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Jakarta Post

Obama welcomed modestly yet warmly at Bogor Palace

Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, June 30, 2017

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Obama welcomed modestly yet warmly at Bogor Palace Former United States president Barack Obama chats with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and First Lady Iriana at Bogor Palace on June 30 in Bogor, West Java. (Warta Kota/Alex Suban/Pool)

P

resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gave former United States president Barack Obama a modest yet warm welcome at Bogor Palace on Friday.

No reception was held for the former president, who spent part of his childhood in Jakarta, as he was visiting in a private capacity as part of a nine-day vacation in Indonesia that started on June 23.

Only Jokowi, First Lady Iriana and their youngest son Kaesang Pangarep greeted Obama on the terrace of Bogor Palace at 3 p.m.

Like meeting an old friend, Obama rolled his eyes and smiled at Jokowi while offering his hand to shake after he alighted from a Chevrolet Suburban.

(Read also: Fried rice, 'sate ayam' brings back nostalgia for Obama)

Standing next to the car, Obama exchanged a few words with Jokowi for a few seconds before the President introduced Iriana to Obama.

Jokowi later introduced Kaesang and explained a few things about him to Obama, who later gave a thumbs up to Kaesang for the explanation.

After the brief exchange, Obama, who wore a blue long-sleeved shirt, embraced Jokowi and walked next to him into the palace and into the Teratai Room to sign the guestbook.

Jokowi later drove Obama in a golf cart to the Grand Garden Restaurant, located in the Bogor Botanical Garden, where the two talked for 30 minutes and enjoyed Indonesian food before Obama left for Jakarta. (bbn)

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