Out of palace

This visit back home to nenek had gave me some insight into the grassroot of our magnificient empire.

Nenek was as strong and healthy as she has been. Doing well and she can't wait to carry her great-grandchild. Yea, that's what you would love to see when you are of an age especially seeing all of her grandchildren grown up and married. A great-grandchild in her arms would be real sweet. I am not of that capability but my cousin is.

Speaking of my cousin, he went back to pay a visit to my nenek at the same time as myself. What a coincidence! So with him back, i knew i can sneak out to see the world beyond mine.

I told haolian, my assistant, to get me some common clothes and i left the palace immediately.

I took out my map and decided to head north towards Bukittinggi, where it is 930metres above sea level. And so i travelled hours in our Benteng before reaching. Once up at the top of the Bukittinggi, i felt my nose blocked and had difficulty breathing. It was rather irritating and disturbing but luckily only for a short while.

Bukittinggi is a busy town bustling with activities, unlike temasek. It's full of life! There are people everywhere, students, hawkers, young adults, aunties, uncles, grandfathers and mothers, and of course, children. Basically, almost everyone is out in the town making money, shopping for basic necessities, or chatting. From the town, i can see Gunung Merapi and Gunung Singgalang, the former an active volcano and the latter dead.

According to history by a local whom i spoke to, Gunung Merapi is worshipped by the very first people who came to this land from India 2500 years BC. There were five families and thru years, the population grew. I wondered why didnt they worship Gunung Singgalang as well. This is a question without an answer cause who will know what the very first people are thinking of, unless we can communicate with them directly thru any kind of medium possible. Otherwise, it's all speculation without actual fact but i shall leave it as it is and respect the wishes of the very first people.

While walking around the town, i chatted with numerous locals and they all complained about the poor system in place in this empire. They can systematically describe how corrupted the governance is. I never thought these people understood anything since they are worrying about meals everyday. I thought they wouldn't have the time or strength to think. All of these were told by my bapak. My bapak said, when people are struggling to survive, they don't bother with politics. He is dead wrong. In fact, they will find out the very reason that are causing their misery because how can life goes wrong when you are doing the right things. Hence, i concluded that the best governance is the one that brings meals to the table; satisfying the very basic needs of human. Without food, people will grow discontent and detest the very people who are in control.

After realising the truth from the lie of my bapak, i am sadden by the dishonesty of someone so close to me. I felt betrayed. Why did he have to lie? Maybe it's better not to know so much. Just live the life that is destined for you.