Getting Lost in Constantine's Crazy Hills
so here i am in constantine, algeria, and lemme tell you-this city is wild. i just checked and it's 5°C with 91% humidity there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the moment i stepped off the bus, i was staring at cliffs and bridges like some kind of video game level. i heard that the locals call it "the city of suspension bridges" because, well, they have like seven of 'em. someone told me that if you walk too fast you might accidentally stumble into a different neighborhood-it's that hilly here.
anyway, i'm staying in this little guesthouse near the old town. the host, a super chill guy named youssef, warned me: "don't trust the first restaurant you see, always go two streets deeper." classic drunk advice, right? but it worked-i found this tiny place called restaurant el bahia that served the best couscous i've had in years. *tripadvisor says it's rated 4.5 stars, but honestly? it felt like a secret.
walking around, i kept noticing how the city clings to the rocks like it's scared to let go. the sidi m'cid bridge is insane-looks like it's floating. i overheard a local saying it was built by some french engineer who apparently had a thing for dramatic drops. i'm not even kidding.
if you get bored, annaba and oran are just a short drive away, but why would you? constantine's got enough chaos for a week. also, pro tip: bring a decent jacket. the wind up here? chef's kiss-brutal.
oh, and the coffee. wow. had a cup at this hole-in-the-wall café called café des nattes*. the guy brewing it looked like he'd been doing it since the '70s. strong enough to wake the dead.
i'm already thinking about coming back. maybe next time i'll actually find the bottom of this city.
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