são lourenço is just another Tuesday here
woke up to the smell of bad coffee and the hum of a generator outside my window. it's 21.89 degrees celsius, which in my book means two things: half of me is half-dead and the other half is itching to go out and find a place that doesn't smell like yesterday's trash. i just checked and it's humid as hell, like i'm sweating inside a wet sock. hope you're not allergic to that kind of vibe.
left the hostel early because some kid swore he could turn a mango into a phone charger. i didn't ask how. neighbors say he's a wizard. or a con artist. can't tell anymore. if you get bored, santiago is just a short drive away. but honestly, why bother? this place is messed up in the good way. dirty, loud, and somehow peaceful. if you hear someone yelling about 'the cat that ate the mayor's shoe', don't worry. that's just maria from next door ranting again.
so let's talk about the weather. i just stepped out and it's that wet-blink-free kind of rain, like the sky forgot how to cry. no one's complaining. everyone here knows how to party in puddles. i bumped into a guy selling 'imported' air conditioners. he assured me they'd stop the humidity. i believed him. i still believe him. maybe.
quote - some old guy at the market told me, 'don't trust the cashier with your passport. he once tried to sell me a monkey instead of a SIM card.' i don't know if it's true, but now i keep mine zipped. quote
walked past a board where someone wrote in marker: 'the new sushi place opened. don't trust it. they serve tuna that's 20% regret.' then another sign: 'free yoga on the beach tomorrow. bring your own towel. they hate cash.' i'm not sure if that's a joke or a warning. probably both.
ran into a coffee shop where the barista told me their espresso is so strong it's basically liquid anger. i took one shot. it tasted like betrayal. but hey, that's the point right? also, they had this weird dessert called 'coconut mud pie.' survived it. made me wanna cry. not in a bad way.
i asked a local why the weather stays this weird all year. they said something about 'the moon liking us here.' i didn't ask for clarification. probably better not to. the internet says there's a red tide warning. not sure what that means. probably means 'don't swim. maybe.'
i took a photo of the sunset last night. it looked like a smudge of something burnt. uploaded it to unsplash:
took another shot of the meme market stall:
and one of the coffee that tasted like betrayal:
overheard two teens whispering about a hostel called 'the ghost house.' one said, 'i think they moved the ghosts to room 3B.' another replied, 'nah, probably just the guy who pays too much for internet.' i paid extra for wifi here. got scammed. or maybe it was the hostel's fault.
someone told me that the local dance club plays 10-hour mixes of reggaeton. not even sure if that's real. i'm 70% sure it's a myth farmers used to scare kids. but hey, if it's true, i'm gonna ask. i need carbs that harsh.
the reviews online are all over the place. one yelp says, 'best place to meet your death.' another tripadvisor: 'worth it if you like chaos.' i'm not sure which one to believe. probably both. i heard a drunk man at the bar say, 'if you come here and don't see a raccoon on a skateboard, you didn't try hard enough.' i haven't seen that raccoon. yet.
last thing before bed: checked the weather again. still 21.89. decided to make soup with stuff from the market. added a bay leaf, some random beans, and a curse. it tasted like hope. or maybe just salt. idk. either way, it was mine.
p.s. if you follow me on instagram, i'll post a story about the time i tried to haggle for a hat with a parrot. it ended badly.
You might also be interested in:
- https://votoris.com/post/the-cost-of-living-in-gothenburg-a-messy-monthly-breakdown
- https://votoris.com/post/midnight-spray-in-puerto-iguaz-a-street-artists-weathered-notebook
- https://votoris.com/post/aldershot-nights-cold-air-warm-stories-and-a-drummers-beat
- https://votoris.com/post/why-nerima-is-ranked-one-of-the-fastest-growing-cities-and-what-that-actually-means
- https://votoris.com/post/a-random-thought-about-being-a-diy-busker-in-esarro