The beauty of Rubiah Island, Aceh, Indonesia

As we approach the gorgeous Pulau Rubiah, Aceh

The water surrounding the island is stunningly beautiful

 

I feed the fish with bread and here they come!

While searching for places to stay on Weh, we found Freddies and Iboih Inn which are equally comparable in terms of their beautiful surrounding.  But we decided to take Iboih Inn as it is close to Pulau Rubiah. From Iboih Inn, this tiny remote island is pretty close and visible. It took us about 15 to 20 minutes to get there.  No electricity on Rubiah, no hotels or any accommodations for tourists. Most people would do a day trip and return to the near by Weh island on the same day.

I heard so much about Rubiah Island and they say,  it's the divers heaven. As our boat approached the island, the pristine turquoise water, the green jungle and white sandy beach caught us speechless. It's amazingly beautiful! The many people in the water will not disturbed you since everyone is busy dipping their heads in the water. Snorkeling or diving are the two most popular activities here. 

The mesmerizing underwater kept everyone busy paddling to enjoy the superb view.  If you're tired of swimming and paddling in the water, then just sit in the shallow water near the beach, throw some bread and the fish will come for you.

The locals complained that the corals were destroyed during the 2004 Tsunami but still Rubiah's beauty is enthralling.  Can't imagine what was it like before the tsunami.  After the water activities, we had tea and grilled fish just before returning to Iboih. Of course the fish come from other parts of the deeper sea and not around these Islands.  No one is allowed to catch fish for food or fun around Rubiah and Weh Islands. It's forbidden to protect the underwater lives.  

The white sandy beach

The fish enjoying my bread

A local girl joins the tourists

Snorkeling very close to the beach

Forever hungry :)

Just sit under the tree and enjoy the view

Posing for the camera

The local girls swim like mermaids :)

Everyone is busy with their own activities

 

The boat man sends the tourists and picks them before dark

You enjoy the underwater from above

Baiturrahman wa Baiturrahim - Banda Aceh, Sumatera, Indonesia

Baiturahman Mosque entrance from rear

Baiturahman at night

BAITURRAHMAN
Baiturahman is the biggest mosque in Banda Aceh and amazingly, this mosque built in 1612 and some claimed 1292 has survived through several calamities including the massive 2004 tsunami with only minor damages. During the Dutch invasion in 1873, the original mosque was razed to the ground and in 1877 the East Indies Governor General extended an olive branch when he offered to rebuild the grand mosque.  Designed by an Italian architect in the North Indian Moghul style, the mosque was finally completed in 1883 and not surprisingly, many Acehnese hesitated to pray at Baiturahman - most likely to show retaliation towards their conqueror. 

Today, this mosque is a dominant landmark in Banda Aceh and in 2004, when the town was struck by the tsunami, many locals took refuge in the mosque.  This mosque has survived from several quakes and even after the tsunami, it suffered very mild damage.  Almost every nights of our stay in Banda Aceh, we were here, assimilating ourselves with the locals and some did realize that we're not one of them. In Ramadhan, every night, they have talks delivered by the local scholars and most of the time the 2004 tsunami is reflected in their sermons and the people are reminded of a bigger calamity is yet to come. When I glanced through the crowd around me, I once again imagined...these people must be in their teens and twenties in 2004.

In Ramadhan, the mosque is filled with the locals 

Terawih in the women's hall

There are many pillars in the mosque

Everybody dispersed after the prayer

Taking a rest after terawih prayer

The beautiful exterior of the mosque is clearly visible even at night

This picture is taken from Medan Hotel, Aceh

BAITURRAHIM

Completely refurbished 

Baiturrahim is an old mosque of  Ulee Lheue in the settlements of coastal Aceh which were largely destroyed by the mega earthquake which unleashed the 2004 tsunami. A port town, Ulee Lheue was completely swept away by the tsunami and only a portion of the Baiturrahim Mosque was spared. Due to its close location to the sea, this mosque was seriously damaged during the tsunami.  Today, the mosque is completely renovated and like Baiturrahman, this mosque has its historical importance among the locals. The Dutch burned the mosque in 1873 and since then the mosque has undergone several rehabilitation phases to accommodate the increasing members of its community.  

In 1981, this mosque received aids from the Saudi government to enlarge its capacity; from a mosque which could hold prayers for 500 people, it was renovated to accommodate more than 1,000 people. But two years after its completion, earthquake struck Banda Aceh and the mosque's structure survived with severe damages to its roof.  Floods, earthquakes and the unprecedented tsunami has battered this mosque but still today it stands tall to serve the community of Ulee Lheue. We spent some times observing the mosque's interior and exterior and wondered what's next for Baiturrahim!

The interior of the mosque

The white wash exterior gives the mosque a fresh look after the tsunami

Visitors from other parts of Indonesia taking a break

 

Dining Aceh Style - Banda Aceh, Indonesia

I find it difficult to eat when everything in the restaurant menu is on my table!

Small shrimps fried with garlic, shallots and green chilies taste delicious

Indonesian cuisine is full of diversity, largely influenced by its geographical and ethnics factors. Although some of the dishes resemble Malaysian food but the uniqueness of the Indonesian food differs in terms of its ingredients and blend of spices. But hot and spicy is still the key element of Indonesian food.

We were invited for iftar at a local Aceh restaurant in Banda Aceh. While waiting for iftar, I stared at all the dishes on the dinner table. I'm hungry but there is no way that I could eat all these food! "Do you cook like this at home" I asked Ika. "Oh..no" she replied "but during gathering or any festive occasion, we do cook as many dishes as possible" she continued. I counted the dishes and there were about 20 of them and I was told, there will no charges for the untouched dishes. I wondered, "How would they know that the food is not tempered?" Misbah told us that the restaurant workers would somehow know!

"Ayam Tangkap" (Catch the chicken)  - taste real good

The call to break fasting in Banda Aceh is the siren, loud enough to tell everyone that it is time to eat.  Among all the dishes served, "Ayam Tangkap" (English translation: Catch the Chicken) is the "star" of the night. One actually has to rummage the pieces of chicken in the piles of curry leaves and pandan leaves...interesting! Simple but tasty, and within minutes the chicken is gone. With very short dinner time and the Magrib prayers to catch we end up eating just a few dishes.  It was a good experience with Aceh food and as a result, we were in search of "Ayam Tangkap" everyday and everywhere in Banda Aceh for the next few days!

Crab in thick spicy sauce

Among the dishes served

I counted them - about 15 dishes

Almost everything on the menu was laid on our table - Banda Aceh

Patiently waiting for the iftar time

This is our iftar in Takengon

From bottom right - Prawn, Chicken and Beef and the potato cutlets