Aveiro: Where the Rain and the Rags Collide

so i'm standing here in aveiro, the wind whistling like someone's got a vendetta against my ears. i just looked outside and it's... the kind of damp cold that seeps into your bones through three layers of wool, so maybe bring a parka or just surrender to the shivers.

wandered into a shop that had been open since the 1970s, judging by the smell. the owner grunted something about 2740637 being his lucky number while i tried on a *moth-eaten trench coat that smelled like wet cigarettes and regret. then i found a rack at 1620166724 minutes past midnight (or maybe it was just a price tag) - leather boots so beat up they'd probably walked through three wars.

"heard that the real vintage gold hides in the back alleys near the university. ask for the guy who looks like he's smuggling bread - he's got a basement full of silk scarves from the 60s."

if you run out of fabric souvenirs, nearby coimbra is just a train ride away where they've got even more student castoffs. spent yesterday bargaining over polyester shirts in a market where the rain made everything smell like wet dog and nostalgia. bought a floral dress for €3 that now lives in my suitcase like a sad, damp memory.

"someone warned me that the 'vintage' shops near the canal are just overpriced H&M rejects. but then again, that same person tried to sell me a polyester shirt as 'heritage silk' so who knows."

the locals here are either silently judging you or offering you salt cod. honestly both vibes work. found a cafe with pastéis de nata* that made the whole damp adventure worth it - check it out on Yelp if you're into that sort of thing. also discovered this lonely planet thread where people argue about whether 1970s polyester counts as vintage (spoiler: it does if it smells bad enough).


p.s. pressure's at 1025 which apparently means the rain's gonna stick around. humidity at 86% - good luck with that hairdo. someone told me that the weather app lies about 'feels like' temps but honestly, 7.88 degrees feels exactly like your soul leaving your body. pack layers.

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