Truly Bukit Tinggi is an enchanting land. Known as Minangkabau, it's a land of blue mountains, hidden valleys, lakes, steps of green and yellow paddy fields, waterfalls and addictive fresh cold air. Hosting us for 5 days are the warm and friendly people of Minangkabau rich and unique in culture reflected in their architecture, language and delicious food.
#1: Paddy fields
#2: The Angel
#3: So many angels ah? The water fall at Anai valley.
#4: Rumah Adat Temenggung. There are 2 types of rumah adat. The Temenggung and the Perpatih.
#5: Inside the rumah adat
#6: Ikelah, Mdm Ikelah and Mdm Boogey
#7: Jam Gadang in the centre of Bukit Tinggi. there's a small park and pasar atas there where you can buy telekungs with all those fancy laces. We went there every morning but entered the pasar atas. Pergi jam 6 pagi dan balik malam. Pasar dah tutup.
#8: At the base of Jam Gadang I saw 3 wierd people. I have no idea what they were doing. Praying? Learning to pray? Spying? What??? They do have a kiblat though.
#9: Our friend E Im. I don't know how to spell it but his real name is Saiful Rahim. He's our driver tourist during our stay there and he also owns the hotel we stayed in and the house below is his house in the middle of a paddy field. A very rich driver. That's why he's a driver tourist.
#10: Jus Alpukat or Avocado drink is everywhere in Bukit Tinggi. Very thick, delicious and healthy.
#11: Waterfall in Anai valley. This is one of the places rarely visited by Malaysians. There are many waterfalls in Arau Valley and this is one of the many.
#12: This is one of the activities rarely done by Malaysian tourist when visiting Bukit Tinggi but we did it every moring except on our last day. I don't think any sane Malaysian tourist would wake up every morning at 5:30 and walk to Jam Gadang to join the morning bersenam which starts at 6:30am sharp every moring.
#13: One of the waterfalls at Harau Valley
#14: Another waterfall in Harau Valley. They all have names but I only remember the Air terjun Murai because as told by the keeper, burung murai suka mandi di situ.
#15: Waterfall stunts.
#16: This is the Harau Valley. The weather is not so good. It was raining now and then.
#17: Masjid Raya Bengkudu. The second oldest mosque in Indonesia after the one in Kota Gede Mataram in Yogyakarta. However in termas of originality, it's the oldest with a background of morethan 200 years and no new addition or rebuilding. Ori and authentic. The people are friendly and helpful and we performed solat Jumaat there. 2 years back we solat Jumaat at Masjid Kota Gede Mataram. How lucky.
#18: Masjid Raya Bengkudu from a high angle after the Friday prayer.
#19:This is where we stayed in Bukit Tinggi. A cheap but quite clean and very friendly hotel. The location is excellent only 5 minutes walk to Jam gadang and 10 minutes to Lobang Jepang.
#20: A view of Sg Landia from a spot up in the mountain on the way to Lake Maninjau.
#21: What's so interesting about this place? Ikelah's eyes were roaming and blood pumping with adrenalin as we were passing this spot. Kawasan keras!
#22: Realm of The Trap door spiders
#23: On top of the surrounding highgrounds encircling Lake Maninjau. Lake Maninjau was actually a volcano.
#24: View of lake Maninjau. This was shot before the area was surrounded by mist. See the reflection on the surface.
#25: Shooting trapdoor spiders of Lake Maninjau
#26: Lake Maninjau
#27: Kerbau of lake Maninjau yang berjaya memikat Ikelah. Look at the eyes. Ikelah concluded that kerbaus here have sexier eyes. Must be the high altitude syndrome.
#28: Lake Maninjau isvery clean. It's very important and there are many beautiful reminders.
#29: Rumah Hamka. Built with the funds gathered by ABIM, we received a freindly welcome there.
#30: Shy, friendly and playful girls decorated our visit to Rumah kelahiran Abuya Hamka.
#31: What's this? Another spider of Lake Maninjau.
#32: Enjoying the beauty of Lake Maninjau. Dunhill taste better here.
#33: No comment.
#34: Lake Singkarak on the way to Danau di Atas and Danau di Bawah.
#35: Danau di Atas. Ikelah adjusting his settings.
#36: By Danau di Atas. This one i had time to edit a bit.
#37: An edited image on the way to the Danau Kembar.
#38: Mdm Boogey decending from the pondok tinjau Danau Atas Danau Bawah. Behind her is a Hu Hu Hu.
