The view of the beautiful town Bukittinggi

Big bang Watch Made by Germany In bukittinggi Indonesia

Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, leaving his tracks in Bukittinggi. Memento in the form of the Clock Tower that characterizes the city.

This clock was built in 1926, as a gift from the Queen of Holland to the secretary of the city. Until now the tower Clock Tower is still the tallest building in Bukittinggi.

Clock Tower features a large bell at the top. At the bell at the manufacturer stated: "Vortmann Relinghausen, IW Germany". Vortman is the name behind this watchmaker, Benhard Vortmann. Recklinghausen is a city where the machine clock manufactured in Germany in 1892.

Because of this unique machine hour, no mechanic can fix. "So if it breaks or freezes, we fix themselves," said Yusrizal, one of four officers guard the guards jam.Para never learn to fix the machine at a formal. Technical knowledge about these hours are taught by generations and has been successful because of minor damage on the clock always successfully repaired by them.
"Except during the earthquake of 2007. Pendulum clock was broken and must be replaced, "said Andre, another guard. Earthquake in Padang in 2010 also makes the tower walls cracked, but did not damage the engine hours.

Andre and Yusrizal was on guard duty the day, alternating with two officers who will be awake at night. That's four people who do all the maintenance. They are in charge of caring for hours, maintain security, to sweep the floor. Except have obtained permission, visitors were barred from entering the inside of the tower.

The interior of the tower consists of several levels. Level top with a storage area bell. Machine-hour clock and the surface is located at one level below. Climb the small ladder to the top pretty exhausting. But the struggle up the stairs it certainly paid off. 
From the top of the tower, saw the city that dikeliligi three mountains: Singgalang, Merapi and Sago.

Clock Tower at the center marker town of Bukittinggi. Town events are usually held on the ground near this tower. One of them as the start point of the 4th Stage of Tour de Singkarak on June 9, 2011.
This place is also a favorite citizen interaction space. On any working day field around the Clock Tower seemed crowded. The children running and playing with soap bubbles, while their parents sit in the shade. A free public space that should exist in every town in Indonesia.  

Beautiful Canyon and Valley in Bukittinggi

Lembah harau - rice field view

West Sumatra is one of Indonesian’s regions are crossed by the equator that causing a tropical forest with high rainfall. Besides Bukit Barisan mountain range and Mount Singgalang near Bukittinggi, many valleys or canyons and lakes are very attractive for tourists. Natural beauty plus the cool air in Bukittinggi region provide soothing shades for tourists who come to here.

Until now Bukittinggi still become major tourist destination for domestic even foreign tourists. Some people argue that the natural beauty of the canyon in Bukittinggi far more beautiful when viewed from the air, In fact looks beautiful from all sides. At the bottom of the canyon flow the river and more fertile land, while the winding canyon cliffs soaring from constant erosion by wind and rain naturally cause variety of form and color. What a stunning panorama.

Lembah Anai

When you are traveling from Padang to Bukittinggi, after an hour’s journey by car ahead of Padangpanjang city you will find winding roads that climb the slopes of the mountain shrouded in lush green trees and lush as a nature reserve. At a bend in the left edge of the road, there is Lembah Anai waterfall that looks so beautiful. Water falls from the middle of the valley wall is overgrown with dense trees hanging on the wall of the valley.

From the top of valley everyone can look toward the valley floor. Visible Lembah Anai with lush green trees and on the valley floor that flows Anai River, it was very beautiful natural scenery.

Lembah Anai Waterfall

Lembah Anai - Railway View

Sianok Canyon

In Bukittinggi city there are Panorama Park and the Japanese hole. From here, travelers can view Sianok Canyon. Valley walls visible from a distance, it’s beautiful unmatched. No wonder if the world tourists flock to Sianok Canyon to witness and capture the natural feel that very curvy.

In the Sianok Canyon there also Japan Hole, in Japanese colonial era become tunnel for defense purposes. Now it has been revitalized, so that visitors can go down into the tunnel at the end can directly view Sianok canyon from the floor.

Canyon Sianok

Canyon sianok - rice field

Lembah Harau or Harau Valley

From Bukittinggi towards the West, you can take the highway from Bukittinggi to Pekanbaru. After passing the intersection of Payakumbuh take the road to the left, you will find Lembah Harau. It’s around 1.5 hours drive from Bukittinggi.

The Lembah Harau walls long stretches, interspersed with some lovely scenic waterfalls. Lembah Harau cliff is almost vertically. Variety shapes and colorful moss because of rain from the top of the cliff. Valley area of 300 hectares is a nature reserve with well preserved. At the bottom of valley spread out the rice fields, the exotic panorama will amaze who saw it.

In addition to natural tourism, Lemvah Harau is also used as rock climbing area, which popular until other country.

 Fortress Fort de Kock

Fortress Fort de Kock was built in 1825 by Captain Bauer at the Mount Jirek Negeri, Bukit Tinggi, Sumatera, Indonesia. Until now, Fort Fort de Kock was a silent witness to the vanity of Dutch colonial that at that time ruled Minangkabau and the remnants of that arrogance is still implicitly shown in this green-white colored building with 20 meters high.

Fortress Fort de Kock is equipped with a small cannon on its four corners. The area around the fort has been restored by local governments into a park with lots of shady trees and children’s toys.
The fortress is located at the Wildlife And Cultural Park, Kinantan, Bukit Tinggi in the same location as the Bukit Tinggi Zoo and Museum of Traditional House Baanjuang. The area of the fort situated on a hill at the left side of the entrance while the zoo and museum is located on the right hill.
Both are connected by Limpapeh bridge which beneath it there’s a highway of the town of Bukit Tinggi. Indeed, this region is located only 1 km from the center of Bukit Tinggi in the Clock Tower area, precisely in the Tuanku nan Renceh canal road. Bukit Tinggi alone can be taken about 2 hours from the city of Padang as the capital of West Sumatera province.

With Rp 5,000 (US $0.5), we can explore the castle, cross the bridge with panoramic views, observing a variety of wildlife and learn history at the museum. TO enter Traditional House Baanjuang, visitors must pay an entrance fee of Rp 1,000 per person. This place is often used as a family picnic or group goals for kindergarten and elementary school students to explore the nature, history and culture as well.
Some visitors even seemed happy just to enjoy the shady atmosphere around Fort Fort de Kock after reading a little explanation about the history of the fort. It’s written in a charter about 10 feet in front of the castle which was signed by Bukit Tinggi’s Mayor H. Djufri it opened as a tourist destination on March 15, 2003.

In the building that is deliberately built in 1930 by a Dutchman, Mr. Mandelar Controleur stored various kinds of Minangkabau’s typical objects such as traditional clothing, buffalo horn and traditional fishing equipment. In this place, visitors can also take pictures on the bridge with Minang traditional clothes only by paying Rp 2,500 to Rp 5,000.
The arrogance of Fort Fort de Kock was also recorded in a variety of souvenirs sold at stalls outside the tourist areas, such as T-shirts, keychains and Minangkabau distinctive bags.