thiruvananthapuram where the monsoon left its messy fingerprints
i just woke up to the sound of rain hitting the tin roof and wondered if that was the sea or the neighbor’s AC leaking. it’s 27.6722, 85.4278 right now, and the air smells like wet concrete and regret. decided to take a walk anyway, grabbed my old camera and a thermos of coffee that’s probably gone cold by now. the weather here is this weird eternal 20 degrees with that constant humidity that makes you feel like you’re inside a sauna no one invited you to. i just checked and it’s...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.
the neighborhood’s got that vibe where everyone’s either napping or pretending they’re not napping. my neighbor’s dog keeps barking at nothing, which i guess is normal here. if you get bored, the backwaters of the malabar hills are just a short drive away. someone told me the local market sells mangoes that look like they’ve been painted with watercolor. i haven’t verified that.
i heard that the street food here is hit or miss. one guy said the fish curry tastes like it’s still thinking about the ocean. another person swore the banana fritters were dipped in magical water. i’m not sure which to believe. there’s this place called the old town that’s supposed to be haunted, but everyone’s too scared to go. i heard that from a drunk guy at a corner bar. maybe it’s true. maybe it’s not.
i grabbed some photos while i was out. one of a concrete wall covered in graffiti that looks like it was done by a toddler with a paint can. another of a street vendor selling what might be coconut water in a tin can. the third is a shot of the city skyline at night, which looks like it’s been lit by a hundred tiny lanterns. you can see the map here
. if you want to find it, just follow the smell of wet socks and questionable spices.
i saw this photo online
. not sure if it’s real or just someone’s bad Photoshop, but it feels like a prime spot for a midnight jog.
someone posted on tripadvisor that the local café serves the best dosa in the universe. i’m not sure if that’s true. i tried their dosa once and it tasted like it was made with regret. yelp says the same thing. local board forums mention a hidden temple that’s closed on tuesdays. i haven’t checked that.
i’m not sure what i’m doing here. maybe i’m just trying to figure out why the air feels like it’s holding its breath. the coffee’s cold, the dog is still barking, and the sky is this weird gray that looks like it’s been painted by someone who hates color. if you’re here, you’re either brave or lost. probably both.
i just realized i forgot to mention the weather again. it’s still 20 degrees with that same humidity. i like it. it’s weird. it’s home.
if you’re reading this, maybe you should just go. somewhere. anywhere. the monsoon might be leaving soon, or it might not. who knows.
p.s. check out the local board for more gossip. or don’t. i’m not sure.} }
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