uniao da vitoria: sleep-deprived snapshots from a town that time forgot

i'm writing this from a cracked bus window seat, the kind that smells like old diesel and someone's cheap cologne, and i haven't slept in a day and a half. my hostel key says 3445746 on it, and the bus ticket stub i still have in my pocket reads 1076355618, like those numbers mean something. they don't. i'm in união da vitória, a town that feels like it's been half-forgotten by time and the internet. the weather? perfect. it's sitting at 22.66°c right now, humidity at 69%, pressure hovering at 1018 hpa. feels_like is 22.78, practically the same. so no sweat, no shivering. i just checked and it's holding steady, hope you like that kind of thing.

i walked out of the terminal and into a street that smelled of fresh bread and exhaust. the light is soft, that golden hour glow that makes everything look like a forgotten memory. i've got my nikon d850 with a 35mm f/1.8, and i'm already fighting dust on the sensor. but the clouds are doing me a favor, diffusing the sun. the town's architecture is a mix of old portuguese stone and germanic timber, all faded pastels. i_frame? oh right, here's where i'm at:

the river runs through town, the rio iguaçu (well, a tributary) with murky water but a nice walking path. i met a local fisherman who said, 'the fish are lazy this time of year.' i believed him. someone told me that the best ice cream in town is at a place called sorveteria da praça, but they close at 6pm sharp. i missed it. i heard that the mayor's nephew runs the only 24-hour pharmacy, and it's a rip-off, but sometimes you need bandaids at 3am.

i've been snapping photos like a maniac. i'm looking for reflections in puddles after the brief rain we had an hour ago. the cobblestones are uneven, perfect for leading lines. there's an old cathedral with a bell tower that pierces the skyline - i caught a shot where the cross is silhouetted against a cloud. i'll try to upload later when i find wifi that doesn't require a kidney donation.

that's roughly the vibe on rua das flores, or something like that. the walls are peeling in the most photogenic way. i asked a guy painting a mural if i could take his photo; he said sure, but warned me about the stray dogs that gather at dusk. they're harmless, just annoying. another rumor: there's a hidden waterfall about 20 minutes by foot behind the mercado municipal. i hiked there, and it's real - a small cascade surrounded by ferns. the water's cold, but i stuck my face in it to wake up.

i'm crashing at a hostel that's basically a converted house. the wifi works in the kitchen, but only between 10am and 2pm. i'm typing this as fast as i can before the connection dies. the guy at reception keeps humming a sertanejo song on repeat. it's growing on me, honestly.

if you get bored, curitiba's just a two-hour bus ride north, and the coast (itapoa or são francisco do sul) is about three hours east - that's what the regulars say. i'm tempted to catch a bus tomorrow, but part of me wants to explore this town more. the market tomorrow morning is supposed to have a craft fair; i read about it on the city's tourism site. actually, there's an official page: prefeitura municipal de união da vitória. it's in portuguese, but google translate gets you there.

i also found a thread on a budget travel forum where someone warned: 'don't drink the tap water, but the locals do and they're fine.' i'm sticking to bottled. another tip: the bus to the falls (iguazu) leaves from the rodoviária at 5am, but you have to book the day before. that's from a random comment on a TripAdvisor thread: TripAdvisor - União da Vitória attractions.

the coffee here is strong enough to wake the dead. i've been mainlining espresso at café do mercado, where they charge 5 reais for a tiny cup that'll put hairs on your chest. the owner says he roasts his own beans; i believe it. i overheard a traveler complaining about the lack of nightlife - it's true, things shut down by 10pm. but i'm too tired to care. my eyelids feel like they're coated in sand.

oh, and the humidity? it's 69%, which is more than i'm used to, but it's not oppressive. my camera's autofocus hunts a bit in the mist, but that's okay. i'm shooting manual anyway, pretending i know what i'm doing. the locals are mostly friendly; they smile, but they don't bother you. i like that.

anyway, i need to find a place to sleep before i collapse. the hostel dorm is quiet, most people are out working or touring. i'll leave this post here. if you ever find yourself in this odd corner of brazil, slow down, look up, and maybe bring a dust cloth for your sensor.

p.s. i almost forgot: i tried the local dish, barreado - a slow-cooked meat stew that's shredded and served with rice and farofa. it's heavy, but after a day of walking, it hits the spot. according to yelp, the best spot is restaurante da mari, but i just followed my nose.

You might also be interested in:

• https://votoris.com/post/tijuanas-weather-woes-and-my-messy-morning
• https://votoris.com/post/public-transportation-guide-how-to-get-around-ashmn-like-a-local
• https://votoris.com/post/kyiv-its-complicated
• https://votoris.com/post/getting-lost-in-ribeiro-pretos-backstreets
• https://votoris.com/post/cagayan-de-oro-a-chefs-messy-take