If I was Indonesian, I'd be Batak.

After a grueling ten days toughing out Ramadan and Idul Fitri in Aceh province, it was rather a relief to arrive on the shores of Danau Toba and get reacquainted with a more hedonistic way of life, thanks to the local Batak people. 

The five hour minivan ride from Medan was particularly awful- loads of holiday traffic, a sadistic driver and reconditioned interior which meant 20 people could be crammed into a 12-seater- so we were pretty happy when we finally arrived at our guesthouse and found ourselves staying in a traditional Batak house, right on the shores of the lake. 

Danau Toba is the largest lake in South-East Asia and was formed when one of Indonesia's myriad volcanoes erupted in spectacular fashion about 75,000 years ago, creating a 1700sq km caldera. The Batak people originally migrated from Thailand & Myanmar and settled the lake region where they lived in isolation for centuries. Famous for their ritual cannibalism practices, the Batak repeatedly repelled attempts by their Muslim neighbours to conquer and convert. It was only in the early 1800's that Christian missionaries successfully gained the trust of local Batak kings and convinced communities to give up cannibalism in favour of God. Although Batak people today are Protestant Christians, they still maintain some ancient animist beliefs and rituals. 

Elaborate carving on the facade of Batak houses keep out evil spirits

The Batak people had a unique (and presumably extremely effective) justice system- anyone accused of a crime was brought before the king and other senior community members and judged according to the evidence. If found guilty of a serious crime (murder, rape or theft), the accused was sentenced to death...but first they would be cut and have lemon, chili or garlic rubbed into their wounds. After being beheaded, the organs were removed, cooked and eaten by the king and community. Yikes.

The Stone Chairs- where all the big decisions are made!

Batak people are big into music and tuak (palm-sap wine)- so we get along like a house on fire. We dove straight into the non-Muslim delights of cold Bintang beers and wild-boar rendeng and are luxuriating in being able to snack at all hours of the day. 

For a country renowned throughout the world for its hardline approach to drugs, it's surprising just how widely mushrooms and weed are available. Martijn is like a magnet for all the local stoner dudes- it seems chops and tattoos equal copious drug-use in Indonesia- so we turn down countless offers of intoxicating substances every day. 

We'd originally planned to be on the move tomorrow but all the buses to Bukittinggi are booked out...so looks like my 34th birthday will be spent drinking tuak with the Batak! Hurrah!