My family & I have many time visited Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, Indonesia's third-largest city and the economic powerhouse of Sumatra. It is highly significant as a central trading and agricultural hub, a multi-cultural melting pot, and the primary travel gateway to the iconic Indonesia destinations like Lake Toba. I remember in December 1984, my wife, Zarina & I in thanking those relatives who helped out our wedding ceremonies, we flew them to Medan for one week vacation. The city blends the native Batak and Malay populations with Chinese, Javanese, Minangkabau & Indian Hindu communities.
It is a striking meeting point of multiple faits, home to historical and massive sites such as grand Al Mashun Mosque, the Vihara Maha Maitreya temple & Kampung Madras (Little India). This rich fusion of cultures has created a legendary culinary scene characterized by variety of distinct Batak, Malay, Indian & Chinese flavors. Once a bustling hub for local princes, Chinese traders & European planters, the city retains its 19th-century Dutch colonial architecture.
In the Nusantara history subject of my secondary school, I learned that dating back to the 1870s, Medan became the world-renowned center for massive, export-oriented agriculture commodities like tobacco, rubber. palm oil, coffee, tea. The wealth it generated earned it the Dutch nickname Het Land Dollar (Land of Money). Currently, Medan serves as a crucial global trade and shipping hub within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT). (https://www.konten.usu.ac.id)
In conjunction with the school holidays, I am happy that my eldest daughter, Jann and her husband, Faiz, brought their 4 children for an educational visit to explore Medan, situated at the edge of the Malacca Strait and the Port of Belawan. They learned about the rich culture and architecture of landmarks institutions like the Istana Maimun (iconic Palace of the Sultan of Deli) and the Tjong A Fie Mansion offer a widow into the the city's royal and mercantile.
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