I had planned on cycling to various sights around the island but it seemed a lot easier to go on a motorbike with Alfred (my German taxi-mate from Medan, and now neighbour in the guesthouse).
It turned out to be a seven hour jouney with three coffee stops and a sightseeing stop too. We circumabulated the island (the size of Singapore) … something we were advised against … yes, the road did get bad in stretches like we had been told but we survived. We did get caught in the rain and it was very cold but it wasn’t as bad being the pillion.
It was an interesting day seeing the everyday life of the Toba Bataks … ploughing their sawah (padi fields) with their water buffaloes, threshing their harvested padi, churches (and more churches), piglets and puppies running around, girls picking lice from each others hair, weddings, paraponting and communities in their front yard having bible-study classes.
The Toba Bataks are nearly exclusively Christian … pork seems to be the main meat … I haven’t had the guts to ask if they eat dogs as well (something many Christians in the region love).
-
- My cosy hotel. I had the new building that’s on the left. The old Batak buildings are a bit dark inside.
-
- Alfred my hotel-mate was kind enough to let me be his pillion on our exploration.
-
- View from Tuk Tuk looking at the main part of Samosir Island.
-
- Sawah, or rice paddies.
-
- Traditional Batak house.
-
- A jetty on Lake Toba.
-
- Sunday seems to be cleaning day for many people.
-
- At the Museum.
-
- Traditional dance at the Museum.
-
- Do you recall school buses being this fun?
-
- Scenery of Lake Toba.
-
- Wedding.
-
- Sawah.
-
- I love sawahs, especially the colour when they’re still young.
-
- Looking from Samosir to the mainland. The mountain you see is actually the crater rim.
-
- Batak houses from afar.
-
- View of Tuk Tuk peninsula … nearly an island.
