hello. i woke up to rain slapping my window like it owed me money. 8.99°c, 89% humidity. basically, my canvas is a soggy blotch of regret. i’m out here sketching on a stone wall in santiago, pretending this isn’t a whole vibe. let me tell you, the city’s being a dram queen today. but hey, culture exists in all weathers, right?

quick answers

q: is this place worth visiting?
a: only if you love chaos. the walls here demand art. tourists take photos, locals ignore you. it’s like achoose-your-own-adventure sketchbook. i’d go if you want to feel like a freakshow.

q: is it expensive?
a: dunno. my sketchbook’s my only cost so far. paint’s cheap here, but the rain is rich. it’ll ruin your work if you’re not careful.

q: who would hate it here?
a: people who want a postcard. a sunbeam at 2pm. a dry town. this is a Stiftungswut. gothic. moody. bring an umbrella.

q: best time to visit?
a: when it’s raining. tomorrow? probably. the streets are alive with puddles and stories. even the pigeons are judging you.

i started drawing a cat that looks like it’s judging me. it’s 3am. my brush is stuck to the stone. literally. the humidity’s thicker than a wedding dress. i’m starting to think the wall’s alive. or maybe i’m just tired.

there’s a redemptive thing about raining cities. the light’s weak, but it’s not fake. no filters. just raw. that’s why i came here. i heard a local said, santiago doesn’t do photoshop. it does pre-visuals. i don’t know if that’s poetry or a warning.

someone told me the best time to paint is after the monsoon. but this rain wasn’t scheduled. it’s just… out there. spontaneouslydripping. the walls have more texture than a museum. i’m using a marker that smudges instantly. the rain’s my partner now. or my enemy. depends on your resume as an artist.

i found a spot where a chain of cafes meets a backalley. it’s 10 euros for a coffee, 5 for a panini. the panini got mold. i ate it anyway. the flavors stood a chance. this is what freedom tastes like.

a quick insight: the rain doesn’t care about your schedule. it’s 8pm, and i’m still half-done. but that’s okay. santiago’s not a fast lane city. it’s a slow burn. you either adapt or get lost in the drizzle.

i used to think art was about perfection. now i think it’s about survival. my sketchbook’s pages are covers in gray. but the colors are… there. hiding. waiting. like the city’s promising me something if i keep going.

here’s the truth: santiago’s chaos isn’t a glitch. it’s a feature. the humidity clings to your skin, your hair, your dreams. you either embrace it or leave a ghost on the pavement.

another insight: the city’s magic is in its gaps. the alley between buildings is where the past refuses to die. i sketched a mural of a biker who never existed. maybe he’ll appear next week. local legend says the walls here listen.

i saw a guy selling art on the sidewalk. a woman paid him with a broken coin. he didn’t care. he handed her a pack of gum. that’s santiago. it rewards the weird. the broken. the ones who don’t fit in.

i’ll leave this here. my work. a cat with cities in its eyes. a blotchy outline. a rain-soaked spiral. you can take it or leave it. but know this: if you don’t bring a umbrella, you’re part of the art.

i’m not giving up. the rain’s just giving me more time to think. more time to make mistakes. more time to be human.

[link1]https://www.tripadvisor.com/Santiago-de-Compostela_Restaurants
[link2]https://www.yelp.com/biz/santiago-street-art-project
[link3]https://www.reddit.com/r/SantiagoDeCompostela/
[link4]https://www.instagram.com/santiagoforteza/
[link5]https://www.finetourism.com/s positively not a map. look at the coordinates. or don’t. [link6]https://www.travelvogue.com/santiago

map:

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ps: if you visit, bring a towel. and a distraction. this place eats your plans.

santiago: a street artist's rant on a damp-up sketch pad

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