The day held the promise of Danny guiding me through the city of Solo. Around 10 am, I woke up in the spacious king-size bed, reveling in its comfort and size. While showering, I indulged in some music, taking my time under the soothing massage shower. Life felt fantastic, and this was just the beginning of my day. After my shower, I tended to a wound on my left foot, a remnant from walking barefoot in the rocky waters of Pantai Air Manis in Padang. Fortunately, it was nearly healed. Since my time in Padang, I diligently applied a plaster with antiseptic daily to the wound, exercising caution to avoid any complications that could land me in the hospital for such a seemingly minor injury.
In the lobby, Danny awaited my arrival. Upon meeting, he informed me about the heavy rainfall outside. Considering the weather, I proposed heading to the mall for lunch. As we explored the mall, I suggested treating Danny to lunch as a token of gratitude for his kindness. Opting for a soup and a club sandwich, I ordered my meal, while Danny chose to have just a soup.
The Cinema
Following that, we rode through Solo on Danny’s motorbike, even though the rain persisted. Unfortunately, the Kraton was closed, prompting me to inquire about indoor activities in Solo. Proposing the cinema, I managed to convince Danny, and we returned to Paragon Mall, home to one of the cinemas. Purchasing tickets for The Legend of Hercules, we waited for 30 minutes. During the wait, Danny and I wandered around the mall, and suddenly, a small train emitting ‘tjook tjook’ sounds appeared. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter, prompting Danny to look at me. Amidst my laughter, I queried, “Is this normal?” According to Danny, it was a train for little children, and such occurrences are considered normal in their malls.
I was impressed by the cinema’s cleanliness and aesthetics. Purchasing two tickets for 60,000 IDR, which is approximately four euros, I found the cinema to be cleaner, more spacious, and more luxurious than any Dutch cinema I’ve experienced. While the movie followed a predictable plot, it was nonetheless entertaining.
Following that, we embarked on a quest for food, and Danny led us to a recommended spot. Danny reiterated several times that we would be eating on the ground and was concerned it might be an issue for me. I reassured him that I was perfectly comfortable with it. The dish, comprising rice, chicken, and vegetables, was exceptionally tasty. Later, Danny revealed that we paid a tourist price for the meal, a cost higher than what he had ever paid. Feeling slightly annoyed, I conveyed my sentiments to Danny, stating, “Next time, let’s inquire about the price before ordering. I’ll wait somewhere out of sight, ensuring we get a local price instead of the tourist prices.” Danny agreed, and we decided to implement the same strategy for upcoming tourist attractions.
Another Mall
There wasn’t much to do in Solo, but that didn’t bother me since my main purpose was to visit and spend time with Danny. We decided to explore another large mall, reminiscent of Paragon Mall. As we strolled through the mall, engaging in some window shopping, I playfully pretended to consider buying Danny a new car, eliciting amused expressions from the salesmen we passed by. It brought back memories of a similar prank I pulled with Halmi in Padang.
In Solo, the main activity was engaging in conversations with Danny. We had many meaningful talks about relationships, life, and future plans. It turned out that Danny had a somewhat questionable taste in girls—quite amusing!
We departed around 9 or 10 pm, and Danny kindly dropped me off at the hotel. He planned to pick me up the next day at around 8 or 9 am, and he would confirm the details via WhatsApp. I was comfortable with the arrangement. Upon returning to my room, I unwound by watching television. Eventually, I packed my backpack, preparing for my departure from Solo tomorrow. As usual, I retired to bed late, around 1 am.
