Medan and Beyond

Tales of a city so near but constantly avoided.

Our routes

MEDAN IS ONE of those places that will give you surprises that you won't expect it will surprise you in the first place (other places would include Adelaide, Melaka and Wangsa Maju). You'll be surprised on how your friend is surviving the city -- alive. You'll be surprised on how good the food are, though you have been forewarned of mencrit, local for diarrhea. You'll be surprised on how secretive some things are, the hidden gems that are actually underrated. We came to Medan with very low hopes, and the moment we're checking in our kek lapis on board our flight back to KL, we were actually pleased.

An airport officer walks near LCC's International terminal

I don't worship Tony Fernandez and AirAsia like most Malaysians do. So I see many bad things in their way of handling flights, which may seem to be biased in a point of view (with me being traditionally Malaysia Airlines). But seriously, LCCT is a hassle. Check in counters all shuffled, with security being very low and careless (but fast). And all that small space for a very big crowd, packed with the crowd you usually see at LRT and Komuter stations -- lining up at first and then losing their mind next when the door opens. Only that it's an airport.

A few confusing entry forms and a late 1901 Hot Dog later, we reached Medan. Medan is reachably quick, quicker than Langkawi by flight and for clarity's sake, driving up to Perak. Uzair brought us around his area with this becak -- a modified trishaw, attached to a motorcycle -- and eventually taught us how to ride it (in which we faithfully practice it later in our stay). A ride would minimally cost us Rp3000 (that's around RM1) but usually we're charged over Rp10,000 due to our long distances. Whatever it is, ask and deal first!

This is lele Penyet and the one near Haziq is ayam penyet. Both, as the names suggest and as far as I concerned, are compressed. While I definitely still find no understanding of why these things are compressed first, I think that would contribute to the crispy factor. That, added with a super hot sambal on top of them would send you crying (literally) with joy. Their penyets are lot tastier and of course, cheapier, than those in The Curve (and SS15, I heard) penyets, so hands down -- this one's a winner!

This bapak-bapak are hanging along Jl. Dr. Mansyur, a main road where Uzair, Shwada and Hanisah's university is located, the Universitas Sumatera Utara or USU (pronounced ooh-soo). Malaysian students have made a sizable community here, and their presence in the area practically brought billions of rupiahs to the locals. I mean, that's quite a lot. Quite unquestionable restaurants and cafes are sprouting along the road, plus they're safe and clean and again, the food's good.

Vehicles pass through the main thoroughfare in front of Medan's Mesjid Raya. Islam is prominent in Medan -- depending on how the way you see it. Mosques and churches roam side by side just like how an halal eaterie is sitting next to a babi panggang stall operated by the Bataks. People practically live in harmony, with each and every communities alive and free to make their faith to the public, banners everywhere expressed this -- whether it's a plead for Idul Adha prayers attendance, or just another mass for this year's Hari Natal.

A long-closed shop in Medan's main road Jl. Merdeka (located at the nearby Merdeka Walk). Medan was reputed to have derived its name from 'Madinah'. Today it's the biggest city on the island of Sumatra (which is a big island itself) and is home to more than 2 million people -- a population bigger than KL itself. After Jakarta and Surabaya, Medan is Indonesia's third largest city, fast catching up with urban problems like rampant overpopulation, pollution and sanity concerns, traffic congestion and unplanned development.

Lele bakar

Anyway, when I say food is cheap and delicious in Medan...

Ifumee Goreng

Dim sum at Merdeka Walk

Sosro, bottled tea

nasi Minang at Simpang Tiga

...they really, really are! However food-hunting in Medan falls to great common sense and precautions, which would include a friend's advice. Even the medical students here can't stand the notorious diarrhea, and the torturous long hours in the kamar kecil if they've picked the wrong makan place. Search, choose and eat wisely and if you must follow the lead. A friend's recommendation is the best -- believe me, they know. If they're truly your friend, they don't lead you to have nasty things which will end you rushing for the toilet -- just like the Uzair and his housemates when they had that wrong teh tarik.

We're safe anyhow. Whatever it is, consider having vast amounts of nasi Minang and nasi Padang while you're in Medan, alongside nasi uduk, bakso, and other food which are well-prepared. The lele bakar in front of Uzair's university (pictured, top) is simply one of the best on Earth. Ifumee goreng (below it) makes a great supper, something cuddly tucked in between kuey teow, mee and bihun goreng that makes you want to lick the plates and the chopsticks. Medan has its amount of deliciously-prepared dim sums (also pictured), though a bit pricey. A durian pancake even cost Rp20,000, beautifully crafted into soft bun-looking slices but tastes just like, well, a regular durian.

Night falls in central Medan.

If you listened to your mothers -- Edzmir's and mine, that is -- they might want you to bring back some kek lapis from Medan. While we find this quite funny, it's actually serious business. Hardcore Malaysian kek lapis fans really bought a lot of it, and I mean a lot, from what we have seen at the airport. This kek lapis -- layered cake -- known affectionately as bika Ambon, comes with lots of flavours and one of the many bakeries in Medan, Zulaikha, is a big hit. We tasted it only when we got back to KL. It was good. We only brought back three. One for each. Well...

We actually panicked when we thought we're not going to survive another two days in Medan. Driven by a taxi driver who sent us to Uzair's hours upon our arrival who said that 'kalau di Medan ngga lengkap kalau tidak ke Danau Toba," Edzmir and Haziq insisted that we should go there and experience it ourself. Even Uzair himself hasn't been there. I didn't agree at first, until I met Shwada and Hanisah.

Thanks to their help, we got ourselves a supir. And to Danau Toba we go.

To be continued. LAST PHOTO Walking along Jl. Kemuning in
Taman Setia Indah Budi I, Uzair's neighborhood.
Other photos are uploaded in Facebook in

Medan & North Sumatra 2008 Album One, Two, Three and Four. No edits.
(c) Syukrishairi Medan 2008.