This nice lady is Linda.  When we wanted to go to Aceh a few years back, we googled for accommodation in Banda Aceh and found that many people recommended that we go to Linda’s Homestay.  We stayed at her house under one roof.  She cooks for us, she took us sightseeing and even shopping.  If anyone is interested to stay at her place, Linda Nurdin can be contacted at lindahomestay@yahoo.com.

Since Linda is a local, she knows the best places to go if you want to discover Banda Aceh.  She suggested that we go visit a traditional Aceh village and we took up her advice.  It was great meeting the villagers and seeing how they live.  They cooked delicious food and affordable price.

This is a typical window of a traditional Aceh house.  Aceh house is not the same as a Minang house.

Guess what these are!  Yup.  Mangosteen skin.  I can’t remember what they are for but from what I read, it is full of anti oxidant.

Lunch time!  Bismillah ….

Dodol is a gooey candy made from “gula melaka” (I think the translation in English is rock palm sugar ;-)) and coconut milk.  It is very sweet.  So, please consume with moderation 🙂

The kids got to enjoy exploring “gadgets” they have never seen or used at home.  All the museums in Banda Aceh are free for visitors.

Local taxi.

The famous Aceh dried meat.

Our breakfast at Linda’s.  Her mie goreng was a hit with the kids.

Cooling cucumber juice on a hot and sunny day.

Some decorations inside a local house.

This boat was stranded at the top of someone’s house during the last Tsunami.  It is now a museum.

This is Tien’s bungalow in Weh Island, Sabang. The place to have a peaceful holiday in an island.  I will insyaallah write about Tien’s place in another post.  Another memorable stay at Weh Island.

This is a typical grocery shop at Banda Aceh.  I went there specifically to look for belinjau dried chips.

I like this!

My son trying to pluck a coconut for the first time.

The above pictures were taken during our diving outings at Pulau Weh.