The Dusk of the Middle East

Episode 34

While elsewhere.

Robin and Robert sprinted down the stairs.

As promised, that morning, Saleh brought Robin, Robert, and Mei down to Manila, taking the three of them to eat. Anna's mother and her husband also joined. Saleh said only two men in black would come with them, but the truth is. More than ten people in the crowd walked in Saleh's footsteps behind.

"Why are there so many of them coming, Robert?" Robin asked, his gaze occasionally glancing back at the twenty-plus black-clothed men behind him. He and Robert walked right beside Saleh.

Robin and Robert stared around at the cargo ships that were removing anchors, piles of packing crates, as well as large tools used such as a hook machine that carried crates onto the ship.

As always. Some Japanese soldiers checked their documents at the port gate. No problem, they're let through. Oh, aye. The Japanese soldiers of Mei's men did not come with them. Last May ordered the soldiers to stand guard in front of the cabin alone. The soldiers obviously refused, but Mei reasoned that she only came out on the front.

Because of the large number. They rented three horse-drawn carriages. Robin, Robert, Saleh, May, and Anna's mother and her husband were on the front train. While the two trains in the back were rode by the men in black suits.

"Where are we going Brother Saleh?" Robin asked.

"Actually I'd like to take you to Phrase Manila, Robin. It's a big diner near town hall, but it's not good for little kids."

"I'm not a kid anymore, brother." Robin's eyes are squeaking.

Saleh laughed, shuffling Robin's hair.

"So we're going to Oud Manila. The restaurant is also not far from Frasa Manila. I ate there a few years ago when I visited here. The food is delicious."

The road they walked was getting crowded. Spanish-style buildings are becoming more and more magnificent. Robin and Robert listened, not missing the important part where the houses are now mostly inhabited by Japanese nobles.

Large trees grew a lot along the way, blocking the rising sun. Makes the atmosphere feel shady. Clean channels. Nobles and indigenous people passed by, on the move, with special clothes at that time.

"Sister, I heard Anna's mother cry." Robin remembered something, whispered to her sister, but her voice still sounded loud, could be heard by others.

"When?"

"So, time told me to pick up Anna's mother in her cabin."

"You sure you heard Anna's mother crying?"

"Yes, Brother. Kan, Robin's ears can still hear well unlike that of Eyang Ran." Robin grinned. He was sure to hear it when he knocked on the door of the teacher's room.

"Hus, it's not good to say that about old people. And maybe you heard it wrong, Robin." His sister reminded, then laughed feeling not too interested in discussing it.

Robin apologized, then wanted to insist that he did not hear wrong.

The horse-drawn carriage they were riding turned into a road on the edge of a large field. There is a large building at the end of the field. The color of the building is white, it looks elegant.

"Road town." Call Saleh explained.

Robin and Robert looked up. The building was huge, bigger than their mother's office. A dozen Japanese soldiers were seen standing guard in front of the Japanese government center in Manila.

The horse-drawn carriage turned into a smaller street. But the road has been filled with horse carriages, sepada, until the car is parked. The restaurant that Saleh means is located in the middle of the street. There were many shops beside him. Not far from where they stopped, at the end of the road to the right can be seen Phrase Manila.

The group got off the horse-drawn carriage. Saleh told them to wait for them. Robin had jumped down from earlier, reading the sign "Todo Tipo De Ube". They know what food they are going to eat. Apparently Ube. Robin thought they were going to eat steak, spaghetti, big shrimp, or all kinds of delicious Spanish food.

It is common knowledge that Filipinos are very fond of anything Ube related.

Many thought Ube was the same as Taro, but it turns out that the two differ mainly for taste and color.

Light purple taro close to white (new purple when cooked). While Ube is dark purple even though it is still raw. For taste and texture, Ube is more similar to sweet potatoes in general.

"Let's go in!" Saleh smiled, leading the way.

The restaurant is crowded. Dozens of small tables inside have been occupied by visitors. They looked around, looking for an empty table. A waiter approached, asking how many groups were in Filipino. The waiter finally decided to combine three chairs, so that it could be surrounded by sixteen chairs.

They sit.

The waiter waited while holding a small paper and pen, preparing to take down the order. Mei asks Saleh what is delicious here. One of the men in black proposed, saying he had eaten there before. He then proposed a menu.

A visit to Manila would certainly be very incomplete if you did not taste the original Filipino food. But most of the food there is not halal, because it is Saleh chose the store that he feels is suitable for everything.

While waiting for the food to come, Robin glanced at the table next to them. There sat five Japanese soldiers with a woman who had been preoccupied with lipstick. The five soldiers spoke in large voices, occasionally laughing out loud. They had finished eating, seemed to be preparing to leave the store.

Two maids came carrying trays containing bowls of Ubi helaya. The cooked yam is then mixed with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut milk, then mashed, crushed manually. Robin soon forgets the table next to her. His attention was focused on the bowl of yams that looked like ice cream.

Without saying much, they all immediately fun to eat Ubi helaya each.

But that's when Saleh and Mei's entourage began to enjoy Ubi helaya, the woman with thick powder at the next table turned her head. The woman's gaze stopped when she looked at Anna's mother. The woman's face looked surprised, then put her lipstick and mirror into the bag. He stood near the table of Saleh and Mei's company.

"Ne~e beibi, dokoheikuno?" The Japanese asked where the woman was going.

The woman ignored the Japanese army's call. Continue to step towards the table of Saleh and Mei's entourage, more precisely towards the seat of Anna's mother.