Waking up late, empty night markets, and atmosphere

We woke up at around 3PM yesterday. A time neither of us felt particularly proud of, but also felt we needed as a result of a busy week. I wrote that days are a bit slower as of late. Certainly busy with lots of plans being made, but a slow feeling to them. Rainy, cold, and just generally a bit sluggish. We decided today we'd stay in and abandon our plans of visiting a museum, instead replacing that plan with the intent to bake something instead at home, and then just play some Stardew Valley together with tea. We went out once the darkness had already filled the streets, heading through ridgid streets on the way to the shop where we purchased the few ingredients we were missing for cinnamon swirls. The streets for a Saturday evening were already relatively dead, few were in the shops, few were in the streets. A bit of a different atmosphere in comparison to the weeks prior where the Christmas atmosphere was massive, and the streets were booming with life. It seems as if we aren't alone in that sluggish feeling. That feeling of comfort indoors, letting time pass and just not caring for the world at large for a while.

On the walk back we admired the little bits of light remaining. Closed markets where a Soviet, much larger market stood behind that we had somehow failed to notice. We said we'd come at some point to see how it is in the morning, though we fairly didn't agree on when that early morning start might be; perhaps both of us not really wanting to consider that possibility just yet with these later starts to the day, where our problems seem nonexistent and fun peaking with cooking, baking things, and just pretending time doesn't really exist. We snacked on her childhood sweets as we walked home with my backpack full of ingredients, looking around and talking about what we saw in the area. The signs of the unfortunate globalist architecture had appeared with marketing for some flashy, soulless apartment complex to be built in the area. The dated, decayed buildings that the people here make themselves, without planning permission from anyone. We admired that way of life, the simplicity in it.

As we walked home, the city views started to die off more, streets became less safe to walk through due to the lack of lighting and increased number of holes in the road. Ladas drove through here and there. A cat spoke to us in its attempt at some sort of language, that sort of cat noise that just makes you laugh rather than sounding cute. One of those days where there were still memories made, simple ones. The moments enjoyed, the pacing slow, the photography opportunities still present at all times even with a more peaceful mind that just wanted to remain on autopilot.

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