Hard Hitting

My week travelling across continental Europe has come to an end. It's funny now hearing people speak English and the content of conversations around me.

I feel like this week has enriched my mind, body and soul. I experienced new things, got out of routine, reflected on things I experienced and myself.

Will probably talk about some of these things in the next few posts as I have 10 rolls of film which probably won't be developed too soon as I am a little broke now. Watch out for some hostel/hotel reviews and comments on specific situations.

So, at my last destination ie Bologna I was forced to stay in a hotel as there were no hostels in the city. This was a four star hotel I found as a deal on Expedia's secret hotel for €140pp for 3 nights. Because of the story below, I am not going to say which hotel la :-( but will put pics :-p

I have stayed at a handful of four star hotels like Hilton in Vermont and Best Western in San Francisco which I thought were really true four stars. This hotel was more like a three or lower four star to me. Sure the reception area looked classy and modern but above the ground floor, it looked like it was stuck in the 1980s.

Here are some pictures.

Hotel lobby with modern interior

My room with dated decor

Two twin beds merged into a double. I always wondered why they do this. Surely a double is a double and two twins are two twins and a spade is a spade?

The bathroom looks OK. Still dated.

I love toiletries! But these were quite average toiletries. Hilton gave me better.
Sponge, tissue, shower cap, enamel file, shaver and foam, body milk, conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, glycerin soap, shampoo, body shampoo.

Shoe tongue, sewing kit and shoe shine. The tongue is really useful and a really portable size. POW'ed.

Shower and tub. The water was a bit grey at first but eventually cleared out. Thank god. I suppose this room may have been vacant for a while.

Shoe shine! This was in the floor lobby. Made my shoes shiny! But a bit kolot (dated), right?  I remember seeing these things in three star hotels we'd stay in in Thailand as a child.

The service was uber helpful though so I thought, "Ok la, what they lacked in style they made up for in service". The concierge was like super friendly and helpful; the guy who checked me in was pretty cheerful but I didn't see him anymore after the first day. Then it was usually a lady in the morning and a guy in the evening. What's really stupid about hotels is their Internet is not free or restricted. At this hotel? the Internet was free for 30 minutes in the lobby with a passcode which can be obtained from the reception.

So, at night I usually sit in the lobby for an hour to Facebook, Whatsapp, surf and email... The concierge will also try to make conversation with me. Dunno my muka (face) friendly or what la. My friend said before I'm quite friendly so maybe la.

The first night he make small talk and super keen to advice me where to go and what to do. Fair enough. Then I told him my boss email me said he gimme extra day off and he ask me extend my stay. Sure, good business for the hotel. But I wasn't keen and Bologna wasn't that big to stay so long (rather go back to Porto!).

The second night I use Internet again to book my professional exams but stupid iPhone won't let me complete the booking. So, he recommend me some Internet cafe rather than pay €5/15min on the hotel computer. Ok la, maybe I look young and poor lol. Cos I think if I had asked any other staff they probably would have let me pay €5 and cry.

When I came back from the Internet cafe and dinner I wanted to cabut (run) straight to my room. Kantoi, got spotted trying to make a quick dash to the lift. Hai, to people who design hotels, sometimes your guest don't want to be seen entering hotel, can or not?

He seem so happy to see me and was asking me if I found the cafe. Had to tell him lor. Then the moment of total weirdness happened when I asked him a small talk question; he suddenly went quiet and looked away for 5 awkward seconds before replying. Muka aku kerut-kerut pelik, maybe he noticed. Anyway, then he asked me to come down again and that he finished work at 2130 hours. I said probably not cos I puas berinternet already.

For You To Notice - Dashboard Confessional
I think the first few lines of this song would aptly describe what I imagined happened in his head when he blanked out on me.. because it was after then the hitting became really obvious. 

"I'm starting to fashion an idea in my head where I would impress you with every single word I said. Would come out insightful or brave or smooth or charming..."

And, I wished it was someone else singing this in his head.

Fine. Mana tau 2200 hours my room phone kring kring. I pick up la. It was him. Errr!! He said, "Hi, it's XX (actually I didn't know his name also). I was waiting for you. You didn't come down? Come down". I said no and tipu sudah tidur.

Third night: I planned not to go back to hotel until after 2200 hours so can avoid the guy. Thought of going to the movies but since I spent €56 on a pair of shoes, I didn't even feel like eating dinner. So what to do but go back. This time I saw another lady there, probably manager so felt better. But haiyo, as soon as he saw me he stepped out of the counter to greet me with great enthusiasm. Hurgh, malunya.

First he gave me three Internet passes but he took two back and said to come back and see him again for another one. Wink wink. Babi!! Then I sat behind a pillar and some how he walked up to me and said we will talk later when he finish work. -_-"

I managed to find another hidden spot away from the reception with an escape lift (later found out it doesn't go to my floor)! But he walked past this spot and said, "Ha, there you are. I was looking for you!". Sweat. He said more things la like hope he can see me after work but what really freaked me out was when he said, "and I might come to you room later". He also held out his hand for me to hold, as if I was gonna hold it la! Hurgh, totally ignore and he smoothly pulled it back. Hmmm, still pretty smooth.

True to his word he called again. Immediately after I went back to my room (I think he saw me entering the lift), at 2130 and 2200hours. Ignore. Pull the wire out. Turn the TV real loud.

Reflection time.

There were several problems:
1) I was super freaked out la especially when he said he might come to my room. What does that mean? What does he want? Dahsyat. For a while I was fretting about going back to my room. Stupid door also couldn't look from the inside so I bolted it with the chair all night
2) Does he do this to every unaccompanied lady? Now, this is what I'm wondering only. Probably not or he probably would have had a complaint by now and not be in this job anymore. I'm not going to complain la cos I think he was probably genuine and nothing happened anyway.
3) He is not yong sui (bad looking) but he is SO not my type either. Like, I could look at his face but not want to look at it forever.
3) He is Indian. LOL. Not being racist but stereotypes exist because they work. An Indian man once said (straight from horse's mouth) that Indians are like snakes and can't be trusted. My ex gay boyfriend was half Indian. A friend dated an Indian who berated her family (caste system shit) whilst another friend had this Indian boyfriend who disappeared to India and got married (arranged and forced marriage shit)! This guy maybe genuine but I have had heard and experienced enough Indian drama befitting a Bollywood movie to want anything to do with an Indian guy.

Merit(s):
1) I have to commend this guy on his bravery, confidence and persistence. Maybe ambition, whatever it was that kept him going. Rejection is generally a person's biggest fear. I think the turning point was on the second night when he looked away and decided to take the plunge thereafter.
2. Taught himself to speak fluent Italian. Yes, I wish I could speak German by now.. or even Portugese.
3. Besides this, there had been another guy hitting on me but MUCH more subtly. I guess these have been my first since the break-up. Maybe I am not so yong sui myself that only a gay guy was 'interested'.

It has been quite a long post. I have been thinking about it a lot especially since it was kinda alarming. Mum, I didn't tell you this so you wouldn't get worried so don't worry!