It's been a really really long time since my last post. I even forgot the password and had some trouble to fixed it few days ago. I decided to write again because I don't really know what to do right now. I'm finally in my senior year but still got nothing to do for my thesis. It's not that I'm not trying to find it, but I just still don't what I am looking for.
Okay, just put aside that sensitive topic. I'm home again after few months in others' town struggling. When I got home, my mom suggested an idea about go back visiting Tanjung Balai Karimun (TBK), a small island where I used to live for four years back then when I was a little kid. I really loved that idea because I really miss that island so much. Honestly, I am the type of a girl who really love recalling the memories in the past. So I decided to go.
We (me, mom and little sister) went to TBK on Saturday, January 11th 2014. It takes around an hour to get there by Ferry from Batam. We took Mikonatalia Ferry (the ticket cost Rp. 135.000 for two way) from Sekupang Domestic Ferry Terminal at 1 pm and arrived at 2 pm. There was some bis waves but they didn't make me seasick because I was too excited to see the town where I used to live in the past.
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| Ferry Ticket Counter, you can buy it on the spot at least 30 minute before the time of departure |
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| Two way ticket, you can use it anytime, the time is flexible |
We went straight to our house right after we arrived to attend our house tenant's wedding. Yap, we used to live there for four years from 1997-2001, and now my parents put it out for rent. I was excited to see my old house again, but then it felt a bit weird because the house used to looks bigger back then. My mom said that's maybe because I was too young and small at that time.
After that, our relatives take us to drive around the small island. There have been many changes in the town that make it looks better. But even if there was no change in the town, I still can't remember it clearly. The things that I remember was just my old house, my kindergarten, elementary school where I attended until 4th grade, my parent's office and the tent cafe where my family used to run a business. I also amazed with the old school chinese bus that's still exist since a long time ago, I think that is one of the icon of the town that is need to be conserved and maintained.
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| 'Tepi Laut' / Costal Area is so different and better now |
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| 'Bus Kuno / Bus Antik' Old school chinese style bus has become the main transportation in the town for decades | | |
On that nostalgia trip, I had planned 2 main missions. First, go to the night market where me and and my family used to go to eat delicious foods, beverages and snacks and then eat (or drink) the legend of TBK's culinary (according to me): ES GUNUNG! Es Gunung is a kind of shaved ice with grass jelly, cendol and red bean filling and colorful sweet syrup topping. The one who makes it (from the past until now) is an old Chinese man (we usually called old chinese man 'Apek') which I'm so glad he's still alive! That ES GUNUNG is still the same, still taste so sweet and yummy, one of my favorite dessert! That is so recommended for you to try when you visit TBK!
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| 'ES GUNUNG', the most delicious and legendary dessert in town. Must try! |
My second mission is to go to the kindergarten and elementary school where I used to go. Unfortunately the kindergarten is not there anymore, people said they moved it somewhere. So I just went to my ex elementary school where I used to attend for 3 years. There have been a lot of changes but I still can remember some parts of that school are still in the same state. That brought back some sweet memories of me, when I was a little girl playing and quarreling with my old friends. I miss them so much even when I actually don't really remember each of them.
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| Me in front of my ex elementary school's gate. How nostalgic! |
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| I could capture it in my mind. The shape and the position of the building and the field are still the same. |
After completed the missions, we went back to my original hometown: Batam. I'm so glad to have a chance to go back and visit TBK, the island that was once a part of my life. The island where I used to live, play, and dream. I promise my self that I will go back to visit TBK again next time, or someday when I have my own kids, to show them the beauty of Kepulauan Riau.
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| Kepulauan Riau / Riau Archipleago Map |
*FYI: Tanjung Balai Karimun is the main town of the Great Karimun Island, Part of Kabupaten Karimun (Karimun Regency), Provinsi Kepulauan Riau (Riau Islands). In Tanjung Balai Karimun the Malay culture is still very strong and combined with Chinese culture. They become a unique fusion, you will feel like being in the little old-Malaysia.
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