 Sumatra/Malaya Map
Antique Dutch map of the area. It was on exhibit at the Centre for Documentation on Minangakabau Culture in Padangpanjang. Note the unusual orientation of the map - north is to the left; south to the right.
|  Mt. Merapi view from our hotel room
Gunung Merapi (Fire Mountain) could be seen from our room at the Novotel in Bukittinggi.
|  Buffalo
|  Cattle Market Near Bukittinggi
The two men in the foreground of this photograph are negotiating the price of a cow using their fingers. Their hands are covered with a towel to conceal the price from others.
|
 Palace mosque
The curved roof - representing the horns of the buffalo - is typical of the wood and thatch Minangkabau architecture.
|  Replica of Minangkabau Meeting House
|  Detail of a buffalo head on the house
The name "Minangkabau" means "the buffalo wins". The name came about after the native people won a buffalo fighting contest with the invading Javanese.
|  Harau Valley
The Harau Valley - a day trip from Bukittinggi - is a rain forest canyon with a carpet of rice patties and walls cascading with spectacular waterfalls.
|
 Waterfall in the Harau Valley
|  Harau Valley waterfall
|  Girls on a raft
Beside a Harau Valley waterfall.
|  Girls shampooing
|
 Dance performance
The Saayun Salangkah dance show of traditional Minangkabau dances held every Wednesday and Saturday in Bukittinggi. The "plate dance" - where dancers lept barefoot onto broken dishes - was a highlight. We loved the whole show so much that we saw it twice.
|  Woman with bean skirt
At the Bukittinggi market.
|  Sambal for sale
Peppers for sale.
|  Fun with flour
Flour seller and family.
|
 Amid flour moutains
And loving it.
|  Ducks for sale
Pets or meat?
|  Coconut shredder
|  More shredding
|
 With our wonderful guide Eddie
|  Outside the Conversatory of Minangkabau Culture
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