abq nights and heat waves, why are you still alive?

i woke up to a sky that looked like it was trying to melt. 32.5°c is not a typo, my phone said. i just checked and it's… there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. like, straight-up roasting electricity outside. i’m running on pure will and a pair of shoes that squeak like a disgruntled badger. marathon runner vibes but i’m not training for anything. just sprinting from air conditioning to air conditioning.

last night’s run was a disaster. started at 5 a.m. and by 7 i was hallucinating shade. if you get bored, the rio grande is just a short drive north. don’t go alone though, last time someone wandered there they ended up in a mariachi band. seriously. i heard that. some old guy at a gas station warned me the ’taco truck park’ was a front for something sketch. i don’t know if it’s true, but i’m gonna avoid it.

the neighborhood is a mosaic of concrete and confusion. one block has this weird green house covered in graffiti that looks like it’s crying. the neighbor guy next door plays dead polka music at 3 a.m. i don’t know why. but he does. and i don’t ask. i just… accept it. the heat is a constant thump in my skull. every step feels like walking through molten wax. i swear i saw a squirrel wearing a sombrero once. probably a dream.

i stopped at a café for a refill. some tourist told me the coffee was ‘the best in the world.’ i said thanks and ordered a mocha. it tasted like regret. but hey, at least it’s hot. so it’s fair. right? anyway, the barista mentioned a local saying: ‘when the sun is this loud, the city forgets how to sleep.’ i’m not sure if it’s a metaphor or a warning. probably the latter.

someone told me the museum downtown is haunted. i didn’t go because i’m already haunted by the decision to come here. but i did scroll through tripadvisor and saw 47 reviews about a ghost tour that ‘left people screaming.’ another person wrote that the oldest library has a secret room with a time machine. i think they’re joking. or maybe they’re not. either way, i’m not buying it.

here’s the map if you want to suffer same.

i’m not even sure if this is abq. the coordinates look like a typo. but i’m too lazy to fix it.

photos from unsplash:

brown and white concrete building under blue sky during daytime

white and brown concrete buildings near body of water during daytime

i almost forgot to mention the weather app. it says feels like 31.66. which is just a conspiracy to make me feel lazy. the humidity is 32%? that’s a lie. it’s 100% sweat. right now. literally.

if you’re thinking of skipping this place, think again. the surf spot is 45 minutes south. the jazz club downtown plays unauthorized covers of power metal. and the food? i heard that. some yelp review swore the ’em panera’ has the best chilaquiles. i’m skeptical. but i’m gonna check it out. because if it’s bad, at least i’ll have a story.

links: check out abq tourism for sites you won’t die at. yelp coffee for coffee that won’t haunt you. tripadvisor ghost tours if you’re a skeptic. and eventbrite because nothing says ‘fun’ like a mariachi band kidnapping you.

in conclusion: abq is a place where the heat decides your soul. i recommend bringing a hat, a bag of ice, and a will to question everything. oh, and maybe a mosquito repellent made of regret. that’s what works here.

p.s. the neighbor’s polka music stopped at 6 a.m. i think he got tired of being weird. or maybe i finally left. either way, peace. for now.

abq nights and heat waves, why are you still alive?

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About the author: Mila Sanders

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