Bukittinggi

Bukittinggi is the homeland for the Minangkabau ethnic peopleBukittinggi  is one of the larger cities in west sumatra, with a population of over 91,000 people and an area of 25.24 km². It is situated in the Minangkabau highlands, 90 km by road from the West Sumatran capital city of Padang. It is located near the volcanoes Mount Singgalang (inactive) and Mount Merapi (still active). At 930 m above sea level, the city has a cool climate with temperatures between 16.1°-24.9°C.The Minangkabau ethnic group, also known as Minang, is indigenous to the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra, in Indonesia. Their culture is matrilineal, with property and land passing down from mother to daughter, while religious and political affairs are the responsibility of men (although some women also play important roles in these areas). Today 4 million Minangs live in West Sumatra, while about 3 million more are scattered throughout many Indonesian and Malay peninsular cities and towns.The Minangkabau are strongly Islamic, but also follow their ethnic traditions, or adat. The Minangkabau adat was derived from animist beliefs before the arrival of Islam, and remnants of animist beliefs still exist even among some practicing Muslims. The present relationship between Islam and adat is described in the saying "tradition [adat] founded upon Islamic law, Islamic law founded upon the Qur'an" (adat basandi syara', syara' basandi Kitabullah).Their West Sumatran homelands were the location of the Padri War from 1821 to 1837.

Sumatran tiger in Bukittinggi zoo

Some old arab writting book inside a museum in the Bukittinggi zoo

Museum in Bukittinggi zoo

Old Minangkabau Scripture in the museum

At the museum 

Jembatan Limpapeh that cross over Jalan Ahmad Yani,one of the main guesthouses and homestays in Bukittinggi,you can find here Homestays from Rp  100,000 per night including breakfast 

A views from the bridge Jembatan Limpapeh,at the bottom end in Hotel The Hills,the best hotel in Bukittinggi

An old minang house in the small hamlet of koto gadang,a village known for it's silver filligrane work;many silver artesans live in this hamlet,there are few shops selling the silver;it's 20 minutes drive from Bukittinggi through Ngarai Sianok canyon

Koto Gadand

Gunung Singgalang Volcanoe,views from Koto Gadang