Bintan Bunnies

The day we got to Bintan, it turned out that the local resorts had arranged transportation for us to go from the ship to the resorts. I was hoping to get into the town, but that's not where they wanted us to go. They took us to their resorts, and we spent a little bit of time there and then hurried back to the ship. I knew that I wanted to see the 500 Lohan Temple, which was further south in Bintan, but transportation there was kind of a nuisance. I was looking into it when Andy told me that we could get a van for six of us for seven hours for 45 bucks. That was pretty sweet, so I took advantage of that deal and got the van. We decided where we wanted to go and planned to make a day out of it.

When the tender finally got to shore, we got off and were greeted by a repeat of the dance performance that had been done the day before. We were glad to see that because we had missed it. The dancing was beautiful, exotic, and elegant.

JR, Mellita, Gille, and Bob joined us, and our driver, Eko, picked us up near the dock. We told him what we had in mind and asked what he recommended. Taking the long ride to the temple first made the most sense. As we spotted things along the way, we made the point to let him know that we were not in a rush and were happy to slow down to see the local spots of beauty, even if they weren't the usual tourist things. That set the tone and paid dividends.

There's a reason that the 500 Lohan Temple is considered the thing to see in Bintan. It is spectacular. We were met at the front by a pair of guardian statues that were somewhat intimidating. The structure, the gardens, the flow of everything was so elegantly done and so impressive; we needed time to slowly take it all in.

We took a little time to savor the courtyard that drew us into the arena that held the 500 life-sized statues of individuals who had achieved Lohan status in Buddhism. The entrance was guarded by Ksitigarbha. In Mahayana Buddhist tradition, Ksitigarbha is a deeply revered Bodhisattva known for his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hell realms are emptied and all sentient beings are saved. This towering, majestic stone carving serves as the iconic welcome for visitors and worshippers before they pass through the main archway to view the famous courtyard containing the 500 unique, life-sized Lohan (Arhat) statues.

A long, dark tunnel made it feel like you were entering a football stadium where the observers were all cast in stone. On either side, as you exited the tunnel, there were more statues, and beyond the Lohan, there were still more.

A light rain had started, and Ellie already had her umbrella out for the sun. As she examined one after another of the statues, it was clear that each had a life behind it, made up of fantastic stories. Some humorous, some serious, some obviously very loving of children.

As we wandered the grounds, we saw the different shrines and temples within the walls of the location.

The sun started to come out again. We were treated anew to the beauty of the walls and sculptures and all the things that were so impressive under a cloudy sky. Were even more so, with the vibrant colors showing.

On our way in, we had seen a large Buddhist temple and asked if our driver could take us back there. It turns out it was somewhat significant.

Vihara Avalokitesvara Graha, also known as the Guan Yin Temple, is a massive Buddhist temple in Tanjungpinang, Bintan Island, Indonesia, famous for housing one of Southeast Asia's tallest brass statues of the Goddess of Mercy, coated in 22-carat gold. Nearby was also a beautiful pagoda. A very visually rich area.

By now, we had all gotten pretty hot, tired, and hungry. We asked the driver if he would take us to some place nearby that he would like to eat at. He took us to a small spot nearby and dropped us off and went to do his prayers once inside. We were shown to a large table and asked about a menu, but there was none. Instead, they brought plate after plate out on carts and set them in front of us, and we realized that we would pay for the dishes that we ate from and not pay for the ones that we did not. It was a wonderful experience, completely confusing and utterly delicious.

As we worked our way back in the direction of the ship, we were going to cross a bridge where we had seen a very interesting blue boat, sitting idle on the water. Mentioning this to the driver, he agreed to stop and let us get out, walk onto the bridge, and take a few pictures. It turned out to be a very lovely sight. Some of the dividends being paid for letting the driver know that we were not in a rush

Having established a rapport with him and having a little bit of time on our hands, he asked if we would like to stop by his house. When we got there, his wife was at the front of the house near a small beverage stand that she had set up. He asked her if she would arrange for us to have drinks while he showed us around the place a little bit. He pulled down rambutan fruit from a tree in his front yard and then walked us around to the back, where dozens of small rabbits were being raised, and we all had the chance to hold, pet, and see the lovely little creatures. This is the kind of traveling I like to do. After petting the bunnies and chatting a little more, we went out front to experience the roadside beverages that his wife had prepared for us

Roadside cendol is a sweet, icy drink served in a plastic cup with a straw and a spoon.

What it Looks Like:

Green Jelly Noodles: Fun, worm-shaped noodles made from rice flour float in the drink.

Two-Tone Liquid: White coconut milk mixes with dark brown sugar syrup.

Shaved Ice: Crushed ice keeps the drink freezing cold in the tropical heat.

What it Tastes Like:

Sweet and Rich: The brown palm sugar tastes like caramel.

Creamy: The coconut milk makes it smooth and rich.

Aromatic: The green noodles smell like sweet, vanilla-like pandan leaves.

And that was the perfect ending to a fantastic day.