Mirrors (published in Forth Magazine)
The view from my room at the Alila Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The piece was inspired by my trip to Jakarta, Indonesia during Ramadan, back in August, 2012. I was traveling with someone who, at the time, I had recently met and fallen in love with. The piece is more about him than it is about Jakarta; nevertheless, the backdrop of the city sets the tone for the piece, and it’s startling diversity meshes beautifully with the joys and pains of being with someone 12 time zones away.
“All we seem to pass are gigantic monoliths of steel and glass or humble stalls of corrugated iron roofs and wooden beams.”
To Stay: Alila Hotel, Jakarta. Rooms start at $70/night, appx. Beautifully appointed hotel, very clean, with large rooms and excellent views of the city. A great value, compared to other hotels in the city. Secured entry and attentive staff, along with an excellent breakfast spread. The only downside is the location – it’s rather far from city center and the neighborhood lacks variety of nearby food or entertainment options. But for the price and quality of the rooms (blistering fast wifi!), it’s well worth the compromise.
Thanks so much!
-DOAP
Dame on a Plane 
An interesting take on love; reminds me of younger days. We make life/love as complicated or as simple as we wish to, depending upon our time/place. Another person is a new riddle to solve and draw the focus away from ourselves, a new book to read, a new film to watch. Wonder if the seemingly rigid/patriarchal society attracted you due to it’s perceived sense of stability and surety; I can’t imagine how that cultural outlook could be considered romantic, but that’s just me. You are an interesting creature.
Why thank you! 🙂 Indeed I am – paradoxical in many ways. Yes, a great appeal of rigid patriarchal societies is that they give structure and support to life even if they remove free choice. Sometimes, the flexibility and freedom of the west is overwhelming! You always wonder am I making the right choice?! In more rigid places, you never question because it’s not your choice to make. I don’t think either one is any more or less romantic per se – in this piece I was confronted with the rigid societies because I was dating a man who lived within them, hence the romantic overtones. But overall, both have their good and bad parts.
I love how you say a new person is a new riddle to solve. Someone asked me once if I enjoyed puzzles and I said the human being is the greatest and most rewarding puzzle for me to unravel. I still believe this to be true.