Pilgrims
Bahia

Common sense No. 2: Do not promise if you are not sure you can keep.

Sometimes, in order for someone to stop talking or to be considered cool by others, we brag about false promises. Unwittingly, promises that are not kept make credibility even decrease, even friendship or brotherhood relationships can end.

***

When the day started to light, I left the small shop immediately looking for a homestay place in the location mentioned by the store owner. I used a simple conversational book in Portuguese given people coffee shop owners to ask the locals.

It is not too difficult to find the location, and because the holiday season is over, there are actually many houses that are available. I finally found a friend's house, the shop owner.

House simple. Around it is used as a kind of small garden to grow vegetables. Next to her house was a flower shop. This house impressed me because it looked fresh. I negotiated the price with a homeowner named Diego. After agreeing, I went straight into the room and slept.

Because I was tired and felt like jetlag, I just woke up after sleeping for 13 hours. I slept all day so when I woke up it was night. My stomach is hungry. I think I missed dinner.

I saw on my room table there was a tray full of food, maybe his wife Diego prepared it for me. Dinnerku–nasi and similar cuisine seafood—kumakan with voraciously. Then I washed my old cutlery at the dishwasher in the kitchen.

I try not to be noisy, not to wake up if they're asleep. I went back to my room and saw a calendar hanging on the wall. I was not surprised when the calendar showed that it was March of 2005.

Is this what my life is like now? Not that I mind either. Other than my candlesticks, I don't have an active social life. My parents and some of my close friends live in different cities so I'm sure they'll be fine without me.

I was well aware that the possibility of me being moved again someday was huge. Maybe I should have made some plans and prepared things that would have been useful in my future or maybe the past - I don't know for sure. But to be honest, I'm not good at making long-term plans. I live for today and tomorrow. The day after tomorrow I will think about it.

***

The city of Salvador da Bahia, as far as I could see while searching for the location of the homestay yesterday, was very different. Everything is so exotic and unique. That's what makes my mood so much better. After getting enough rest, and having my body refreshed, I couldn't help myself to explore this one city immediately. I want to try to be a tourist.

Early in the morning I woke up and wanted to greet the owner. Diego and Maria, the husband and wife of the homeowner, were already waiting at the dinner table for breakfast. They are used to talking to tourists so they can communicate with English even though they are broken. At first our conversation sounded a bit strange. So far we have been able to communicate well.

They lived alone in that house. Their youngest son got married a year ago. Maybe that's why they seemed so happy and welcomed me as if they were new members of their family.

“The food is good? ” ask Maria.

“ Very nice, ” I replied. I'm not lying. I don't even know the name of this food, but it's delicious. It might roughly be called roast beef, but it tastes amazing.

“We're glad you like it. Diego said you were from Indonesia. I don't know what kind of food Indonesians like. I don't even know where Indonesia is, ” Maria said with a smile. She is kind of friendly and kind of chatty mom. I like Maria. It reminds me of my mother.

“We Indonesians love to taste new dishes. And I'm sure your cooking must be very liked there.”

Maria smiled happily.

This time I was confused as to what to answer. “Emm, maybe a little long, ” I replied unsure. I don't know how long I'll be here.

“We would be very happy if you stay here longer. We were a bit lonely after our three children had a family, ” Maria said again. She was very motherly but also as I was.

“I really like this city, maybe I will stay here long enough. Do you know of interesting places to visit?” I asked both of them.

Mary answered again. “Diego will go to the souvenir shop, you can come if you want. He will show you interesting places on the way.”

Without thinking, I agreed to come. After finishing breakfast, Diego and I left. Diego's souvenir shop is about three kilometers from his home. We walk of course. Unlike his wife, Diego is rather quiet. He only spoke when asked, I doubt he was really a merchant. We also walked in silence.

On the way, I really felt like I was traveling. How not? The city is indeed a tourist attraction that offers all the natural beauty, architectural uniqueness, and cultural viscosity.

Honestly, I never felt like watching the beach, but I rarely went to the beach before. I used to think that the beach would look the same anywhere in the world, because all the beaches are connected, but I was wrong. What makes this beach interesting to me is probably because of its diverse scenery, from the harbor, lighthouse, even palm trees and people make it feel more different.

This town also kind of reminds me of pirate movies. Just imagine on the beach where else we can see the former war cannon.

Not to mention the city consists of 'upper city' which is the center of the city and the settlement and 'lower city' which is the port city. The two cities are connected by a seventy-two-meter-high escalator built over a century ago.

The architecture of the buildings in the city is also ancient. Indeed, it seems like many new buildings are built more modern, but the viscosity of colonial culture is still felt. The evidence of the new buildings is also painted in color, exactly following the buildings that became the center of history that I saw when I first set foot in this city.

I don't stop looking around when I walk. Many tourists are also enjoying the exoticism of this city.

We have arrived at Diego's souvenir shop which turned out to be right near the place where I first came, which was in the center of history, or commonly called Pelourinho. Time goes by so fast if we enjoy it. The city is vast, diverse and vibrant.

The Diego souvenir shop sells a wide variety of handicrafts. The items sold range from paintings, exorcism talismans, musical instruments, and many more types that I do not know their names or uses. Diego's souvenir shop is pretty big. There were about five employees he hired. Diego introduced me to them.

I understand now why the quiet Diego managed to open a souvenir shop. It doesn't really relate to the buyer. Everything related to buyers and craftsmen is done by their employees.

He looks like an accountant. It calculates, checks, and controls income and expenses. He also knows the details of the goods made by the craftsmen and makes a statistical diagram of the goods most interested buyers, so that the balance of demand and supply is maintained.

In this case he roughly looks like an old man who is too fond of money. But I know he's NOT like that, because he sets a rational price unlike most other souvenir shops that set exorbitant prices to the tourists. And also because he let me stay at his house for a relatively cheap price. He's just thorough, that's all.

Not having much to do, I decided to help out at Diego's souvenir shop voluntarily. I was taught a little Portuguese by a guy named Gabriel. When I got home I had memorized the words greeting and a little simple conversation.

***