Brastagi, Mount Sinabung and Sipiso Piso Waterfall
My wife and I decided to go on a short break to a nearby destination and chose to visit Medan in Sumatera, Indonesia. It is only an hour’s flight time from Kuala Lumpur. One does not go to Medan for a brief holiday like one does to Phuket, in Thailand or Bali in Indonesia.
But we were curious enough because we had heard about some of the intriguing sights and buildings to see and marvel at in that part of Sumatra.
It turned out to be an eye-opener of a visit and holiday.
Medan itself still retains, through its love for its chequered history, some very interesting architectural sights and buildings.
Charming Old City Hall Building
This is the old city hall building constructed by the Dutch during the colonial period more than a century ago. It is unmistakable in its fine and distinctive Dutch design and character and stands out brilliantly as a building worth retaining.
However, to have allowed a 5-star hotel to be built right smack behind the building was not a wise or a carefully thought out move. That huge new building housing the hotel dwarfs the city hall building unnecessarily and distracts the interested observer somewhat!
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The next outstanding building from that Dutch colonial era is the smart Post Office and Telegraph Office. It still retains a mystique of its own as it majestically straddles a street corner near the city centre.
Love for Stately Old Buildings
There are also other instances of Dutch colonial era stately mansions and buildings loving restored and preserved. These dwelling places all have verandas around the mansions and are sited in spacious grounds with well-manicured lawns and gardens in bloom! They certainly knew how to live and that too live well.
For the record, we also noticed with sadness, quite a number of decrepit buildings that were forgotten and allowed to rot away probably because it would have required enormous funds to restore these ‘ old dames ‘ to their original glory.
Graha Maria Annai Velangkani
This is the 2nd Catholic Church built in honour of the Lady of Velangkani. The original church is sited in an area near Trichy, in Tamil Nadu, India. That church which is credited for many miracles has been drawing devotes in the millions for many years.
This church, with the same name, on the outskirts of the city of Medan is about fifteen years old. It too has been attracting devotes in the thousands for a number of years. The devotees come from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and countries of South East Asia. Although not as old as the original church in India, this church too has a number of miracles attributed to it since it was constructed.
There is something quite unique about this church.
From the outside, it appears to be a Buddhist temple just judging by its design. It is only by entering the church proper that one comes to realise that it is a proper catholic church. The first area that one visits on the ground level is a big hall for prayer meetings or gatherings.
‘ Come To Me All You Who Work Hard ‘
But there are two ascending pathways on either side of the church which one has to slowly walk up to. The very act of walking up in this manner is a show of reverence to the Almighty!
Once at the top, one has to remove one’s shoes before entering the church.
Greeting us as we enter is this huge sign: ‘ Come To Me All You Who Work Hard and Who Carry Heavy Burdens And I Will Refresh You ‘. The sign is repeated in two other languages, namely Chinese and Bahasa Indonesia. Right outside the church is a special shrine dedicated to the Lady of Velangkani.
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Shake, Rattle and Roll Driving Experience
On the next day, we decided to undertake a two and a half hour road trip to Brastagi and then another one and a half hour journey to the Sipiso Piso Waterfall. We had with us a careful driver cum knowledgeable guide named Pak Wardi from Narasindo Tours with fifteen years of experience under his belt.
Brastagi is only a mere 85 km away from Medan and the S P Waterfall is only another 55 km from Brastagi. However the road trip was unforgettable and lengthy for a number of reasons.
- It is not a highway by any stretch of imagination. It is just a narrow, winding, single country lane up to Brastagi and another narrow lane winding down to Medan all the way.
- The lanes on both sides were of an uneven nature. A few parts were smooth and comfortable. There were many parts that were most uneven.
- The traffic on the trip was very heavy with most of the vehicles being heavy laden lorries carrying cargo and farm produce from the surrounding Karo Highlands around Brastagi. These vehicles were slow-moving and belching thick black smoke all the way. There were also buses ( some with passengers sitting on the rooftops ) and then we had the usual motor cars and, of course, the ever-present motor-cyclists weaving in and out of the traffic on the narrow lanes!
- On both sides of the lanes and close by throughout were muddy patches, some filled with water. Garbage and litter of all kinds were liberally spread all by the side of the lanes! A little further beyond are the shanty type, flimsy shacks that passed for dwellings, some provision shops, a couple of barbershops and many tiny restaurants catering for the people in the area.
- There were no Rest and Refresh Centres at the midway points on this trip. However, our driver knew where to stop for our comfort breaks. He chose to stop at 4-star hotels and so we were able to rest and refresh for a while. The tour company he works for regularly brings guests to stay for the night at these 4-star hotels.
- Although we travelled in a well built 7 seater Toyota Innova, this did not prevent us from enduring the shake, rattle and roll that we felt most of the time.
Some Fun Facts about Brastagi
It took us about two and a half hours to reach Brastagi, driving most of the time at a steady 35 to 45 km per hour and occasionally reaching a top speed of 60 km per hour.
Along the way and mostly around Brastagi we saw fields of cabbage, carrots, coffee, mangoes etc. We also noticed a field where strawberries were sold but you had to pick them!
The temperature of this picturesque city of close to a million inhabitants situated at an altitude of 1,300 metres above sea level in the Karo Highlands is around 17 to 20 degrees. When we stopped for a comfort break at a 4-star hotel named Grand Mutiara, we were greeted by lovely, cool mountain breezes! What a refreshing change it was from the heat, humidity and smog of Medan.
Later on, when we stopped for a light lunch at the 4-star Sinabung Hotel, the restaurant was facing a most lovely and well-landscaped garden with many flowering plants in full bloom. Ahead of the garden was a nice swimming pool.
The many guests in the restaurant chose like us, to have their meals along the veranda rather than inside the closed-door restaurant. By making this wise decision, we were rewarded by a continuous cool breeze which seemed to caress us in the process. It was just heavenly!
Sipiso Piso Waterfall, Mount Sinabung & Mount Sibayak
The Sipiso Piso Waterfalls, is a smaller and less dramatic version of the world-famous Angel Falls Waterfalls of Venezuela. The Angel Waterfalls is yet another marvel of nature because it is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall! What struck me as odd was Sipiso Piso’s Waterfalls very small, circular opening for the waterfall. It was nevertheless, a sight to behold.
Our viewing platform was some distance away but we could nevertheless see and admire its beauty. There was a small crowd at the place but what impressed us more was the magnificent landscape of the area. There were towering peaks, rock formations and steep ravines with lush undergrowth dotting the area. It is sheer rugged beauty in all its splendour.
Our views of Mount Sinabung and Mount Sibayak were obstructed somewhat by the hazy conditions on that day. We could, however, catch brief glimpses of the mountains from afar.
Mount Sinabung is the taller of the two volcanic mountains. When compared to the majesty of the volcano we sighted in Bali, this view was an anti climax. Thankfully too we were able to see from afar the beauty of Lake Toba. It is the largest lake in South East Asia.
Amazing Batak Longhouses
In Medan and the rest of Sumatra, the Batak people are a significant community.
There are, in fact, four distinct Batak tribes. They are Mandailing, Dairi, Karo and Toba. The Toba tribe is the largest. Each tribe has its own distinct language, customs and histories. The Batak number around 4 million.
Some of the Batak were once cannibals. I was quite intrigued by some restaurant signs that stated B1. Other signs indicated B2 and/or B3. I asked our driver what these signs meant. He told me that B1 meant that that restaurant served dog meat! The other numbers referred to beef, fish or chicken.
We travelled a short distance from the area where we saw the waterfalls before entering a village or area named Doakan which housed about fifteen amazing Batak Longhouses.
These Batak Longhouses are impressive looking, sturdy structures built to accommodate eight families in one such longhouse! The one we actually visited was about two hundred plus years old. There were also some more than 300 years old.
The Sleeping Quarters and Cooking Areas
We had to climb up four steps of a small but safe bamboo ladder to enter this longhouse. We then had to step over a short board at the entrance to the longhouse.
On entering the dark longhouse, we could clearly see mats on the floor on either side of the walkway. A few of the sections had beds probably for the seniors of the tribe.
Cooking stoves, pots and utensils could be seen because each family cooked their meals inside the longhouse. The huge, sturdy wooden beams and flooring were stained black from all the cooking activities. The families also had their meals inside the longhouse. For some privacy when needed, there were curtains between each section which could be easily drawn. On an even higher level, there is an open storehouse where unused equipment could be stored. I spied two guitars in the storehouse.
On the ground level, the Batak people kept their poultry, pigs, dogs and other animals while high above the curved and distinctive roof was the prominent image of a Buffalo’s Head. The buffalo is a hugely important animal to the Batak people. The washing of clothes, bathing and toilet facilities were on the ground level and in another building further away from the longhouse.
Impressive Batak Influenced Architectural Building
Our driver cum guide, Pak Wardi knew that we are Catholics and so although this place was not on our itinerary, he brought us to visit this imposing and beautiful structure. It is a church dedicated to St Francis of Assisi.
St Francis is known as a lover of animals. But he is probably better known worldwide for his powerful and meaningful prayer:
“ Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith”.
There are many more verses in this well-crafted prayer.
The church is situated in very spacious grounds and has within the compound of the church, a dormitory or quarters for visiting priests, priests under training in a seminary and students. By some lucky coincidence, we also had the pleasure of meeting a well known and respected local of Dutch origin. He is Fr. Leo Joosten who has spent the best part of 50 years in Brastagi.
Fr. Joosten informed us about two interesting matters. The architecture is Batak influenced. He did not want any Dutch or foreign influence. It had to reflect the local Batak influence. He also said that the Brastagi area has thus far produced and trained over 230 priests who are currently serving on the island.
It was a tour of unexpected surprises.
We loved the cool climate in Brastagi. I am disappointed that the local government does not see the need for a proper highway, at least two lanes each way, to be built from Medan to Brastagi and beyond. The highway should also have proper Rest and Refresh Centres with all the supporting services and facilities needed. This would give the economy a huge boost.
Author : Mr. Benedict Morais
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