Farmer’s market at Berastagi

For Laura’s Sunday project - A trip through my eyes

This weekend a bunch of friends and I decided to go up to Greenhill City in Sibolangit for some R&R. It was Saturday; the last day of the neurology department and we had to go through two case report presentations before we could leave. In other words, it was much needed.

True to its name, Sibolangit is in fact full of green hills.

On the last day of the trip, we decided to go up to Berastagi, another city about 20-30 minute drive further uphill. During the drive you’ll pass by a place called Penatapan. Numerous stalls line the street in this area, in which you can have a spot of hot ginger tea (to warm you up, it gets progressively colder as you go up) and the requisite snack - ears of corn. You can have them grilled with some sort of spiced butter or boiled in some salted water. I myself am more of a boiled corn person.

Now, Berastagi is famous for its flowers, vegetables and fruits and its markets constantly hum with activity. The most famous produce is probably the passionfruit or marquisa. You’ll see them everywhere once you enter the premises.

Also to recently make the “to-buy” list when you’re in Berastagi are the tamarillos, or terong belanda.

This trip was pretty memorable for me because during it I ate my first persimmon (at age 22 - would you call that a travesty?)

and also found raspberries or stroberi madu, as they call it, for the first time since I’ve lived here.

But of course the market offered way more than just that. We spent a good deal of time walking through the crowded market, tasting and purchasing the fresh pick of the day.