will i am's delayed diary

Bright and early the next morning, we checked out of Mikie Holiday Resort & Hotel. During the day, one can get a clear view of Gunung Sinabung in the distance. Gunung Sinabung is an active volcano located on the Karo highlands. Our first destination of the day was Taman Ziarah Kerahiman Ilahi Puncak 2000 , a pilgrimage site dedicated to the Divine Mercy. As its located on a peak, the spiritual park offers peaceful and majestic views of the surrounding highlands. Private mass was celebrated at the chapel. The drive from Puncak Siosar down to Danau Toba was very scenic, especially when winding down the crater towards to volcanic lake. Our lunch was at Vhi Vhi Resto , featuring local catch from the lake.  When I looked out the window, I saw the local fisherman casting their lines at the water's edge. Not a pretty sight because the edge was lined with garbage.  From the water's edge, we went back up the crater for some sightseeing at Maulana Cafe . For a small fee, we cou...

The end of May was travel season for mum and I. Both of us joined Uncle J for a pilgrimage to Medan. Traveling with Uncle J is no-frills, but extremely value for money because he does not profit from it at all. He was our tour leader for Bali pilgrimage the year before. At 8:30 AM, we were all checked-into our AirAsia flight and were having a typical kopitiam breakfast at Kopi Kita . A very warm welcome was waiting for us at Kualanamu, arranged by Lucia, the same tour agency boss we engaged in Bali. Once we grabbed our bags, we were draped with ulos , a traditional Batak ( indigenous people of Lake Toba ) woven cloth draped over the shoulder and headgear, and greeted with "horas", an all-purpose greeting of the Toba Batak people. Who doesn't love playing dress up? Deja vu -- Nasi Padang for our first lunch in Medan, just like on our Bali trip. The food at Restoran Simpang Tiga wasn't exceptionally good, but it was definitely a bit exotic. The meal would sustain us ...

The sixth day of our trip coincided with Kuningan, a major religious celebration in Bali. Everywhere we went, the locals were dressed in either yellow or white. Started the day with mass at Denpasar Cathedral , a fairly new structure with a bare brick facade and white statues. Above the altar was a rotunda with a mural of the Pentecost. While in town, we were dropped off at a shopping mall to do some shopping, and grab a cup of coffee. Shopping never fails to work up an appetite and the choice of lunch at Warung Ikan Goreng Renon was excellent. The fish was fresh and spicy, paired with super crispy bakwan jagung. Evangelisation in Bali was pioneered by two Dutch priests, and through their efforts, the first Catholic church was established-- Gereja Tritunggal Mahakudus . The design is very traditional, and has a Balinese style bas relief above the altar with traditional script describing the Last Supper. The parish priest welcomed us, and even paused an altar aervers camp so that we co...

Sun and skin was the theme for our fifth day at Bali. Pure island excursion with no church visits. Before the crack of dawn, we were herded into our bus with a breakfast box. Pelabuhan Sanur is a busy port, so it was best that we arrive early to beat the crowds. The bus was not allowed in, so we had a brisk morning walk to the port. The port building was obviously brand new, shaped like a sea dragon of Balinese legends. Although we arrived early, it was only 90 minutes later that we boarded the boat to Nusa Penida . Some of us prepared motion sickness medication, but truth be told, it wasn't very choppy. On the island, we broke into small groups of 4 or 5, and got into SUVs. Proper tarred roads were few and far in between, so we were practically bounced for 45 minutes in the vehicle before we got to the attractions. Firstly, we stopped at Crystal Bay , which wasn't an exceptional beach, but there was some eye candy. Compared to the other visitors, we were obviously not embraci...

The fourth day of our pilgrimage brought us to the western end of Bali. Journeyed nearly 4 hours by bus to Palasari with the usual long toilet break at the Alfa Mart outside of Kuta. The architecture of Gereja Hati Kudus Yesus was really unique, imbued with many local artistic influences. Most notable was the array of statues depicting the Twelve Apostles dressed in traditional garb. The church building was built like an aircraft hangar with an ornate altar. Mass was celebrated there followed by Stations of the Cross in the greater church compound. Once we finished the final station, we visited a hilltop Marian grotto with a giant crucifix. The Palasari parishioners showed us excellent hospitality by preparing a traditional, home-cooked lunch for us. The spread included various local salads, satay lilit, and soup. A very delicious lunch. On the way back, we made short toilet stop at Soka Beach .  Our journey back to Kuta took longer than usual due to bad traffic, delaying our din...

On the third day in Bali, we had mass at St. Francis Xavier Church in Kuta . Although it was in town, we had to leave early to avoid the morning rush hour. From the outside, the church looked simple- a white structure, flanked by two low towers. Rather than the usual grotto with Our Lady of Lourdes, SFX Kuta had a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the presence of four angels. The main church has a beautifully carved wooden tabernacle at the foot of the crucifix. Behind the altar is a mural of angels fashioned to the likeness Balinese celestial beings. After mass, we traveled to the Mandala Complex which is home to multiple houses of worship. On a single row, there's a Hindu temple, Buddhist temple, Protestant church, and lastly a Catholic church. The church was christened Our Lady of All Nations Church . Just a quick visit really, but the parish priest did come out to greet us.  Moved on to our lunch place which was Nyonya's Secret for some Indonesian Peranakan Cuisine. Ki...

The breakfast buffet at the hotel was pretty meh. Resigned myself to the egg and porridge station for the coming days. Started the day with a 3-hour bus ride to Karmel at Bedugul, which is located north of Denpasar. With a big group of people, toilet stops are a big deal. Facilities in the outskirts of Denpasar are limited, so a simple stop at a petrol station could take an hour because there's only one toilet cubicle. Half of us need to run to the Indomaret ( a local konbini ) as an alternative. While waiting, we could shop for some snacks. The weather was cool at St. Joseph Karmel because it's located in the highlands (1,500m). Looming on the horizon was Mt. Kintamani. The place is super quiet and is perfect for retreats. Explored the grounds with it's large grotto and beautiful adoration room.  Mass was celebrated at a chapel with an amazing view of the surrounding hills right behind the altar. Instead of pews, we say cross-legged on the wood flooring. After mass, a loc...