Vancouver Banshee: tomok

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Indonesia -- Day 6 Leaving Tabo Cottage, Samosir Island

Another incredibly early start to the say with breakfast at 7am and departure at 730am :) Because of my nap the night before I had ended up getting up quite early and had time to take some photos of the sunrise over Tabo Cottages before we left. Here are some of those photos:

The inland entrance to Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

more local flowers, Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia
If you can identify -- please leave a comment. Thank You

Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

This a fourplex at the Tabo Cottages. So beautiful. The rooms were great (NOTE : no TV's) and the bathroom was huge as well. I had a fridge to keep my beer cold so that was fantastic !! Go Bintang !!
Trailing along the upper balcony was a passionfruit vine.

The grounds at Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

More cottages, Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Really I can't say enough how beautiful this place is. If you want some downtown and to get away from the ratrace.. or want to write the book that has always been in your head, then this is the place. So serene...

the lilly pond, Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Isn't that most gorgeous view? the mountains and the clouds and the sun warming everything ...

Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Morning boat, 630am, Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Beautiful seating,Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Tabo Cottages, Samosir Island, Sumatra, Indonesia

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Indonesia -- Day 5 Touring Tomok on Samosir Island, Sumatra

After our exciting mid morning dance recital in Simanindo we proceeded back toward Ambarita to Barbara's Hotel for lunch. We all had the special Babi Panggang. This is a traditional version of grilled pork. It was delicious. Morris, mindful of us westerners subsituted ketchip for blood in the dipping sauce. Lunch was 60 000 IDR and large bintang bottle was 30 000 IDR.

From Wikipedia:

Babi panggang refers to a variety of recipes for Indonesian grilled pork recipes, 'babi' meaning pig or pork, and 'panggang' meaning grilled or roasted in the Malay and Indonesian language.

Babi panggang Karo and Babi panggang Toba are two similar dishes made by the Christian Batak Toba and Batak Karo of North Sumatra. Pigs are slaughtered and used in their entirety to make babi panggang - bones for a clear soup, meat (including offal) to be grilled, and blood for a dipping sauce. The three dishes are served with plain rice and a sambal andaliman, made from fresh sichuan peppers

Barbara's Hotel, Ambarita, Samosir Island, Sumatra

Watching a local fisherman catch fish by clumping, Samosir Island/Lake Toba, Sumatra

Watching a local fisherman catch fish , Samosir Island/Lake Toba, Sumatra

Watching a local fisherman catch fish, Samosir Island/Lake Toba, Sumatra

Does anyone know what this method of fishing is called? The man was plunging a plunger type tool into the water and then backtracked pulling up a net?

Koi/Fish pond at Barbara's Hotel, Ambarita, Samosir Island

After lunch we headed to Tomok. We were going to see King Sidabutar's Tomb. Once in Tomok you turn up a narrow alley, where both sides are jam packed with market stalls. It's a bit of a steep climb. Just take your time and meander up while looking at all the goodies on display.

King Sidabutar was one of the last Batak animist kings. Once you arrival at the tomb site you climb up a steep staircase to a large yard area. There are several tombs here. The king, his bodyguard and apparently a women he loved (without return) for many years. The King's tomb has his likeness carved into it.

King Sidabutar's Tomb, Tomok, Samosir Island, Sumatra

King Sidabutar's Tomb, Tomor, Samosir Island, Sumatra

King Sidabutar's Tomb, Tomok, Samosir Island, Sumatra

I have to say, while we were listening and watching Morris give his talk I couldn't really concentrate. It was ridiculously hot and all I wanted was to sit and have a couple of large ice-cold Bintang's !!!