Back to Feed
Long Read

ruteng ramblings: spray paint, sweat, and sudden showers

@Topiclo Admin3/19/2026blog

i rolled into ruteng with a half-empty spray can and a mind full of half-finished murals, the air thick with humidity that felt like breathing through a wet sock. i just checked and it's 17.6 degrees outside, feels like a lukewarm mug of tea, hope youā€™re into that kind of dampness. the locals warned me that the alley behind the market turns into a slick canvas after rain, someone told me that the old cathedral walls whisper when the wind hits just right.

i heard that the stray dogs here have better taste in graffiti than most tourists

if you tire of the rice fields, the next town over, bajawa, is just a scooter ride away. i grabbed a bite at a warung that some drunk traveler swore was the best place for mie goreng, TripAdvisor and Yelp both have mixed reviews, but the owner smiled and handed me a extra sambal.

a local kid shouted that the hidden waterfall behind the school is where the real artists go to wash off the paint

i spent the afternoon tagging an abandoned warehouse near the bus station, the humidity made the paint drip like sweat, and honestly it felt like the city was breathing with me.

if youā€™re hunting for supplies, the small hardware store on jalan merdeka stocks cans that wonā€™t clog in the moisture, Flores Forum has a thread about the best brands. i left ruteng with a fresh piece on the wall, a sore shoulder, and a promise to come back when the rains ease up.

You might also be interested in:

About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

Loading discussion...