Laid Back Lifestyle

Welcome to Indonesia!!!

If someone asked you what type of life you would like to have in this lifetime disregard the current place that you lived in, what would be your answer??? Well, apparently many people would answer the opposite from where they stayed right now. For example: people who stayed in villages, they would dream to live in metropolitan city; people who stayed in mountain areas, they would dream to stay near the beach, and so on.

For me, who was born and grown up in metropolitan city, once I stayed in mountain and village for about 3 years. That time I did not understand much yet about happiness, neither thought about it. Therefore, I found the place was terribly boring!!! But you know, I guessed millions people would dream of living in such place at least once!!! And yes, if you asked me now, I would still hope to go back there and stay there one more time. But forever? Perhaps not, because I still preferred to stay in tropical rather than four-season countries.

Horas - traditional greeting of Batak Toba

For the past 4 years I was lucky enough being able to visit and stay at the place of my dream. Recently I visited it for the fifth time. It took about 1.5 hours direct flight from Singapore to Kualanamu Airport in Medan. From Medan I still needed to take about two-hour car ride to Pematang Siantar. If went to Prapat (where the boat was docked to transfer to the Samosir Island), I would need another hour of car ride, plus about an hour boat ride to cross over the Lake Toba (the biggest lake in Indonesia). Yes, that beautiful place was called Samosir Island.

Samosir Island - Indonesia

Last year my relatives with families and friend built a place there to stay and I was very lucky being able to stay there for free and comfortably. The location was really good, about 15minutes walk from where we were dropped by the boat. It faced the lake (although not directly - you could go there in five-minutes walk), and at the back, it faced the paddy plantations. Depending on the season, sometimes it could be greenish and lovely. Sometimes it could be so dried. And sometimes you could see the plowing process using machine done by the farmer during plantation time.

Fresh and cooling mountain air :)

The air was cooling and fresh. There was no need to install air-condition inside the building. Just opened the door, it already felt like air-condition being installed (despite hot sun was shining above in afternoon time).

Front and back view :)

The rooms were simple and cleaned. Each was equipped with indoor toilet. If I were lucky, the room was even having balcony facing the paddy plantation at the back or big windows on higher floors that facing the beautiful lake. The highest floor was third floor. There was wifi as well although it didn't reach the back of the building. But it was good too so I could sleep early at night and having enough hours before the roosters started singing as early as 5 to 6 am in the morning.

Tell you, OMG!! At first I wasn't get used to it. When I visited Indonesia, many factors forced me to get up early in the morning. If city area like Jakarta, the sun started to rise at 6 am and by 7 am, the sky had turned bright and made the temperature warm. If the place that you stayed near the mosque (as majority of Indonesia population were Muslim), the prayers sound could be heard as early as 4.30 am. And another one was roosters sound.

It wasn't only one or two roosters around, mind you. Their numbers were enough to play orchestra from left to right. Hahaha... I felt like crying on my first night sleeping in Pematang Siantar, and started feeling regret of not sleeping earlier the night before. So when I reached Samosir, I told myself to sleep early - as early as 10 pm every night - to fulfill the minimum of 8-hour sleep, so I wouldn't get annoyed by the roosters sound, and instead, appreciated them more (no need to turn my alarm clock on).

Mango season now

Every morning when weather was good (luckily it was all good when I was there), I went for a morning walk at 6.30 am. I made a big round walking around the lakeside, with its ups and downs, passing by many guest houses, resorts, restaurants, shops, and so on. Not only that. There were abundance of fruit and vegetables trees too!!

Learn various fruit trees here (dragon fruit)

Durian, mango, avocado, passionfruit, candlenut, dragon fruits, winged beans, chilli, lemon, and so on. One of the motivation to walk that early was to find the fallen fruits from the trees. Hahaha.... You could always find a free one! :D But don't anyhow pluck the fruits of someone's trees. The owner would be unhappy with it!

Huge lemon - gift by the house owner :)

If you would love to have or even buy, you could ask politely to them. Sometimes they might just give it freely to you. But honesty was something that the local people there practise! Fyi, majority of people who stayed in the island was Batak Toba tribe and majority (93% of them) was Christian. It was generally safe to stay there. You could even leave your building wide open with vehicles being parked outside as no body would enter without permission, would never even think of stealing and robbing. They were friendly too. So it was another plus point to stay in the area.

Pork steak and beer Bintang from New Tomok Restaurant

The living cost was still very low (a plate of breakfast noodle cost IDR 8,000 (USD$0.60), a plate of pork steak cost IDR 40,000  (USD$2.90), and a big bottle of local beer (Beer Bintang) cost IDR 35,000 (USD$2.50). Batak people ate a lot of pork. Lomak - a local restaurant name - sold a very delicious babi goreng or fried pork - traditional Batak dish. Grilled fish and lobsters were also famous in the island. The main catch was their chili. It was spicy and delicious!!! So next time when you went there, please do not order "nasi goreng" or the famous Indonesian fried rice all the time!!! Instead, try any of their pork dishes and seafood!!! :)

Weekend market at Tomok

On Sunday morning I went down to the weekend market - near Tomok. You could find many fresh vegetables, fruits, fishes, even coffee powder there. Nearby there were rows of shops in traditional Batak house roof style selling shirts, souvenirs, sarong, Batik patterns clothes, shawl, etc. Just make sure to bargain and compare from one shop to another as they would open the price quite high and targeted much higher price to outsider and tourists.

Souvenir shops at Tomok

Motorcycle were available for rent. Not necessary to wear the helmet and it was not a very crowded place (except for the major holiday time such as: Chinese New Year period, Christmas, and Lebaran - Eid al-fitr). Just had to be careful as it was mountainous road that was full of ups and downs, some of you might not get used to it. You could explore the areas with it, or even on foot. Many beautiful spots in the islands and not forgetting the lake water sports like banana boat (when you're in a big group), speedboat, and so on.

Laid back lifestyle :)

For myself I would prefer to just relax in the building, reading books, and having cold beer. It was perfect for me :D

Banana boat - Lake Toba 

At night it was very quiet except for the animal orchestras sound. Hehe... When the sky was clear, you could see many stars above. Drop of rainwater sound was soothing too. But the lightning was too much only. Hahaha.... scary.... :P

Stone chair of King Siallagan

There was traditional Batak cultural performance too in the dancing show Sigale Gale, Stone Chair of King Siallagan, etc. You could even learn the dance there. Nearby the area you could also visit the Batak Museum, to learn more about their history, culture, lifestyle and so on.

Beautiful scenery from Hotel Silintong

Well, I might not be able to purchase a land there, build the house and spend the rest my olden days there but I had already been feeling very grateful for the opportunity to go there and spend many valuable times over there. Could not thank enough for everyone who made this possible (you know who you were!!!).

With this post hopefully you know where to go next time to experience such a laid back life that was not so far from Singapore!!! :)

D3 Iceland - South Coast of Iceland

Morning view of Stracta Hotel

We had delicious and fulfilling breakfast before leaving our hotel. I took photos of the hot tubs and sauna that we used the night before. It was beautiful, wasn't it? Made of wood, it looked so natural and cosy :) And yes, that was the van that we took for our tour at the southern part of Iceland these past few days.

Group photo courtesy of Francis Lew - Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

Our guide cum driver was named Inggo, a tall, young, and strong Icelandic man who told us lots of fable from Iceland throughout our journey, the one who stood directly behind me :) And yes, the photo taken was with the background of the magnificent 60-meter high Seljalandsfoss waterfall, our first stop for the day!

Jump pose at the Seljalandsfoss waterfall - South Coast of Iceland :)

Footpath behind the Seljalandsfoss waterfall - Iceland

Unlike other waterfalls in Iceland, here it was possible for us to walk behind it (see the photo above), via a footpath at the base of the cliff. It was wet, stony and slippery though. So, a good waterproof hiking shoes were really needed!!! And I was amazed on how my Mom would be able to walk through it!! Well done Mom!! :)

Other waterfalls next to Seljalandsfoss waterfall :)

In panoramic view - Seljalandsfoss waterfalls - Iceland

And there were other few waterfalls next to it as shown in the two photos above :)

Icelandic horses on the move :)

On our way, we passed by through many beautiful view on our left and right. I loved the view of Icelandic horses running freely in a small group, so free and natural :)

Icelandic turf house - connected to stones

We also passed by many Icelandic turf house like shown at the photo above. Too bad we did not have any chance to visit and see how it looked like.

"The common Icelandic turf house would have a large foundation made of flat stones; upon this was built a wooden frame which would hold the load of the turf. The turf would then be fitted around the frame in blocks often with a second layer, or in the more fashionable herringbone style. The only external wood would be the doorway which would often be decorative; the doorway would lead in to the hall which would commonly have a great fire. Another interesting aspect of the Icelandic turf house was the introduction of attached toilets, which were communal, and the act of going to the attached toilet was often done in large groups. The floor of a turf house could be covered with wood, stone or earth depending on the purpose of the building. They also contain grass on their roofs."- Source: Wikipedia.org

Skógafoss waterfall - Iceland

We visited another beautiful waterfall called Skógafoss waterfall - a 60-meter high waterfall in the Skógá River. Legend said there was buried treasures (chest of gold) by the settler called Þrasi Þórólfsson in a cave behind this waterfall.

View of the Skógafoss waterfall upper part :)

At the upper part of Skógafoss waterfall - where the waterfalls came from :)

Here, there were staircases where we all could go up and see where the waterfall came from. So I guess, the above photo was the Skógá River itself. Oh my!!! It looked so wonderful!! So pretty!!! Love it so much!!! :)

Reynisfjara or Black Beach at Vik Village - Iceland

From there, we continued our journey to see the unique black sand/ pebble beach called Reynisfjara located at Vik Village, south coast of Iceland. The beach was named by International Islands magazine in 1991 as one of the ten best beach in the world. Perhaps due to its uniqueness where all the pebbles and sands were black in color.

Eldhraun Lava Field - Iceland

We had lunch afterwards and continued our journey across the Eldhraun lava field.

"This impressive lava field the biggest lava flow in the world which occurred during the Laki eruption in the late 1700s. The enormous site which is 565 square kilometers (218 sq mi) is where the Apollo 11 crew came to train for their impending moonwalk."- Source: icelandtravel.is

"The thick green moss dressing the lava wipes out all hard edges and, for a while, the world exists only in the colors of the asphalt, the sky, and the moss."- Source: icelandmag.visir.is/

 It felt simply amazing just passing through this huge area. There was no one staying as the area not suitable for living.

More waterfalls throughout the journey - South Coast of Iceland

More waterfalls - South Coast of Iceland

Iceland was truly rich of natural resources. As we passed by, more waterfalls were to be seen on our left side. Simply grateful with the beautiful view it offered!!!

Skeiðarársandur or vast sand desert - South Coast of Iceland

We passed by the Skeiðarársandur - a vast sand desert that used to be farms before, but destroyed by huge floods caused by the volcanic eruption that came beneath the Vatnajökull glacier back in 1996. It was so huge until it swept the bridge away and disconnected the Ring Road to eastern side of Iceland. It was said to be the largest Sandur (outwash plain) in the world covering an area of 1,300 km sq.

Panoramic view from the top - Jökulsárlón or glacier river lagoon - Iceland

The journey continued on. We were brought to Jökulsárlón or glacier river lagoon, a large glacial lake in southeast of Iceland. Many movies had been using this place for their background, such as: Lara Croft: Tomb Rider, Batman Begins, and 2 James Bond's films, which were A View to Kill and Die Another Day.

Beautiful glacier lagoon - Jökulsárlón, Iceland

Tried licking the glacier hahaha.... :P - Jökulsárlón, Iceland

Tasted the floating ice - I know.. the water looked dirty, but who cared??? :D

Wishing stones - wish for dreams to come true.... :)

My friend and I were having so much fun there. Licked the glacier pose was fun! Inggo helped us taking the photo and we were just laughing with our stupidity there! Hahahahaha..... :P We tried the taste of the glacier ice too :) Although the glacier lagoon looked dirty, but who cared, right? Hehehe... And while my friend was busy taking photos, I was busy building the wishing stones :) It was at the back of my mind wishing to have chance to build it and the chance was just there waiting for me :) Thank you SB for granting my wish!! I was very happy to finally have my dream came true there!! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! :)

Expression of my happiness by being there!!! Grateful!!! :)

Glacier lagoon at the black beach - Iceland

Amazing view that can not get it too often in life!!! You only live once!!! :)

Add one stone at the top of someone else' wishing stones :D

Group photo at the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - Iceland

We did not finish there. Inggo brought us to the black beach nearby where we could spot the glacier there too. Oh my!!! Icelanders were very lucky staying in their country. For us, it might be a once in a lifetime experience to be here. But they could view this beautiful scenery as and when they felt like doing it!! I was very grateful though for the opportunity given. Thanks to my parents who made this trip possible!!! Without them, I might take much longer time to realize this dream :) Thank you, thank you, and thank you Pa, Ma!!! :)

Stayed and dinner at Hotel Smyrlabjörg 

After a very long day, we finally reached our hotel - Hotel Smyrlabjörg. Some of us ordered our dinner there while some made their own food at the hotel. I had fish again - one of the two fresh and delicious food in Iceland (either fish or lamb). Ma and Pa shared the lobster soup and lamb steak. My friend and I shared another beer - their own brand - Smyrlabjörg Beer. It was bitter though! But nice try! :) Overall, we had a wonderful day in Iceland. A bit tired, but worth it!!! Will continue the journey in a while... Hope you enjoy reading it and are patiently waiting :D

D2 Iceland - Golden Circle at southern part of Iceland

Hveragerði Geothermal Park - South Iceland

We started our day by cooking the fresh eggs inside the stream of hot springs for 10 to 12 minutes at the Hveragerði Geothermal Park, a 45-km drive from Reykjavik. The egg tasted so delicious and thoroughly boiled! :)

Cafe Restaurant that used geothermal heat for cooking at Hveragerði

It was amazing to find the town like this where the hot spring's geothermal heat was used for cooking (outdoor kitchen), baking bread, space heating, laundry, and even greenhouse.

Beautiful nature at Þingvellir National Park - Iceland

Beautiful Þingvellir church and fissure from afar at Þingvellir National Park - Iceland

From there we headed to Þingvellir or Thingvellir National Park, the first national park in Iceland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance in Iceland - so called a must-visit destination in Iceland!!!

Þingvellir National Park - Iceland

It lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It was also the site of the world's oldest parliament, the Alþingi,established around 930 A.D, and location where Icelanders celebrated their independence from Denmark back in June 17, 1944.

Erupted geyser at Strokkur - Iceland

We had a short lunch break at "Geysir,"which means geyser or hot spring. There were few cafes available there. At the opposite, it was the site where we could watch the erupting small geyser, the place name called Strokkur, which erupted every few minutes. It was harmless though. People could just stood up surrounding it and watched it amazingly!!! Great experience!!! :)

First tier of the Gullfoss waterfalls - Upper part

Second tier of the Gullfoss waterfalls - Flow to the bottom creating splash like rain :)

From there we went to see Gullfoss, which means 'Golden Falls,' a breathtaking two-tired waterfall that dropped 32 meters into a long, narrow canyon.

Full view of Gullfoss waterfalls or Golden Falls - Iceland :)

The full-view of the Gullfoss would be as the picture above :) It was beautiful, wasn't it??? :)

Gullfoss - Iceland

There was a stone memorial to Sigríður Tómasdóttir, who determined to preserve the waterfalls and threatened to throw herself down into the falls in protest against the foreign investors who wanted to transform it into a dam for a power station. Fyi, my friend and I had to wear the raincoat as the falls' water splashed into us as we passed by the area. It was a wonderful exposure to keep walking up and see the upper part (first tier) of the falls. Simply beautiful!!! :)

Fridheimar Greenhouse

From there, we were brought to Friðheimar or Fridheimar Greenhouse, a place where tomatoes were grown inside there all year round through the long dark winter under the artificial lighting and using natural hot water from underneath. They opened small cafe or restaurant serving various food and beverage products using the tomatoes that they grew, such as: tomato ice cream, tomato and apple pie, tomato Schnapps, and so on.

Icelandic horses' stable - Fridheimar, Iceland

Other than doing horticulture inside the greenhouse, they also bred Icelandic horses at the stable nearby and offered demonstration of the famous five gaits of the Icelandic horses. They opened up the stable for us to have closer view and we could touch and have selfie with them as well :D Free coffee/tea was served while watching the performance.

The Gaits of the Icelandic Horse - Pic source: Fridheimar

The Icelandic Horse show at Fridheimar, Iceland :)

"Whether on the farm or for overland transport, the horse has been the trusty companion of the Icelanders down the centuries, and even today farmers ride into the highlands to round up their sheep in autumn. In modern times the horse has become the Icelanders’ favorite leisure companion. The Icelandic horse is a small, sturdy breed, famed for its five gaits: in addition to the walk, trot and gallop, Icelandic horses may have the tölt (a smooth run) and skeið (flying pace). Four- and five-gaiters are prized." - Source: fridheimar.is

Stracta Hotel in Hella, Iceland

After such a long day, we were finally brought into our hotel - Stracta Hotel - located at Hella in South Iceland. Since there were 3 of us, we were given the Studio Apartment room, which cost double from the usual Standard Double room. There was kitchen facilities and bathrobe provided as well.

Wonderful dinner at Kanslarinn Restaurant at Hella, Iceland

It was up to us where we wanted to have our dinner at. Some chose to eat at the hotel's restaurant. Some ate their own food brought from Singapore, e.g. instant noodle. And few of us chose to eat at the Kanslarinn Restaurant located just opposite of the Stracta Hotel. It was one of the recommended restaurant by the Trip Advisor - coincidentally. My friend's dad and I had fish with boiled potato, rye bread, and salad; Mom ordered lasagna; my friends had fish and chips; and my dear father ordered the tenderloin horse meat steak.

Excuse me? Did I type wrongly? No, I didn't. And yes, he ordered the tenderloin horse meat steak for his dinner. When I read through the menu available, he immediately told me that he wanted to order that. When the food came, everyone was trying it. I was hesitant in the beginning as I loved horse, not as food, but as they were. My friend convinced me trying it as it tasted delicious, even more delicious than the beef steak. So I asked my dad for a bite, and true enough, the horse meat was really delicious!!! It was tender and juicy. The chef should have cooked it skillfully to serve up to this standard. Well done!!! So, if you happened staying nearby this restaurant, go and try it for yourself!! :)

Soaked ourselves with hot tub under the full and bright moon and stars :)

We finished our dinner and walked back to the hotel. Some of us met up again at the outdoor hot tub provided by the hotel, just outside the restaurant. It was cold outside at night but the water was warm at 38 degree Celsius and it felt so shiok to soak ourselves in it after such a long day!! Moreover, we were blessed with beautiful full and bright moon plus thousands of stars above us!!! Our day was ended beautifully!! We had a peaceful, warm, and beautiful sleep afterwards. Recharged and ready for our next adventure in Iceland!!! :)