An Unthinkable Trip to Aceh

Last month, suddenly, I was asked to do a trip for work. One thing that is really "bizarre" for me in a way is that I had to take a trip to Aceh. Aceh is still a part of Indonesia, but, Aceh honestly is someplace that would be really unthinkable for me to go on my own. For me, Aceh is really a far away place where everything is rather scary. You know, with the Shariah Law, its long history of conflicts, and all. And, I had to go there.

But then, nonetheless, I was excited. To think about it, I have been to a lot of places before. But, seriously, I never really went out of Java to explore Indonesia. Well, I did go to Bali once. But then, I dont know if it really counts of going out of my way to visit other places in Indonesia. Lets go to Aceh, thats what I thought!

Before going to Aceh, I was worried because I dont wear hijab, so this had become an issue for me. The news about Aceh on this specific issue are rather scary, you know, for they have been telling us these stories of women being punished in Aceh for not wearing hijab. So, yeah, I had then had to prepare for this, I really was scared of what I was going to go through in Aceh. But, still, I was excited. I dont know. LOL

So, after long hours of flight and long hours of transfer in the Soekarno Hatta Airport, Jakarta, I and my friend arrived in Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport, Banda Aceh at noon.

The airport looked a lot like a mosque.

We were picked up by a driver that we have rented before. It was an awkward feeling, about the hijab thing. We didn't know what we were supposed to do, so we just put a scarf over our head when we got out of the airport. Apparently, this was not only experienced by both of us. In the bathroom, I saw women were putting their hijab or scarves on. I'm sure they were feeling awkward too about this.

Getting out of the airport, a big banner of the travel exhibition that we were supposed to attend had welcome us.

First thing first, we visited the hotel where the exhibition was going to be held, to take care of our administration matters. Just for information, I was supposed to attend an international travel exhibition, TIME, which was attended by various travel stakeholders from all over Indonesia, and from other countries as well. After we got to the hotel, apparently, a lot of women who were coming for the exhibition too didn't wear any hijab, they just dressed as they usually do. So, this had surprised us, it is apparently not as scary and strict as we thought it would be.

So, we went to the exhibition for two days, as we went to Aceh for work. Sadly.

But not too sad. I got to attend a travel exhibition for the first time in my life, such a new experience. I attended the gala dinner at the Governor's house. I attended events and press conferences which were attended by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism, Garuda Indonesia, the local government, and I met so many new people. It was great.

At  the second day, after finishing all the agendas that we were supposed to do, we finally got to get around Banda Aceh for a little bit.

The infamous Mi Aceh.

Our lunch for the next day, Ayam Tangkap. It was really good and it is a great thing, since I have never heard nor had this dish before. It was a chicken dish, the chicken is cut in small pieces and seasoned and buried in Temburu leaves.

Museum Tsunami

While on the first day, I was still feeling awkward with my clothing, and thus I still had my scarf on, on the second day, I decided to just dress comfortably. Still polite and covered of course. And it was okay. :)

We didn't get to enter the Museum since we were too late. But, we did enter first floor. Inside the Tsunami Museum, there is this big pool, with these big balls surrounding the pool. I didn't notice at first, but apparently, on each one of these balls written the name of the countries who helped the people of Aceh during the Tsunami in 2004. On the roof, hang these countries' flags too. The people of Aceh really wanted to show their gratitude towards the people who had helped them in times of crisis during the Tsunami, that's what came to my thought as I was looking at it.

PLTD Apung I

Masjid Baiturrahim Ulee Lheue ~ the mosque which somehow survived the Tsunami 

This mosque is one of the miracles that happened during the Tsunami. This mosque is located really near to the sea and the area where it is located was cleanly swept by the fierce waves of Tsunami. But it had survived somehow and had become a witness of how the Tsunami easily swept thousands of people in the area.

Masjid Baiturrahim Ulee Lheue in 2004. Picture courtesy to voa-islam.

Pantai Ulee Lheue (Ulee Lheue Beach)

The beach was located nearby, and so, even though we didnt have time to visit it properly, we still managed to pass it and caught a glimpse of its beauty at sunset. The beach was supposedly the beach area hit the hardest by the Tsunami. It is just difficult to comprehend, how a beach this peaceful and beautiful could be such a deadly place at that time.

Kopi Tarik and Teh Tarik at Solong Coffee

Kopi Tarik and Teh Tarik which literally in English would translate "pulled" coffee and "pulled" tea are the specialties of Aceh.

Uniquely, in each kopi tarik shops, the coffee and tea are made only by one person. So, the taste of coffee and tea in each shops could be different depends on the one who made it.

Teh Tarik

Solong Coffee (or Warung Kopi Solong) is one 'legendary' coffee shop in Aceh

So, sadly we then had to leave Aceh the next day, so no time to really get around and travel Aceh. We didn't even get to go to Pulau Sabang, and a lot of people had told us such a shame that we didnt get to go. But then, I really did get a precious experience of travelling there. Travelling to Aceh is not scary. The local government of Aceh even made a point out of this for a number of times throughout the exhibitions.

So, hopefully, next time, I get to travel to Aceh again. To travel. :)