Mount Sinabung

Mount Sinabung has erupted again.  David wanted to get some night pictures of the mountain erupting so we went out to wait.  We tried to get close by going down one road.  The area was just about totally vacant.  The ash was so thick that we couldn't see (like a very thick snowstorm that covers the vehicle while you are driving and prevents you from seeing what is ahead of you).  We turned around, and tried another route.  This was a better approach.  Some people had set up a tarp to protect them while they watched the mountain.  We kept on going until we came to a village that had been evacuated.  The trees were broken or the tops bent over.  The field crops were covered with ash and the leaves burnt.  Some of the roofs had collapsed under the weight of the ash.   There was a lonely chicken crossing the road.  In amongst all this devastation, you see hope--a woman starting to wash the outside of her home, sprigs of green leaves growing up out of the fields,  a red flower surrounded by grey, men starting to clean up the roads.

We visited a market while we were in Berastagi.  The tailors use old Singer treadle machines for their sewing.  In one store, a bunch of ladies had gathered and they were giggling and teasing each other while waiting  for customers to come by.  This market sold everything--fresh food, plastics pans, dishes, cutlery,clothes, tailor services.  In mostly rural areas, some people eat bats, monkeys, cats, and dogs for their protein.

We spent a day touring in Medan--a very busy large city with millions of people living there.  Because they drive on the left side of the road, as Canadians we must remember to look right before you cross.  We visited a few museums, a Buddhist temple, and actually had a hamburger for lunch.  It was a tasty dish of delight in a country that serves rice and noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Don't get us wrong, we like the less spicy versions of Indonesian food, but a good hamburger or donut makes the experience all the better.

We will be taking a 5.5 hour trip in a shared taxi to get to our next destination--Danau (Lake) Toba for more relaxed and leisurely pace.  Patt and Craig recommended this lake as a destination.