Raleigh: A Quick Dip into the Capital (and the Weather!)
okay, so i’m trying to process everything i learned about raleigh. it’s kinda a lot, even for me. i just checked and it’s...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the weather report said it’s pretty chilly (-5.77°C, feels like -5.77°C), which is definitely a change from where i was. anyway,
apparently, raleigh is in the central Piedmont region of north carolina. it’s not super far from the coast, about 130 miles inland. kind of sits at this place called the "fall line" where the piedmont meets the coastal plain. which sounds… geographical. it’s also near chapel hill and durham, which is cool. if you get bored, those cities are just a short drive away. it's part of something called the Research Triangle, which seems to be a big deal for tech and research. i’m not really a tech person, so it’s a bit over my head, but apparently, it’s a whole hub of innovation.
The climate… oh boy. humid subtropical. four distinct seasons. apparently, summers get really hot (90s, sometimes over 100!), and winters are mild. they get about 4.7 inches of snow a year, which feels… underwhelming? the worst part is the tropical weather threats from august through early october. hurricanes and tropical storms. apparently, they’ve had some bad ones in the past, like hurricane fran in 1996. someone told me that... it was a pretty big deal. i’m not sure how accurate that is, though, you know how it goes.
apparently, the city’s designed with the capitol building right in the middle, in a grid pattern. it’s the state capital, which is neat. population is around 476,587 as of 2022. they're a pretty diverse bunch - black, white, latino, asian american, the whole shebang. and lots of colleges and universities. 11 principal ones, to be exact. that definitely shapes the city’s vibe. it's not just a capital; it’s a place with a lot of students, which makes sense.
they call it the "City of Oaks." which is… charming? the fall line thing is also a big deal, creating these gently rolling hills. and the neuse river runs through the northeastern corner. which is nice. apparently, the city is trying to be a major center for technology, research, and innovation. which is cool, i guess. it's a mix of modern and historical.
the note at the end said there's not a lot of info on tourist attractions, landmarks, food, or famous people. which is a bummer. would've been nice to get a feel for the local food scene or something. but hey, at least i know they have a humid subtropical climate and are prone to hurricanes. that’s… something. so yeah, raleigh. it’s a city. with a lot of colleges. and oaks. and potential for tropical storms. it's definitely… a place.
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