Curitiba Diaries: Rain, Coffee, and a Bit of Chaos

curitiba… where do i even start? i landed here thinking it'd be just another south brazilian city, but man, was i wrong. the weather's doing that thing again-humidity's at 79%, so my hair's basically a science experiment. someone told me that the botanical garden here is straight-up magical at sunrise, but i slept through it (oops). instead, i found myself wandering through the wire opera house, which honestly looks like something out of a dream. or a fever dream. hard to tell sometimes.

anyway, the locals? they're something else. overheard a barista at a tiny café saying, "if you don't try our coffee, you're basically a tourist criminal." so, naturally, i tried it. and yeah, i might've become a criminal. the espresso hit me like a freight train, but in the best way possible. *café do museu was the spot-tiny, crowded, and perfect.

now, about the weather. i just checked and it's hovering around 24.86°c right now, feels like 25.46°c. hope you like that kind of thing. it's the kind of weather that makes you want to sit in a park and people-watch for hours. or maybe that's just me.

if you get bored, são paulo and florianópolis are just a short drive away. but honestly, why would you leave? curitiba's got enough quirks to keep you busy for days. like the fact that someone warned me about the "mysterious fog" that rolls in at night. i haven't seen it yet, but i'm keeping my eyes peeled.

and the food? oh man, the food. i stumbled into this place called madalosso after a local insisted it was "the only place worth eating." it's huge, chaotic, and serves portions that could feed a small army. i left there questioning my life choices-in the best way.

here's a random tip: if you're into street art, bairro alto* is where it's at. i spent an afternoon just walking around, taking it all in. someone said the murals here tell the city's history, but i was too busy trying to take the perfect photo for instagram.

anyway, here's a little map to help you get lost (like i did):

and because i can't resist, here are some pics i snapped along the way:

so yeah, curitiba. it's messy, it's beautiful, and it's got a weird way of sticking with you. if you're planning a trip, just go. and maybe bring an umbrella. or don't. either way, you'll figure it out.