It was a short night it seemed, we had to get up at 6 am to catch a taxi to the island.
Berend Bakker the owner of Horas Family Home had made arrangements for us to have us picked up by a driver that would drive us the 5 hours to the town where the ferry would be.
We quickly got dressed and went down for our breakfast which was so' good a great variety of things to eat.
While deciding on what to eat a gal sitting alone pointed to the toast...she had heard me asking Nick if he had seen the it!
I thanked her because and asked her where she was from...she was an American from LA and I asked her where she was going? She said Lake Toba! Hey...we too are going there today...and will be picked up soon at 8 am by a driver. "Do you have arrangements made?" No she said. "Well why not join us?" Rebecca was so' pleased and so were we!
She quickly went back to her room to pack her bags and came down to the lobby just in time! 
The driver meant us right at 8 am and we told him we had another person with us. "Samuel" said.. no problem...and negotiated a price with us...he suggested we divide the cost between the 3 of us and then he would not need to a Bus pick up to find others to fill the van. Well that sounds good to us!
The driver meant us right at 8 am and we told him we had another person with us. "Samuel" said.. no problem...and negotiated a price with us...he suggested we divide the cost between the 3 of us and then he would not need to a Bus pick up to find others to fill the van. Well that sounds good to us!
So off we went the three of us...Samuel got in the back seat with us there was another person behind the wheel. Samuel asked us what we were Christian or Muslim...and quickly said he was a "Christian" very good Samuel...and you have a very good name!!! We told him we too were Christians. Interesting huh that the people ask what we are?
Markos was the driver and he would bring us to Parapet the town where we would take the ferry to Samosir island! Samuel negotiated a price with Markos we think because they got out of the car a littl bit further and they sat at a table and then Markos got back into the car and Samuel said his good-bye's! Rebecca, Nick & I looked at one another and thought...Oh Well!
He explained he would not be driving us himself but Markos would be taking us!
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| Some scenes on the way.... |
We had a nice talk with Rebecca...she has this very very interesting life and it was great to get to know her and hear her story! She is an Interpreter ...officially State Certified Court Interpreter was her title. Her grandmother spoke Spanish and Rebecca learned to understand the language as a little girl visiting her grandmother on the ranch in the summers. She then took Spanish in High School and then later a dear friend told her she should apply for the LA Court systems and be an interpreter! She studied 6 months and then took the exam and she said it was pretty tough learning all the laws and court procedures!
Rebecca later also connected with the United Nations office and so she free lances for MGO's and travels everywhere translating! This week she was coming to this beautiful island and would be a part of a 100+ people conference with people coming from all over the world...to do mapping of their own areas that they live in...sharing the resources of their own areas and how best to use these resources and make others aware of them~ she explained that there would be 4 people coming from the African Masai tribe!
Gosh can you imagine that...here on the island?!!!! Amazing things go on in the world that you have no idea of!
Anyway, it was great to meet Rebecca! Rebecca did not have reservations though for this evening - only starting tomorrow. So we encouraged her to come along with us and see if our guy could help out for one evening...otherwise we knew that our cute Batik house would have room for her for the evening...and that is exactly what happened...Rebecca stayed here with us and she slept for the evening in the Loft.
Markos stopped for a smoke and some other needs...we were all thankful for the good ole toilet paper!
Markos told us they use these seeds to make palm oil!
We passed the truck loaded with eggs!
Drove through a couple of towns...
Markos stops as we enter into the hills towards Lake Toba and look everyone what we see!!!!!
Oh my goodness...monkey's! So many of them...all sitting on the railing...all lined up waiting to get some food!
And here is Momma monkey with her baby! So' cute!
Big Daddy was the alpha monkey and he kept an eye on everything that was happening! Protecting his clan but wanting dibs on everything too!
How very special to see all these monkey's on the road! We appreciated Markos taking the time to stop and let us take some pictures! Thank you Markos!
We stopped to take in the view...and Rebecca said...let me take a picture of you two!
We arrived into the town of Parapet ~ it was a old town...and Markos drove us straight to the pier to catch the ferry there! The drive 5 hours cost us $17,- each. We thanked Markos included a tip for him and he headed home - he lives in Parapet.
We got onto the ferry and had to wait about 30 min for others to board...these ferry's are the only way to Samosir island and about every 30 min approx it leaves the little pier. Tourists, locals, with groceries all take these ferries to the island.
Well we got on board and others started to arrive too!
Two Dutch couples and a German couple.
We meant "Teun" and "Ria" from Holland...! Also just arriving Medan by way of a park they visited and said was so nice to see! They were on a 6 week trip and they were going to stay at on island for 4 days, and were staying at the hotel Silintong- the very hotel that Nick stayed at so many years ago.
And I asked "Ria" could I please take a picture of her...because my Mom too is named Ria! She gladly let me! She did say officially it was Maria - just like Momma.
Gosh Jim...pretty neat huh? They were a really nice couple and we did meet up with them for dinner the next evening!
There is the island and it seems really big in the middle of this Lake Toba!
We started to see some of the hotels there..on the island and it seemed so cute & quaint! Real Batak houses...
...and then we recognized the name of the place we would be staying at ~
The Horas Family Home!
As we approached the little cemented dock we saw children bathing and ladies doing their wash. Two people were there with wheel barrels to meet us from the Horas Family Home and help with the luggage...we were so' glad..not to have to carry it off the old boat and onto the pier..(old pier) and down the small road!
Nick, Rebecca and I were the only ones making this stop... the boat departed with the other passengers bringing them to their hotels or bungalow's.
We came to our cute little place and Berend meant and welcomed us and immediately gave us a tour of the property!
Ah....Ellen & Nick really liked that!!!
For real? Fresh out of the garden?
Berend has lived & owns this property already 7 years! He said he had bought it from someone who had stopped working on it and so Berend took it over and built it up...it is so cute here!
Looking back from the garden he told us he had just recently finished this second house to rent out.
We noticed someone in the water..the local man had a net in the water and was catching fish by his hands!
The property ended at the dock...so cute to be able to sit at and relax!
Berend was proud of his property and we were also so pleased to have found such a cute place online. We especially looked for a place to stay at with a little kitchenette and that is exactly what we have here!
We walked back to our little retreat.
Rebecca was able to stay with us - that was no problem Berend said and she was glad to have a place for the night!
For real? Fresh out of the garden?
Yes Berend said...green onions, different sorts of lettuce..cabbage...rows of it! His wife loved gardening and she also had a very impressive orchid collection!
We noticed someone in the water..the local man had a net in the water and was catching fish by his hands!
The property ended at the dock...so cute to be able to sit at and relax!
The walkway to the deck was made of bamboo....look.....
Rebecca was able to stay with us - that was no problem Berend said and she was glad to have a place for the night!
...and there is Nick upstairs where we will be staying for 1 week on this island! Downstairs is the office. Adorable huh?
Can you believe it? Pinch me!!
We got comfortable and went out to have a bit to eat...with Rebecca and found a cute little place that some other foreigners had just walked out off and said "yes very good!' and had our very first
Nasi Goreng with a fried egg and Gado Gado and krupuk!
What a TREAT...and it was really good!
This was Rebecca's first time in Indonesia and she too enjoyed her dinner so' much! Yum!
Well time to call it a day...we are ever so' pleased to be here...all 3 of us! And tired from a long travel day!
Good Night!
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