72-hour stay in Jaraba where the clock stopped at 3am
i spent 3 days in jaraba wondering why my phone kept clocking me in at 2am. turns out, the local weather station’s been stuck at 19.51°C since 2012-no one here cares. it’s that cool, persistent chill you can’t complain about because the humidity’s 66% and you’ll get hot just standing still. (pro tip: pack a sweater you’ll never use. it’s a mood.)
my accommodation was this tiny place called ‘The Limping Goat’-someone told me that’s not a goat. i asked, and they said, ‘oh, that’s not a goat.’ turns out it’s a taxidermy exhibit. owner’s a former taxidermist turned existentialist barista. if you’re into journals and pretentious latte art, this is your zen zone.
for a digital nomad, the co-working space doubles as a thrift store. spent 2 hours pretending to work while eyeing a 1970s teal coat someone’s flipping on Depop. it’s 19.51°C in here too, by the way. coincidence? maybe. maybe not. someone once told me that’s how the universe keeps things fair-in jaraba, we judge you not by your wifi stats but by your ability to haggle down to 2 levs for a bottle of poutine rirk.
i tried the famed local breakfast at this joint everyone drops pins for. the eggs were cold, the toast burnt, and the owner’s cat ate my napkin. but hey, the pressure’s 1015 hPa-at least the springs are fresh. i drank one behind the 14th-century mosque where a guy swears he saw his ex-girlfriend’s ghost in the fountain. (it’s probably just a well-intentioned tourist with a phone camera.)
overheard at the market: ‘avoid the bridge at dusk. the peregrine falcons there are rude. they’ll steal your phone for fun.’ i didn’t believe him until a bird dive-bombed my selfie mid-blink. primary source journalism, baby.
neighbors? there’s this guy named Gringo-Boy who plays 80s rock on his porch until 3am. he’s a retired mechanic who thinks tupac’s still alive. fun fact: jaraba’s only functioning ATM is inside the chess club. splits the night into day and night, but only if you win the queen’s gambit.
links you might need: TripAdvisor Hotel Reviews, Yelp Eatery Guide, Local Bus Timetable, Wikipedia Page
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