Mangalore and the Humidity That Follows You Home

okay, so mangalore. it wasn't on the list, honestly. i was supposed to be in goa, chasing sunsets and questionable seafood, but a missed connection (and a frankly terrifying auto-rickshaw ride) landed me here. and you know what? i'm kinda glad.

let me preface this by saying i'm a *vintage clothes picker. i hunt for forgotten treasures, the kind of stuff that tells a story. mangalore…it’s got stories. they’re just kinda sweating. i just checked and it's…a thick blanket draped over everything right now, hope you're okay with that. the weather report said thirty-two point nine degrees, but honestly, my eyeballs are melting, so i’m not trusting science. feels like thirty-one point one, which is basically the temperature of a lukewarm bath.

spent most of yesterday wandering around central market. it’s…an experience. a beautiful, chaotic, fragrant experience. spices everywhere, mountains of fruit i couldn’t name, and enough textiles to make a textile museum jealous. i snagged a gorgeous silk sari for next to nothing - seriously, i think i haggled the vendor down to the price of a decent chai.

"apparently, the fish market is where all the real deals are, but you gotta go at dawn. and watch your wallet."

that’s what old man raju, who runs a tiny tea stall near the bus station, told me. he’s a wealth of information, that guy. also, his chai is legendary. seriously, find him. TripAdvisor link to Mangalore restaurants.


my accommodation is…rustic. let’s go with rustic. it’s a guesthouse run by a family who are incredibly sweet, but also seem perpetually confused by my existence. they keep offering me rice. like, all the time. i appreciate the hospitality, but i’m starting to feel like a human rice paddy. i overheard someone saying that this guesthouse is known for its generous portions and questionable plumbing. they weren't wrong.

spent this morning exploring the panambur beach. it’s…a beach. sandy, sunny, full of people flying kites. it’s nice. i saw a guy building a sandcastle that was more structurally sound than my life choices. if you get bored, udupi and manipal are just a short bus ride away, apparently. i’m thinking of heading to udupi tomorrow to check out the krishna temple.

"don't trust the guys selling 'authentic' antiques. it's all made in china, i swear!"

that was a warning from a fellow traveler i met at a coffee shop (yes, i found a decent coffee shop. it’s called ‘bean there, done that’ - i’m not making that up). she’s a photographer, documenting the disappearing art of handloom weaving in the region. she said the local boards (Mangalore City Corporation website) have some info on workshops you can visit.

honestly, mangalore is growing on me. it’s not glamorous, it’s not polished, but it’s real. it’s a place where you can get lost in the chaos, find hidden treasures, and sweat a lot. a lot*. someone told me that the best biryani in town is at a place called ‘hotel giri manja’ but you have to be prepared to queue for hours. i’m considering it. maybe. if i can find a fan first. i'm also looking at local events.

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