Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish: Downtown Medan, Walking down the Memory Lane (2019, Oct 1-6)

People always think I come from a place of being misanthropic, although I do have my reasons. People. You can't never change the way they feel. Better let them do what they will. However along the way, some become my soul friends, and others simply acquaintances, which is ok. I'm trying my best to juxtapose with everything and everybody, without compromising my well-being. I'm just living my own truth.

And this trip happens to have something to do with a dear childhood friend of mine, so it doesn't take me a long time to decide the time has come for me to fly home.

Ten years, give or take, since my last visit... Medan, I'm finally back. It's been a bitter sweet trip this time. Having to book a flight and accommodation in such a short time, everything is a blur. For an organized and control freak as I am, arranging this trip in just a month is challenging and I have little time to whip a plan together. Luckily, it's low season this time of the year, so I manage to grab some good deals on hotels.

Being a local myself, I think I fathom all nooks and crannies of this third largest city in Indonesia. However my dear friends give me all these pointers of dos and donts while I'm in the city, including the Railink timetable.

railink from kuala namu international airport to medan city

hey, we have a charming steward on-board!!!

First thing first, the yummy Laksa Yose Rizal. This really takes me back to the few times I spent with my late aunty here, every time I'm in the city during my uni break.

the one and only laksa yose rizal

I'm jonesing for some childhood comfort foods. The laksa is aromatic, rather than in-your-face hot.

Now here's the part where all the dos and donts from my friends come in handy. "Keep your purse close to the chest. Run if you see anything suspicious. Dress down when you're alone." Seeing these alleys, I can totally relate.

However it makes me a little sad since this is my childhood place. All those good old memories keep flashing before my eyes.

My childhood home is very near and dear to my heart, filled with precious memories. Back in my days, it's a far cry from it is now. I used to run along the upper balcony chasing my australian shepherd that is chasing my rabbit, with piano sound lingering in the air. Amah has a petite garden and a small fish pond at the back corner of the balcony. At certain festivities, as The Mid-Autumn Festival, we would be hanging colorful beautiful animal-shaped lanterns alongside the balustrade, while Amah got ready to pray and give offerings to the moon by midnight. Akong's grandfather clock and Amah's antique buffet keeps flashing before my eyes. I have to shake that all off and keep focus since this is not the safest neighborhood and I need to keep myself alert all the time.

Luckily, I make it safe and sound to Pasar Rame.

es campur @ pasar rame

It's safe to say that Pasar Rame hawker stalls are somehow a tourist trap. It's a place that never fails to fail. For instance, this es campur, an Indonesian cold and sweet dessert. This popular treat is made with fruits, red bean, black jelly, cendol, coconut jelly, condensed milk, shaved ice, and brown sugar syrup. The Pasar Rame's es campur is just so so in my opinion, and you get a bitter aftertaste, which is very annoying. Plus, I get a side-eye from the ladyboss who maybe judges me by my backpacking outfit. It boggles my mind why there's a certain norm in this city to judge people by their appearance. Is this a local mentality that needs to be ditched? It's just not my day, and it ruins my fond childhood memory of this farmers' market. You can find better tasting foods at better place, with a more reasonable price. Pasar Meranti, Pasar Sekip, to name a few.

After grabbing my favorite snacks at Thamrin Plaza, I hop to taste another street food in Medan, pecel and u-yen.