As for breakfast, the hotel café served us with fried rice, toast, coffee and tea. Im not a coffee lover, however I chose hot coffee cuz the fresh original coffee powder calling me! Yes, the Indonesian hot coffee was nice!
At 8.30am, Pak Yas meet up us at lobby and we enjoyed some of surrounding and scenery all the way to next venue. Before proceed further, we stopover at Sulaman Linduang Bulan to check out their latest design of embroidery and I was looking for cotton telekung.
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Next, we went to Pandai Sikek area which well-known of weaving and wood carving. Normally, guests were looking for the amazing Songket textile weaving. Unique and artistic wood carvings were used for decorations of Rumah Gadang, Minang Villages and mimbar of masjid. Some of the landscape taken over there were as above.
Later we visited Surau Nagari Lubuk Bauk which is the most elderly Masjid in West Sumatera. I was informed this Masjid was built with a wood without any nail attached. This Masjid is no longer used as prayer hall however it is utilized to perform Qur’an/Muqadam recital and tajwid/tafsir learning at the first and second levels of this Masjid. The third level was a short minaret or dome (kubah) and we manage went up and captured some panorama photo. On the other hand, brief of Hamka was there. FYI, Hamka is well-known in Malaysia as well and his Islamic novel titled Di Bawah Lindungan Kaabah was executed as stage theater at Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur.
Before went to Pagaruyung Palace, we manage to drop by at Singgalang Lake. Mount Singgalang is one of an inactive volcano in West Sumatera. It is located nearby Mount Merapi (active volcano). Locals informed they did saw a plume of ash came out from crater of Mount Merapi.
Then, we visited Istano Basa Pagar Ruyung and the tickets cost us IDR24k (RM7) for 2pax (expense6). This palace is a former Pagaruyung kingdom, located near Batu Sangkar town and believed this palace was burnt by Dutch previously and later was rebuilt and advancement till currently. Besides the Minang architecture, visitors may put on rental Minang attire and accessories only at IDR35k per fullset attire accessories package. Not to worry cuz they will help you to get dressed. For photography session services the charges were IDR10k only.
Rangkiang (lumbung padi) is a rice barn or storage for harvested paddy by Minangkabau tribe. Normally, rangkiang situated in front of the Minang house. E.g. in front of Pagaruyung Palace and in front of Minang Village at Padang Panjang. 4 types of rangkiang are sitinjau lauik, sibayau-bayau, sitangka lapa and kaciak.
We passed by palace of Silindung Bulan (1), extraordinary spiral coconut tree (2), graveyard (kubur) of previous ruler (3) and the written stone (batu bersurat) which inscripted in ancient Indian language (4).
We performed solat and had our lunch at Pondok Flora. We savored Nasi Padang with avocado drink and teh botol (bottle tea) while dining on floating hut with surrounded by greeny paddy field countryside. Plus, some animals such owls and bird were over there. A group of swan was over there as well. Lunch here cost us IDR148k (RM42) for 2pax (expense7).
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Later we heading journey to Tabek Patah, famed area with local homemade pisang salai (smoked banana) and traditional coffee milling. We took a break at Kopi Kiniko and experienced the processes of pisang salai which are first, peel off the banana skin and sliced to 2-4 slices. Next, smoked the banana slices in oven (here the oven is big enough; the oven door alike room door). After done, dip the banana slices in wet flour before frying in hot cooking oil. Once cool, it is ready to be packed. It can stands up to 4 months before expiry. (Note: They used Banana Embun or MY we name it as Pisang Awak).
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Kiniko Coffee was made from robusta coffee type with traditional processing resulted to a fine coffee. We also managed to flavor a complimentary kawa daun (a tea from coffee leaves). Some discovered that a tea made from coffee leaves has healthful compounds than either regular tea or coffee and are more antioxidants, less caffeine, improve immune system and reduce a risk of heart problem and diabetic. We enjoyed the hot coffee, tea and smoked banana while seated on the logs provided and pleasure the landscape of flower garden and rice terraces.
We stopover at Jam Gadang (clock tower) for sightseeing and bought some souvenirs at Pasar Atas. We may spot Jam Gadang peak from our hotel’s veranda. Pasar Atas is a variety store selling local products such local crackers, tshirts, inventive fridge magnets, house decoration items, songket weaving, embroidery fabrics and many more. Pasar Bawah is a wet market. Other place nearby Jam Gadang is Plaza Bukit Tinggi which is a shopping mall and Bung Hatta Palace. Bung Hatta was born in Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatera and he was the first vice president of Indonesia and later serving as the third prime minister of Indonesia. Before went back to hotel, we had eaten Egyptian Murtabak (Murtabak Mesir) in eatery at town IDR15k (RM4) (expense8).
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