3 Jun 2005 - Creative Juice Holiday Camp
This is my frog prop which I made myself. |
The 5-day Creative Juice Holiday Camp organised by the Practice Performing Arts Theatre was enjoyable and fun. We visited the Singapore River to find out about the story of early Singapore and the building of the Anderson Bridge.
We formed into visual, music, acting teams and created an entire production using our creativity. We created our own props, movements and projection slides. And finally, we performed it before our parents. It was awesome!
Robyn learnt about the power of creativity, story boarding, the imaginative use of everyday things to create all kinds of sounds, the effects of lights and projection, and working together with others in teams. |
Robyn & Chevonne: "We made this ourselves!" |
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Creative Juice Buddies - Robyn and Chevonne |
14-16 Jun 2005 - West Sumatra Adventure: Padang - Bukittinggi - Sianok Canyon
14 Jun
We flew Tiger Airways to Padang, tasted Minang food for lunch and stayed a night at Hotel Nuansa by the beach. Looking out at the ocean, we wondered about the possibility of tsunami...
15 Jun
We left early for Bukittinggi, a highland town that's supposed to be cooler and nicer. The shared Toyota Kijang we took negotiated the traffic and bends skilfully and the journey took only 2 hours.
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The clock tower Jam Gadang ("Big Ben") is where the town centre is in Bukittinggi. People are seen sitting in the park around the tower throughout the day. |
We love taking a romantic ride on a bendi - a horse-driven cart - around town. But you must always bargain as the asking price is set above the fair value.
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The market sells everything and is delightful to venture about. The stall sellers there are good mannered and never resort to touting. |
Enjoying the sunset mountain view of Merapi from our Ambun Suri Hotel balcony. |
16 Jun
Sianok Canyon is a spectacular 4km long and over 100m deep canyon. We decided to venture into the canyon bed to explore around and walk in the flowing streams there. |
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Alvin and Robyn on a suspension bridge, hanging over the canyon. |
Friendly companions at the canyon bed... |
After some searching, we found our way down to the canyon bed. |
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It was a perfect place to munch apples... |
It was a perfect place to do some nature sketching. |
Alvin, Robyn and Jin walking in the cold flowing stream down at the canyon. It was a most refreshing way to soak in the beautiful place and enjoy Mother Nature. |
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17 Jun 2005 - Minangkabau Cultural Tour
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Today was a wonderful day. We met another Singaporean family - Uncle Koh, Auntie Mavis and Gordon - during breakfast at the hotel. They decided to join us for the Minangkabau Cultural Tour for the day.
Avis was our friendly guide and Il was our mini van driver.
PROGRAMME:
Koto Laweh - Sawah Parit Tabek Patah - Sungai Tarab - Pagaruyung - Batusangkar - Balimbing - Ombilin River - Lake Singkarak - Pandai Sikek |
After a long negotiation, Uncle Koh could stand it no more and showed his karate chop...
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Trying out pancake at a local market. It was delicious but a bit too oily.
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We visited a local coffee processing and packing factory. Mmm, nice coffee aroma...
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The King Palace at Pagaruyung was a cultural highlight for the day.
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| The King Palace has a majestic Minangkabau architecture. We learnt a great deal about the Minangkabau culture and history here, and toured the various rooms in the palace where the last king once lived.
We learnt that the ancestors of Minangkabau came from India and they were Hindus and Budhists before they were converted to Muslim. | |
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A mosque in the King Palace premise. |
Jin, Robyn and Alvin at the King Palace. |
Robyn and Gordon enjoying Minang food for lunch. |
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Padi, padi everywhere, giving us a serene, peaceful and idyllic feel. |
Taking a break and a boat ride in beautiful and peaceful Lake Singkarak. |
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Pandai Sikek farmland |
Uncle Avis invited us to his home for dinner at the end of the tour. We met his wife, Sri, and his two beautiful daughters, Friska and Vista. |
The Yongs, the Kohs and the Avis in Bukittinggi
Three families in Bukittinggi - the Yongs, the Kohs and the Avis. |
18-20 Jun 2005 - Lake Maninjau
We spent 3 wonderfully relaxing days at Lake Maninjau, staying for 2 nights at Hotel Pasir Panjang and the 3rd at Hotel Tan Dirih.
The lake is a volcanic crater lake surrounded by high ground on all sides, and it's one fourth the length and width of Singapore island.
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Fishing at dawn in Lake Maninjau
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Fisherman of Lake Maninjau in the early morning... |
| Daddy, Mummy and I love Lake Maninjau.
We spent many reflective moments sitting by the lake and reading messages from the lake, the surrounding mountains, the clouds in the sky and the golden sky during sunset... |
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The Maninjau motorbike gang
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Jin pillion riding Alvin and Robyn
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| Upon arrival at Lake Maninjau, we decided that the best way to experience it was to rent a motorbike and ride around the entire lake... so the Yongs and the Kohs took to the road on vroom! |
The green padi made a beautiful background... |
19 Jun
The next morning, the Kohs left straight from Lake Maninjau for Padang to catch a return flight to Singapore.
Robyn missed her playmate, Gordon. |
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Food wise, we found the Simple Cafe run by hubby-wife team, Peli and Pitri, to be good. They were very friendly and shared many stories and information with us freely.
R: Peli, Pitri and Afdal |
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We rented a sampan from Peli to paddle out to the lake for fun, to appreciate the shoreline and for a swim. |
A refreshing cold dip in Lake Maninjau |
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Reading, relaxing, reflecting... at Hotel Tan Dirih |
22-23 Jun 2005 - Harau Valley
Harau Walley, where high cliffs reign |
From Lake Maninjau, we travelled to Harau Valley. Our guide was Jack of Bagoes Cafe at Lake Maninjau. He helped book us into Echo Homestay, the only hotel available at Harau Valley.
We learnt that there are wild tigers at Harau Valley. That got our tigress Robyn excited because her roar is fiercer than any tiger! |
Set against the high gorge cliffs, the Echo Homestay blends nicely into the tough yet beautiful natural setting. |
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| The lodgings at Echo Homestay were really beautifully designed and situated. We fell in love with the place immediately.
The restaurant hangs out of a cliff with a fantastic view of the canyon valley. We spent many hours sitting there dining and enjoying the view. |
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We learnt that there were many rock climbing routes set on the cliff walls so we went in search of them. We found many bolted routes and my, they are definitely routes with severe diffculty levels! Indonesian climbers are good and daring.
Baby fern tree - looked like an alien furry chick from afar... really weird! |
Waterfall at Harau Valley
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Guide Conti, Jack's friend, showed us some waterfalls. They are really high falls and the water just sprayed downward like a huge shower. As it was dry season, the water volume wasn't fantastic. We could imagine the power of the falls during rainy season.
Cold mountain water for a refreshing leg dip.
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Guide Jack of Bagoes Cafe, Maninjau.
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Notice how tiny Jin and Robyn were in contrast with the place?
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23 Jun
We left Harau Valley at 7.30am direct for Padang to catch our flight home.
It'd been a most memorable outdoor adventure in West Sumatra. We experienced mountains, lake, gorges, forest, waterfalls and a most wonderful people of Minangkabau.
We'll be back... |
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