[Get A Way] Coming Home To Aceh

Finally, Lebaran of this year we road to coming home to Aceh which is my husband hometown. In Indonesian peoples term, simply they calls the activity as "mudik". Well..."mudik" at this time become our very first long trip as family that is me, my husband and ade Affa. Yes, i have little family now with my baby ade Affa which still going on 10 mos. Hmmm...a bit exciting and worry at the beginning since we'll do a trip with baby in our side but we try to prepare traveling as cozy as we can. And one way is we arrange the prime airways to reach convenience flight, despite it will make a high-priced.

Our destination in Aceh is Langsa which located in Eastern Aceh and closer to Medan (North Sumatra) rather than Banda Aceh as provincial capitals of Nangroe Aceh Darussalam. Therefore, our flight was landed on Polonia Airport in Medan instead of Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport in Banda Aceh. Hohoho...summer weather like say welcome to us while we going out from airport but we still have big passion to enjoy our travelling. We picked up by Affa's grandfather or we just call him Ayahchik in Aceh name. He pass 68 but he stay well driving from Langsa to Medan and just accompanied by his 9 years old grandson. Amazing!

.: view of Kuala Simpang :.

Start from Medan we lead to Langsa with 3-4 hours running via car and now turn to my husband as driver. In fact, overland trip Medan to Langsa was longer than the air traveling from Jakarta to Medan but we just try to give our best passion to enjoy this way. Well...just in my mind, more pronounced of long trips since on the roadside scenery only palm forest and tends a bit quiet.

Alhamdulillah...at last we get up to our family home sweet home while Maghrib time arrives. Timpan and hot tea become my first object for break fasting, oh my God...very durian tastefully. Timpan is one of traditional food in Aceh which made from glutinous rice flour and filled with srikaya. As a rule, timpan in this home is always homemade and my mother in law as the maker.

.: kue timpan :.

The other conventional cake from Aceh is karah made of rice flour and the taste is not too sweet with crunchy sensation. This food paired with hot coffe or tea would be the perfect couple. Sorry i'm just share the picture not a recipe since i am not a person behind this food hehehe...

.: kue karah :.

3 days after Lebaran, we drive away to Kuala Simpang, city in Eastern Aceh and we come to see our fine fellow. First to do while we stay in this city is we are looking for places to eat and we pick a conventional coffe shop or warkop. As my deep desire before i go to Aceh, i really want to try original coffe from Aceh since i've heard that Aceh's coffe like Gayo or Ulee Kareng are so famous among coffe lovers. Therefore, i choose hot coffe and martabak aceh as my lunch at that day and so complete!

.: top - banner of Aceh Raya coffe shop ; middle - how to serve original coffe ; bottom - original hot coffe is ready :.

I had time to catch how to make original hot coffee in this coffe shop, still with the equipment and simple way but it was unique for me. The point is how to filtering so that the coffee powder is reduced or disappear altogether since we play with original coffe not instant coffe. In Aceh Raya coffe shop, you can order also mie kocok of course served in Aceh culture. And i think mie kocok in here is compound of mie aceh and boiled egg drenched with some sauce, but slightly sweet taste for me.

.: top - martabak aceh & bottom - mie kocok :.

As far as i see, so many tones appear in a few corners of Kuala Simpang and i like 'becak motor' or motor pedicab in Aceh style. Slightly different with pedicab at Java island, this vehicle is combination of pedicab with motor beside it and makes a different way to enjoy a pedicab. Well...long story if i write down all of our trip around Langsa so just enjoy through the picture!

.: atmosphere of some corners at Kuala Simpang with 'becak motor' :.