Ampera Bridge

The bridge that spread above Musi River is becomes the main characteristic of Palembang city. It was built on 1962 - 1965. Ampera Bridge has 78m high of tower. However, the special feature of this bridge that it can be opened and closed, the mechanism is no longer working, whereas is fact, it is the only bridge in Indonesia with the open-and-closed mechanism. Now it is only history. The bridge has to be lifted up of the middle shares each time there every king sized ship, with height above nine meters, will pass by quickly. Both for going to downstream and also which going to the upstream.

Started in 1970, the Legendaries Bridge does not make a move to fluctuate again. The moving bridge build, besides to connected Ulu and Ilir that separated by Musi River, also to anticipate if there is big ship, which sail in the river. Each time, when the bridge body make a move to go up or go down always interesting to look up, and caught up to king sized ships pass under the bridge, make amazing moment for the citizen who have see it from the river boundary, or from other ship. The construction build started in April 1962, after getting approval of President of Soekarno. An expense of its development is taken away from fund of Japan.

In initially, bridge as long as 1.177 meters widely this 22 meters, named 'Bung Karno's Bridge'. A historian of Djohan Hanafiah, the name mentioned as appreciation to The President of Republic Indonesia. Bung Karno had fight seriously for desire of Palembang citizen, to have a bridge above Musi River. 1965 is an opening usage of bridge ceremony, at the same time, Bung Karno name as a name of the bridge. However, after turbulence of politics happened in 1966, when there was a movement of anti-Soekarno very strong, name of that bridge even also turned into Ampera Bridge. At this time, the name of Ampera Bridge had not changed yet. There are some citizens in Palembang wish its name return to Bung Karno's Bridge. According to Djohan, the commutation request of name of Ampera Bridge become Bung Karno as a streamlining effort of middle story.

The parts of Ampera Bridge, when it has been woke up, as long as 71,90 meters, widely 22 meters. Part of bridge heavy entirety 944 that ton can be lifted with speed about 10 meters per minute. Two jacking tower of the bridge upstanding as high as 63 meters. Apart between these two tower is 75 meters. This two Tower provided with two pendulum of about 500-ton weight. Then the bridge lifted up, wide ship of the size 60 meters and highly maximum 44,50 meters, can pass to ford of Musi River. And when middle shares of this bridge did not lifted, maximum high of ships, which can pass under the bridge only 9 meters of water level of river.

Since 1970, the bridge shall no longer fluctuate again. Time used to lift this bridge that is about 30 minute, assumed to bother traffic current between defecting Ulu and Ilir, two Town of Palembang area dissociated by Musi River. The river is only connecting by Ampera Bridge. But Arsyad anticipate, the reason of Ampera Bridge do not fluctuate again because of there is no big ship which can sail in Musi River. The river become worse superficiality that cannot navigate by king sized ship.

Ampera Bridge has been renovated in 1981, by finishing fund about Rp 850 million. Renovating conducted after emerging care of threat damage of the bridge can make it fall down. Today, expanding discourse about the important thing to development of Musi III Bridge and Musi IV Bridge as another way to connective Ulu and Ilir, at the same time the development meant to develop Ulu area.

sources: indonesia-tourism.com

Destination To Bukittinggi

The heart of the highlands, Bukittinggi is a two-hours drives through beautiful of Anai valley countryside and up to the Agam Plateau. A center of attraction is the town's clock tower, topped with a horn- shaped roof and referred to by the people as Jam Gadang. It overlooks the market square and the city's magnificent surroundings. Located 930 meters above sea level, Bukittinggi, formerly named Fort De Cock by the Dutch, has a cool climate and is surrounded by three volcanoes: Tandikat, Singgalang and Merapi. In the outskirts of Ngarai Sianok town, a canyon that separate Bukittinggi from Gadang City, 12 km away overland. Gadang City is renowned for its fine silver filigree and hand embroidery.

Also worth visit the Museum, which is a Rumah Gadang, a traditional extended family house built in the 19th century. There are dance performances at the museum's open stage every Sunday and on public holidays. Night dance performances are at Sliguri. It is also worth seeing the bullfights at Padang Lawas (6 km south of Bukittinggi) every Tuesday at 5.00 p.m. The delightful hill town, Bukittinggi nestling amid mountain greenery at 920 m above sea level is the Minangkabau capital (victorious buffalo) people. Bukit Tinggi means 'high hill' is stunningly located with views over fertile valleys to two volcanoes, Mt Merapi and Mt Singgalang. It is laid out in tiers down the steep hillside, each level connected to the next by precipitous stone steps and passageways.

The central landmark in Bukittinggi is the clock tower, with its stylized roof, standing in the town square. Geographically, the town's highest point is the Rumah Adat Baandjuang Museum. It is 140 years old classic rumah adat (clan house). It exhibit include wedding and dance costumes, head dressers, musical instruments, village crafts and historic weaponry. Panorama Park has spectacular views over the Sianok and Ngarai canyons.

Sources: http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/west-sumatra/bukit_tinggi.html

Riding Horse In Brastagi

Brastagi is a former Dutch hill resort, 66 km away from Medan, at an altitude of 4,600 feet, is a cool and pleasant town. It is an ideal starting and ending point for travels in Sumatera as it is near the main Sumateran entry point of Medan. There are hotels of all standards, moneychangers, and restaurants serving both Indonesian and western style food, nice scenery, and very friendly and polite people. No guides and salesman will bother you when walking town.

The four-hour drive from Lake Toba to Brastagi, skirting the lake for a long way, is picturesque. It is a narrow, winding road through pine forest, terraced plantations and verdant meadows in the Karo hills, with hardly any people around. On the way, at the tip of the lake, is a waterfall named Sipiso Piso (Razor's Edge). It is a tourist spot with food stalls and souvenir shops.
It lies between two volcanoes. The area is known for its cool climate, orchids, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Back-packers use it as a base for climbing the two volcanoes, jungle trekking and for visiting the nearby Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. There were a tourist that had been for months, eating only fruits and vegetable and soya curd for protein.
Package tours to the Triangle are available from Malaysia and Singapore, in another name, at another price. However, one can do the tour conveniently on one's own, economically and leisurely. If you have missed Lake Toba for your honeymoon, it is never to late for a visit.

Up to and around Bukit Gundaling is a nice and not very demanding walk. The area is pretty with some grandiose villas and great views over Brastagi, toward Gunung Sibayak, and towards Gunung Sinabung. On the top there are many stalls. It is very populer on Sundays.
Tahura is a protected forest covering 51,500 ha. The main gate is 5 km from Brastagi towrds Medan. At the gate is a 100 m wide park-like forest popular for picnics, especially on Sundays. Behind this area is untouched forest.There are many villages around Berastagi and many have at least a few traditional houses, often inhabitated by eight families each. It can be a good idea to visit such a village that is not a tourist object if one wants to see normal everyday life of the Karo people.
The one of the "musts" in Brastagi is to walk up on Gunung Sibayak, this volcano is still active and the environment on the summit 2,172 m above sea level. Lau Debuk-debuk hot springs are one of the most popular attraction of Berastagi. the hot springs that most tourist visits is however not Lau Debuk-debuk, but Gunung Semangat hot springs, which sloppily is also called Alu Debuk-debuk.
A cool hill town, Brastagi is a good base from which to explore Karo Batak villages, climb volcanoes or sample jungle trekking in Gunung Leuser National Park. The park is one of the largest national park in Asia. It cover more than 7750 sq km and protect more than 100 different animals, including rhinoceros, elephant, tiger & orangutan and at least 300 spieces of birds.
The Erpangir Kulau ceremony takes place once every month on the day of Cukra Lau, the best according to the Karonese calendar. On this day, people come to pray and ask for help, to ge twell, to find a wife or husband, most people come before noon and normally come in small groups and dressed in white.
Air Terjun Sikulikap is 10 km from the monument in Brastagi along the road to Medan, the are black Gibbons, Macaques, Squirrels, Hornbills, Phyton, butterflies and lots of herbal plants and birds to be seen.