effort. Huh? Since when did it become my job to find you business? Sorry- next!

A phone call later, I had the best guide I’ve had to date, Pak Arman. (spoke English well, extremely knowledgeable about the ins & outs of the area, full of ideas, and a nice guy to be around). If I was ok with traveling by scooter- we were in business. (= ha ha… little did he know, I’m half-way to my boy-scout merit badge as a professional scooter passenger by now.

We headed out on a 6-hour tour into the heartland of Minang culture. For those in the know, we made a circle from Bukit Tinggi to Tabek Patah to Rao-rao, to the king’s palace in Batu Sangkar, to the traditional homes in Balimbing, then on to Lake Singkarak and Pahdai Sikat before returning to Bukit Tinggi.
It’s hard not to be impressed by the atmosphere of the countryside here. It’s great.