lirra is a city that eats your cash and your willingness to plan

i woke up at 5 a.m. to a naked ceiling fan and the smell of old pizza boxes. it’s 7.34 degrees here right now, which feels like walking outside with a soup pot over your head. i just checked and it’s… there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. my neighbor winks at me through the window every time it rains. i think he’s a ghost who lost a bet. anyway, if you get bored lirrans are just a short drive away. i heard that from a drunk tourist at a hostel bar. probably a lie.

this city’s weird. the weather feels like it’s starting a slow burn. 7.34 degrees, 72% humidity. i’m wearing a beanie indoors because i forgot it’s indoors. my friend julia told me the local bakery has a secret menu item. i asked her what it was. she said, “don’t ask me, i’m just the one who eats their bread twice a day.” okay, cash. maybe don’t do that again.

lately, i’ve been walking everywhere. the streets are empty except for a guy in a yellow jacket yelling into a megaphone. someone told me he’s a street artist. maybe. maybe he’s just high. the temperature min is 6.62 and max is 7.81. which sounds like someone trying to be poetic about the weather but failing. i don’t care. i just want hot chocolate.

speaking of which, i found this little café. it’s called something like ‘the mud cup.’ on tripadvisor, people say it’s overpriced but the chocolate cake? holy moly. i mean, it’s chocolate cake. who cares if it’s overpriced? i’m deserving. i heard that from a local who looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. the server asked if i wanted a cinnamon roll. i said yes. she handed me a receipt and walked away. classic.

the neighbors here are like… chaotic. not the fun kind. like, the kind that leaves a mess every time they move. i saw a guy painting his fence with a spray can that looked like it’d explode. i didn’t ask. i didn’t want to know. the grass in front of my apartment is so green it looks fake. probably because it is. the humidity is up there. 72%. that’s enough to make your skin feel like it’s wearing a second layer. i’m talking about literal layers, like perfume. or regrets.

i tried to take a walk at night. the streetlights were out. not because of the weather, but because someone unplugged them. maybe a protest? maybe a toddler. i don’t know. i saw a cat staring at a neon sign. it blinked. i think it was judging me. maybe it wanted me to buy a fish. who knows?

for practical advice, if you’re here, stay hydrated. the tap water? i wouldn’t trust it. yelp says it’s okay but i’d still stick to bottled. link to yelp.com/lirrbar for reviews. also, if you need a map, here’s a link.

. it’ll show you the chaos. the market’s north. the park’s east. the bar where everyone’s arguing about politics is west.

no one knows what they’re doing. a barista gave me the wrong order. a tourist asked me for directions to a place that didn’t exist. i think i accidentally followed my soul instead. maybe that’s the point. this place doesn’t follow templates. it doesn’t even follow rules.

i saw a bunch of people sitting in a circle on a bench. they were all wearing matching glasses. like a weird fashion thing. i didn’t ask. they had a playlist going. it was arrhythmic. like a jazz session written by a cat. someone asked if i was part of it. i said no. i don’t have time for that. i’m a digital nomad. i move every week. or so says my google maps history.

i need caffeine. bad. this city’s coffee is like… a mystery. some say it’s too bitter. some say it’s life-changing. i drank three cups and still feel like i need more. i’m linking to a local café on tripadvisor.co.uk/mudcup. it’s hit or miss. roll the dice.

i’m leaving tomorrow. probably. the weather’s getting colder. 6.62 is the new 20. i’ll pack my bag and hope my head doesn’t explode. if it does, at least it’ll explode in a meaningful way. like in a movie.

p.s. the image below? it’s not of lirra. it’s of a plant i saw while google-stalking gardens. it’s probably a metaphor for hope. or my coffee addiction. depending on your mood.

tags: travel, lirra, messy, vibe, human

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