Chinese temple in Padang

Pic; Chinese temple in Padang

Although the Chinese have settled in Indonesia for hundreds of years, I have never come across a Chinese temple.

So you can imagine my delight when I saw one in Padang (which also has a few large churches). And like all Chinese temples, red is the main color. Unsurprisingly, it's located in an area with many Chinese clan associations.

When I walked into the temple and looked around I attracted some attention.

"Are you from Japan?" an elderly man asked me.

From Lake Toba to Bali most people asked me if I were from Japan or Malaysia but never Singapore. I don't think I look like a Japanese at all.

Tjoe and Kha Family Association in Padang, Indonesia

Pic: Tjoe (Chua) and Kwa

Pic: Tjoe and Kwa Family Association

As I wandered about Padang I was delighted to come across other Chinese clan associations (at least half a dozen), all with huge imposing buildings. Peering inside I noticed they had a very large hall, rows of photographs of past leaders and members on the walls and a table for reading newspapers.

At Tjoe and Kwa Association I was lucky to meet Tjoe and Kwa themselves. We had an enjoyable chat for an hour during which I was liberally feeding the resident mosquitoes! (Tjoe is the Indonesian spelling for the Chinese family name of Chua)

Like most Indonesian Chinese, they have lost almost complete touch with their mother tongue, being unable to read or speak Chinese fluently. This is the result of having been totally assimilated into Indonesian society.

Anglot of Padang, West Sumatra (Indonesia)

The thing that immediately caught my attention when I arrived in Padang (West Sumatra, Indonesia) was the boom, boom sound. I paused to find out where the noise came from, and realised it came from passing anglot (mini-vans used as public transport)

Every where in Padang I heard the boom, boom beat of heavy rock music blaring from speakers installed in anglot.

They are like flies buzzing about all over Padang which is the provincial capital of West Sumatra. Each anglot is covered in eye-catching and colorful artistic designs. You can't help feeling it's the possibly the work of a mad artist.

To get on board one, you simply raise your hand. On board there are small bench seats. As the game plan is to pack in as many passengers as possible, you are squashed like sardines. A trip around town costs 2000 Rp (SGD 0.30 cents)

Horse-drawn carriages in Padang, West Sumatra (Indonesia)

Everybody loves horses. Indonesia is the only country in SE Asia where you can see horses being used as a form of transport in towns and even in cities.

But the horses seem to be overworked as they haul passengers about from morning till night. Also, they have to put up with the constant traffic noise and air pollution. Must be tough on them to stand on their feet throughout the day.

In Padang and Bukit Tinggi in West Sumatra (Indonesia) horse-drawn carriages are common. They are called "dokar". Tourists love to take a ride on them.

I remember the first time I rode on a horse was in Tretes, a mountain resort, in eastern Jave. It was exciting to gallop along the mountain paths. Give it a try and you'll find the experience unforgettable.

Padang to Lake Maninjau

Man in blue shirt on right hustling for passengers for airport bus



Wanderings in West Sumatra, Indonesia
(Singapore to Padang, Bukit Tinggi and Lake Maninjau)

After immigration clearance at Padang airport in West Sumatra, which was hassle-free and fast, I poppped into a toilet to do my usual "Superman" act -changing out of my formal long-sleeved shirt and long pants into my casual cargo shorts and sleeveless T-shirt. The toilet attendant stared at me, perhaps wondering what this lunatic was up to.

Afraid I might miss the airport bus, I hurried out. Taxi touts shouted "taxi?" but I ignored them and acted as though I've lived in Padang for 20 years. Fortunately, the Damri bus was parked next to the airport.

"Minang Plaza?" I asked a uniformed guy leaning against the bus. He nodded.

"Ongkos-nya berapa?"(How much is the fare?).

"Tiga belas ribu," the guy said. (13,000 Rp)

I hopped energetically on board, relieved that I'd made it on time.

Glancing at my cheap Casio watch (bought specifically for the trip), I noticed it was still very early. Hmm...good, still 9.30AM. I like to arrive in a foreign land early.

After 30 minutes, we were still going no where. All that haste wasted. I could have had my breakfast or explored the airport or something.

Only when the bus was full after about an hour did the driver materialise, and drive away.

This perfectly gives meaning to the Indonesian culture of "rubber time".

On Tiger from Singapore to Lake Maninjau, West Sumatra

Would you believe it? Thanks to Tiger Airways, my return ticket from Singapore to Padang in West Sumatra cost me the "princely" sum of SGD $58!

Padang is the nearest airport to Lake Maninjau or Danau Maninjau to give it its Indonesian name.

Before you realise it in just under an hour the pilot jolted me with the terse announcement that we'd be landing in Padang which in Indonesian means "field". But we'd not be arriving in a god-forsaken place but the capital of west Sumatra.

Like all small airports the world over, the welcoming folks enjoyed the excitement of an incoming flight. For them it's more exciting as they are not spared the roar of jet engines unlike those cocooned in huge modern airports.