Samosir Tour Discovery

   Di lereng hijau Danau Toba, rempah tidak hanya tumbuh di kebun. Ia hidup dalam ingatan, makanan, pekerjaan, dan keseharian masyarakat. Di Kampung Girsang, kemiri, andaliman, jahe, kunyit, lengkuas, kopi hingga kakao menjadi bagian dari sebuah lanskap kehidupan yang perlahan menemukan identitasnya sebagai kampung rempah. Ada cara lain untuk mengenal Danau Toba selain berdiri di tepiannya. Bukan dengan menghitung luas permukaan airnya, bukan pula sekadar mengabadikan siluet pegunungan yang mengelilinginya. Cobalah berjalan sedikit lebih jauh. Masuk ke kampung-kampung yang berada di sekitarnya. Menyusuri jalan kecil di antara kebun. Memperhatikan tanaman yang tumbuh di halaman dan ladang. Mencium aroma tanah setelah hujan. Atau berhenti sejenak ketika seseorang menunjukkan buah, daun, biji, atau rempah yang selama ini menjadi bagian dari dapur mereka. Di Kampung Girsang , salah satu kampung di kawasan Danau Toba, perjalanan semacam itu menemukan ceritanya. Sebab di tempat ini,...

      NINNA.ID -When Miranda, a solo female traveller from France, came to explore Samosir Island with me, I wanted her to experience more than just the beautiful scenery of Lake Toba. For me, travelling is not only about visiting places, taking pictures, and moving to the next destination. It is also about understanding the people, their history, their traditions, and the stories behind the places we visit. I wanted Miranda to know Batak, not only as the name of an ethnic group, but as a people with a long history, strong family ties, rich traditions, and a culture that is still part of everyday life. Our first day started with a visit to Kampung Ulos Hutaraja. In this traditional Batak village, local women continue to weave ulos, the traditional cloth that holds an important place in Batak culture. Miranda from France visited my great-grandmother's traditional Batak house in Samosir — one of the most meaningful moments of our journey together.[/caption] For the Batak pe...

   When I received the assignment to accompany the Bron family from Switzerland on their journey through North Sumatra, I knew that my responsibility as a Sumatra Tour Guide would be more than taking them from one destination to another. The family consisted of a mother and her two sons. Their journey followed a program that covered Medan, Tangkahan, Bukit Lawang, Berastagi, and Samosir Island on Lake Toba. Each destination offered something different. There were opportunities to explore the jungle, learn about local life, discover the landscapes of North Sumatra, and experience the culture of the Batak people. But what made this journey memorable for me was not only the places we visited. It was the way I learned to communicate with them and understand what they wanted from their trip. The Bron family did not use English very often. Sometimes, I needed to repeat my explanations or find simpler words to help them understand what I was saying. So, I tried to speak more slowly....