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Pelotas: Humidity, Hidden Cafes, and a Whole Lot of 'What Was That?!'

@Topiclo Admin4/1/2026blog

okay, so pelotas. i didn't choose pelotas, pelotas kinda…happened. it was a last-minute redirect after a gig in porto alegre fell through. the drummer before me, apparently, had a thing with the venue owner’s sister. drama, right? anyway, i’m a touring session drummer, so “flexible” is my middle name. or it would be, if i had a middle name.


first impressions? *sticky. not like, emotionally sticky, but literally. the air just…clings. i just checked and it’s…a warm hug right now, if you’re into that sort of thing. the weather report said 25.84 celsius, feels like 25.86, pressure’s at 1009, humidity’s a solid 53%, sea level’s 1009 and ground level is 973. honestly, i don’t know why i’m telling you all this, it just feels…important. like documenting the exact atmospheric conditions before something weird happens. which, let’s be real, feels imminent.


i’ve been crashing at this little pousada near the charqueada. it’s run by a woman named dona elvira who communicates almost entirely through eyebrow raises and offers of chimarrão. i’ve politely declined the chimarrão three times now. i’m pretty sure she thinks i’m a barbarian. the walls are thin, though. really thin. last night i swear i heard someone practicing the accordion at 3 am. or maybe it was a walrus. honestly, i’m not ruling anything out at this point.

someone told me that the Mercado Público is where all the real action is, but you gotta watch your wallet. apparently, there’s a guy who specializes in distracting tourists with elaborate bird impressions.


i spent most of today wandering around, trying to find decent coffee. which, let me tell you, is a struggle. i ended up at this tiny place called “Café da Praça” - it’s not on any of the tourist maps, but it’s a lifesaver. Check out TripAdvisor for other hidden gems. The owner, a guy named rafael, makes a mean cafézinho and doesn’t judge me for ordering it with oat milk. (i’m trying to be healthy-ish on the road, okay?).


i also stumbled upon this incredible vintage shop, “Brechó da Vovó.” it’s crammed full of amazing stuff - i scored a seriously cool 70s leather jacket for like, ten bucks. You can find similar shops on this local board. if you’re into that sort of thing. i’m always on the lookout for unique stage wear. gotta stand out, you know?

i overheard a couple of locals arguing about the best place to get pastel. one swore by the stand near the rodoviária, the other insisted it was the one in the centro. it got pretty heated.


the beach here is…different. it’s long and wide and kinda windswept. not exactly the tropical paradise i’m used to. but it has a certain charm. i saw a guy building a sandcastle that was legitimately architectural. it was impressive. Here's a Yelp page with beach reviews.

i’ve been trying to connect with some local musicians, but it’s been slow going. everyone seems to be really into samba and choro, which is cool, but not exactly my vibe. i’m more of a rock/funk/electronic kinda guy. i did find a jam session happening at this bar called “O Bar do Zé” tonight. Check out their Facebook page. hopefully, it won’t involve too much accordion.


if you get bored, rio grande and porto alegre are just a short bus ride away. i’m thinking of heading to porto alegre next, maybe check out the music scene there. or maybe i’ll just stay here and continue my investigation into the 3 am accordion/walrus mystery. honestly, i’m leaning towards the latter. someone warned me about the mosquitos, though. apparently, they’re the size of small birds.

rafael, the coffee shop owner, told me that pelotas is “a city of secrets.” he wouldn’t elaborate. just winked and handed me another cafézinho*.

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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