One of the things that has perplexed me the most being in Indonesia is the difficulty in finding coffee. In a nation synonymous with coffee - Java, Sumatra - there is a surprising lack of places which serve actual coffee. By actual coffee I mean coffee that comes from beans and brewed with hot water, not brown granules that dissolve in water. There is an abundance of people selling instant coffee. You can find it at Circle K, little street stalls, and even people riding bicycles with packets decorating the handle bars. However, in my opinion if you are going to have a vice, addiction to coffee, you should enjoy the quality stuff. I don't believe in fake sugar or powdered creamer.
Today, I had enough of the instant coffee. It just was not working, so I took a morning Jalan-Jalan (walk if you haven't remembered your Bahasa from previous posts) to the nearest coffee shop which happens to be about 20 minutes out of my way. The problem with this is that tomorrow I will want a latte again. While I normally would not mind a 20 minute walk, in Jakarta it is a different story. The humidity and pollution quickly make you rethink your journey, especially when you have to wear those clothes at work all day. The traffic makes you question the wisdom of cross streets - just close your eyes, hold out your hand as a barrier, and take the first step (DON'T ACTUALLY CLOSE YOUR EYES). Luckily today there was a little breeze and it didn't seem quite so hot, at least when you were in the shade. That first sip of my ice latte made it worth it, though tomorrow I think I might opt for extra sleep. Needless to say I am counting the days, 17 to be exact, until I am back in Little Rock with my many coffee making appliances.
We've had our share of NesCafe crystals, Frisco powder, and Kenna Coffeelets (which are like coffee teabags). Best coffee we've had was Cafe Americano at the South African museum - actual espresso, not concentrated instant coffee.
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