4 - 7 December 2010
I was in Medan over the weekend. We left just after noon on Saturday from Subang. There were thick clouds around and the small Firefly aircraft bravely made its way through. It was so bad at one point that I actually jumped in my seat – the poor cabin crew was trying to serve drinks but the juice splashed and they had to terminate the service. I woke up early that morning (jolted awake more like) when my dream suddenly featured Tommy (dang you, Tommy) and was hoping to catch a nap but with the rough ride, I doubted anyone could even rest.
We landed at Medan Polonia International Airport at 12.30 pm local time. You can smell the strong cigarette smoke the minute you walked into the terminal. Welcome to Indonesia (I do wonder how many cancer patients the country has).
It had started raining steadily by the time we walked outside. The local tour guide from Lovely Holidays was already waiting for us. There were two families from different travel agent and then we were joined by a Chinese couple from Penang (they arrived earlier and killed time by waiting for us in Sogo).
We went for a nasi padang lunch (the dishes were quite hot and spicy) and performed prayers there too. The guide then took us to a store selling prayer attire, kebaya and batik stuff. Most of us left empty-handed as we were not impressed with the store. He then took us to yet another store before we made our way to Parapat town, situated by the massive Lake Toba.
It continued pissing rain and the jam we endured was really horrible. There still was one more pit-stop at a store in a town more than an hour before reaching Parapat. I was feeling knackered and decided not to go down. That proved wise as even the airport sold the food stuff at lower cost than that store. The guide was good but I wish he was less obvious about his desire to collect commission from the shops we stopped at. We finally reached our Parapat hotel after 10 pm and had a very late dinner (hello, it was way after 11 pm in KL; it was more like supper than dinner). We then had to drag our bags down the steep stairs to our room ($#&(~)*~!%) and to my despair, there were only three TV stations available and none of them showing footie (!!!). I had to text a fellow Gooner to find out the results.
On Sunday, we left after breakfast and took a boat to Samosir Island in the lake. We first went to Ambarita, a traditional Batak village about 45 minutes away with stone court and execution place/Raja Sialagan, and stayed there for close to an hour before boarding the boat again to Tomok to see the tombs of three Batak kings/Raja Sidabutar. I dislike persuasive in-your-face hawkers like what we had at Samosir and was really put off by the charmless efforts, so much so I left empty-handed. I simply refused to buy anything. Besides, I don’t have much use for the things they sell anyway. Wood carvings? Not interested. T-shirts? I have more than enough, thank you. Bags? Looked pretty fugly to me.
We finally made our way back to the mainland and drove on for lunch. Prayers were performed at a mosque across the street from the restaurant. Then we drove on to Brastagi, stopping en route at Sepilo-pilo Waterfall. We reached Brastagi after dark and stopped at a market to buy fruits before heading to our hotel. Dinner was had at the hotel dining area. It started raining during dinner and went on well into the night. Now Brastagi is situated about 1,400 metres above sea level in the Karo highlands so it was quite a chilly night. A few people commented it was just like at Genting or Cameron Highlands.
We woke up to a misty Monday morning and after breakfast, we drove back to Medan. En route, we stopped at a durian stall (Delia and I shared a durian – heaven!) and later, at a gallery selling teak furniture and other items like t-shirts and Batak handicrafts. The items were a lot cheaper than at Samosir and wasn’t I glad I didn’t spend the day before!
We then went for lunch and after prayers, went to a factory outlet (again, the guide wanted to earn some commission). I wasn’t impressed at all; in fact, I thought the outlet was quite pathetic and I wanted to cry out aloud at the goods on offer. We were then brought to a place called Pasar Ikan and thankfully, the market was better. Well, except for the kids who chased you around and tailed you like a dog, asking that you spare them some change. I’m sorry but I don’t like to give money to beggars like that; I’d rather the money be donated to charities or orphanages.
We left the area after an hour and went to Medan Mall. It was yet another sad place for me and to kill time, we went to a salon. I had a manicure and pedicure while Delia only had a pedicure. It was getting dark when we emerged from the mall. After dropping off the two families at their respective hotels (we stayed at different hotels in Medan), we went for a buffet dinner at Tiara Hotel before checking into our hotel.
After breakfast on Tuesday morning, I went to Heritage Spa just next door to the hotel and had a herbal massage (I was badly in need of a massage). It was supposed to last 90 minutes but I told her I needed to return back to the hotel by 10.45 am (so it was like 75 minutes for me). It cost less than RM40 for a 90-minute herbal massage, bargain!
The bus arrived just as I was about to have some ginger drink so I declined the drink and hurried back to my room to get my bag. We reached the airport in 15 minutes. There was another ground handler from the local travel agency who helped us check in.
The flight took off at 13.15 local time and we landed at Subang at 3.30 pm. I was home by 4.30 pm (thanks Delia!).
~~~~~~~~
Nasri had the touch of an angel and his superb goals helped made the difference on Saturday and sent Arsenal to the summit of the league. Super Sam!!! To the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s Baby Give It Up, Nanananananananana Samir Nasri, Nasri, Samir Nasri! Go here for a mixed version of the chant. Nanananananananana Samir Nasri, Nasri, Samir Nasri! Our defence still needs a lot of work though.
I was in Medan over the weekend. We left just after noon on Saturday from Subang. There were thick clouds around and the small Firefly aircraft bravely made its way through. It was so bad at one point that I actually jumped in my seat – the poor cabin crew was trying to serve drinks but the juice splashed and they had to terminate the service. I woke up early that morning (jolted awake more like) when my dream suddenly featured Tommy (dang you, Tommy) and was hoping to catch a nap but with the rough ride, I doubted anyone could even rest.
We landed at Medan Polonia International Airport at 12.30 pm local time. You can smell the strong cigarette smoke the minute you walked into the terminal. Welcome to Indonesia (I do wonder how many cancer patients the country has).
It had started raining steadily by the time we walked outside. The local tour guide from Lovely Holidays was already waiting for us. There were two families from different travel agent and then we were joined by a Chinese couple from Penang (they arrived earlier and killed time by waiting for us in Sogo).
We went for a nasi padang lunch (the dishes were quite hot and spicy) and performed prayers there too. The guide then took us to a store selling prayer attire, kebaya and batik stuff. Most of us left empty-handed as we were not impressed with the store. He then took us to yet another store before we made our way to Parapat town, situated by the massive Lake Toba.
It continued pissing rain and the jam we endured was really horrible. There still was one more pit-stop at a store in a town more than an hour before reaching Parapat. I was feeling knackered and decided not to go down. That proved wise as even the airport sold the food stuff at lower cost than that store. The guide was good but I wish he was less obvious about his desire to collect commission from the shops we stopped at. We finally reached our Parapat hotel after 10 pm and had a very late dinner (hello, it was way after 11 pm in KL; it was more like supper than dinner). We then had to drag our bags down the steep stairs to our room ($#&(~)*~!%) and to my despair, there were only three TV stations available and none of them showing footie (!!!). I had to text a fellow Gooner to find out the results.
On Sunday, we left after breakfast and took a boat to Samosir Island in the lake. We first went to Ambarita, a traditional Batak village about 45 minutes away with stone court and execution place/Raja Sialagan, and stayed there for close to an hour before boarding the boat again to Tomok to see the tombs of three Batak kings/Raja Sidabutar. I dislike persuasive in-your-face hawkers like what we had at Samosir and was really put off by the charmless efforts, so much so I left empty-handed. I simply refused to buy anything. Besides, I don’t have much use for the things they sell anyway. Wood carvings? Not interested. T-shirts? I have more than enough, thank you. Bags? Looked pretty fugly to me.
We finally made our way back to the mainland and drove on for lunch. Prayers were performed at a mosque across the street from the restaurant. Then we drove on to Brastagi, stopping en route at Sepilo-pilo Waterfall. We reached Brastagi after dark and stopped at a market to buy fruits before heading to our hotel. Dinner was had at the hotel dining area. It started raining during dinner and went on well into the night. Now Brastagi is situated about 1,400 metres above sea level in the Karo highlands so it was quite a chilly night. A few people commented it was just like at Genting or Cameron Highlands.
We woke up to a misty Monday morning and after breakfast, we drove back to Medan. En route, we stopped at a durian stall (Delia and I shared a durian – heaven!) and later, at a gallery selling teak furniture and other items like t-shirts and Batak handicrafts. The items were a lot cheaper than at Samosir and wasn’t I glad I didn’t spend the day before!
We then went for lunch and after prayers, went to a factory outlet (again, the guide wanted to earn some commission). I wasn’t impressed at all; in fact, I thought the outlet was quite pathetic and I wanted to cry out aloud at the goods on offer. We were then brought to a place called Pasar Ikan and thankfully, the market was better. Well, except for the kids who chased you around and tailed you like a dog, asking that you spare them some change. I’m sorry but I don’t like to give money to beggars like that; I’d rather the money be donated to charities or orphanages.
We left the area after an hour and went to Medan Mall. It was yet another sad place for me and to kill time, we went to a salon. I had a manicure and pedicure while Delia only had a pedicure. It was getting dark when we emerged from the mall. After dropping off the two families at their respective hotels (we stayed at different hotels in Medan), we went for a buffet dinner at Tiara Hotel before checking into our hotel.
After breakfast on Tuesday morning, I went to Heritage Spa just next door to the hotel and had a herbal massage (I was badly in need of a massage). It was supposed to last 90 minutes but I told her I needed to return back to the hotel by 10.45 am (so it was like 75 minutes for me). It cost less than RM40 for a 90-minute herbal massage, bargain!
The bus arrived just as I was about to have some ginger drink so I declined the drink and hurried back to my room to get my bag. We reached the airport in 15 minutes. There was another ground handler from the local travel agency who helped us check in.
The flight took off at 13.15 local time and we landed at Subang at 3.30 pm. I was home by 4.30 pm (thanks Delia!).
~~~~~~~~
Nasri had the touch of an angel and his superb goals helped made the difference on Saturday and sent Arsenal to the summit of the league. Super Sam!!! To the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s Baby Give It Up, Nanananananananana Samir Nasri, Nasri, Samir Nasri! Go here for a mixed version of the chant. Nanananananananana Samir Nasri, Nasri, Samir Nasri! Our defence still needs a lot of work though.
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