Would you believe that this town that is hidden in the mountains of West Sumatra used to be the seat of power of Indonesia? This is what I learned in the last leg of our West Sumatran trip with co-teachers in September 2016.
We went to Bukittinggi. The name literary translates to "high hills." And yes, the place is so elevated the scenery is reminiscent of Baguio City.
It was a Sunday, and the plaza was full of people. There seemed to be a festival or something, but there was no program.
Judging by the massive drums behind us, we could have just missed the festivities by an hour or so.
Afterward, we went to the plaza to behold the oldest functioning clock tower on this side of the world, the Jam Gadang (Minangkabau for "Big Clock"). We couldn't resist taking photos.
Then we went inside the maze of the public market. The crowd was so big it seemed to swallow us whole. And the crowd became our security. Ahead of us were our friends who didn't mind waiting for us anymore. We have agreed to meet somewhere at a particular time.
This is the facade of the market or pasar as they call it.
So we were in this narrow alley with shops left and right. Merchandise hanging from the ceiling or the roof of makeshift tents. Mendicants asking for spare change. Walking street musicians entertain shoppers as they look at wares and trinkets.
This is a pengamen jalanan or street musician.
I thought we were already heading home after the market. Turned out, there was one more special stop we could make before sundown. And boy, was it a significant lesson in World War 2.
We went to Lobang Jepang, a military complex of the Japanese during World War II that is now turned into a museum. It is literary a tunnel network of caves. I imagine that this is similar to the ones in Corregidor Island, but I've never been there, so I can't really compare. This was my first time to enter an actual World War 2 underground military complex. It is a whole military village underneath. The entrance is at the top of the hill, much like an anthill network.
The entrance staircase is enough to remind us of the horrors of war. It is so steep and high that you'd get vertigo. Of course, underneath, you are just guided by the yellow lamps that are equidistant to each other.
I can't remember if there was a guide, but I was tailing the group anyway. I was soaking it all in. At that moment, I was back in the 1940s. I saw rooms carved into the earth. Some were offices with a table, a chair, and some tools or instruments on the table. Others had metal bars, which I'm guessing were prisons. Some rooms had labels at the top, so you'd know what they were for. Some were just empty. Some had a no-entry sign. There was also an infirmary, which is to be expected in a garrison.
I've read that Bukittinggi used to be the center of government during the Japanese occupation. Well, this is a strategic location, being high up the mountains and hills.
Ruang Amunisi translates to "Ammo Room."
Going back up to the 21st century was a huge relief. And the sight of Sianok Canyon welcomed me. It brought a sense of calm and peace, and I said a quiet prayer to the fallen soldiers who fought during the war.
Then I rejoined my friends for more photos.
With our back to the light and running after the daylight as the sun was setting
