Indonesia > Walking through the Karbouwengat

I walk out of the hotel and follow guide Dodi to the viewpoint overlooking the Karbauw Gorge. This canyon is 120 meters deep and cuts through the landscape for 15 kilometers. Today, I am going to take a walk through the canyon and along the villages on the opposite bank. First, I have to descend quite a bit. I go down via stairs and sometimes slippery sloping paths. Halfway down, I stop briefly at the entrance to a cave. These are the Japanese tunnels. During the Second World War, the Japanese had prisoners of war dig kilometers-long tunnels here to serve as bunkers and ammunition storage. Today, it is a museum. At the bottom of the canyon, I cross the river via a suspension bridge. The route is busy; many local tourists are making the same excursion today. I greet people regularly with “selamat pagi.” On the other side, I climb out of the Karbauw Gorge via a steep stairway.

Indonesia - The deep gorge at the edge of Bukittinggi

I feel the heat strongly—the sun is shining brightly. At the top, I see several small market stalls. I imagine this place is normally much busier, but right now it is quiet. Because of yesterday’s rain, the ground is muddy. I continue walking along the main road to Koto Gadang. In the past, Dutch colonizers lived in this village and built colonial houses here. Many of these houses still stand, making it a village for the well-to-do. As I enter the village, I am welcomed by a group of women dressed in their finest clothes. They don’t mind me taking a photo of them and are eager to know all about me. In the central square stands the Koto Gadang town hall, entirely in Batak style. The wooden building is beautifully decorated with carvings, and the characteristic points of the roof stand out nicely against the blue sky. There is a festival tonight in the village. Villagers are busy with preparations. Three buffaloes have been slaughtered and are being prepared in large pans. The festival area is beautifully decorated with flags and streamers. Under the tent, women in their Sunday best are seated. The cameraman immediately points his camera at me, and several guests also want photos with me. Funny—me with them, them with me. Through a silversmith’s area, I reach the rice fields. Dodi leads me along narrow paths between the fields.

Indonesia - The town hall of Cadeau Gadang is built in Batak style

I have to keep my balance carefully, as wet rice fields lie on either side. I zigzag through the bright green fields. Dodi shows me the snails, the greatest enemy of rice production. I see quite a few snails everywhere. Dark clouds are forming above me, hanging against the mountains. Before I have crossed the rice plateau, it starts to drizzle. I duck into a bamboo forest. The path descends quickly, and with the ground wet, it is slippery. I carefully make my way between ten-meter-high bamboo trees. Above me, I hear the rain increasing on the leaves. When I emerge from the forest, the drizzle has stopped. I hesitate briefly about putting on my poncho, but there isn’t much time. Suddenly, the rain pours down in torrents. I quickly pull the poncho over my head, but I am already soaking wet. I try to take shelter against the wall of a small house. A goat has also taken cover beside me and is not willing to give up its spot. What a sudden change in the weather! Once the heaviest rain passes, I continue walking. I am almost at the endpoint, but before I reach the road, I have to cross the river. I put on my Tevas. There’s no need to roll up my trousers—they’re already wet. At the endpoint, a truck arrives. I hop into the back, and within fifteen minutes, I am back at the hotel in Bukittinggi. It turns out it didn’t rain here at all; the downpour stayed on the other side of the mountain. I quickly take a hot shower. Meanwhile, it begins to rain in Bukittinggi as well. In the afternoon, I walk into the city center. It is dry again. At the large clock tower, built by the Dutch in 1926, local youth crowd around. “Can we take a photo with you? Where are you from?” Several girls ask if they can practice English. From a distance, their teacher gives me a friendly smile. You have to pay attention in the square—several fellow travelers have had unpleasant experiences with (possible) pickpockets. I keep a close eye on my wallet and passport. I descend from the upper market down to the lower market. From there, I ask for directions to Fort de Kock. After asking a few more times, I reach the zoo entrance. I could probably reach the fort through the zoo, but I have no interest in the zoo. I walk around it. When I try to access the fort from the other side, it turns out the zoo starts there too. The remnants of the fort lie within the zoo and are only accessible with a ticket. I let it go. At sunset, I return to the Karbauw Gorge. Flying foxes begin to emerge at this time, searching for food. I wait until the sun is completely down. From the opposite side of the canyon, I see a few dots. Soon, numerous animals are flying through the air, some directly overhead. What a magnificent sight.