SIDE TRIP 2: Jakarta, Indonesia

It's sad to eat breakfast alone.

Especially when you're alone in a hotel in a foreign land. Even if
the hotel is really nice and had a great selection in its buffet
table.

This morning, I was trying to decide between the chicken curry (na
naman? aaaargh!!!) and the fried sea bass when a soft voice from
behind put a stop to my dilly-dallying. When I turned around, I found
an elderly Caucasian lady talking to me in Bahasa Indonesia. Everyone
here assumes I am also Indonesian. Primed, I immediately recited my
rehearsed line: "Tida bisa Bahasa Indonesia", informing her I don't
speak the language. Seeing the puzzled look on her face, I followed
it up with "Orang Filipina" which meant I am from the Philippines.
Her face cleared and split into a really nice smile. "Magandang
umaga!" she said. It was my turn to be surprised and greeted
her "Magandang umaga din po" in return. Switching to English, she
asked if I wanted to try the chocolate porridge which she said is a
traditional Indonesian breakfast. I murmured "maybe later" politely
(I don't really like porridge that much) and brought my food to a
table near the window. I was wolfing down the sea bass when someone
tapped me gently on the shoulder and put a bowl of the blasted
porridge with fresh coconut milk beside my plate. "Here," the lady
firmly said, "try this. You might like it." And with a smile, she
went back to her own breakfast table, occasionally glancing my way if
indeed I was enjoying the porridge. To my surprise I did and found it
really delicious! I smiled my thanks to her.

Then

I suddenly missed my own mother who would hover around us at
breakfast when we were kids, making sure we ate right.

Much later, I learned the lady was the owner of the hotel and that
she was from Holland. But I will remember her forever for keeping
that old world tradition of the kindly innkeeper, putting meaning to
the words "service" and "personal touch".

Miki

Jakarta at Night