Things I've learned so far

This trip has been amazing so far. It's been so nice to not be at work and not have the stresses of home.
But coming to a new country and getting to know the lay of the land, as it were, can be daunting. Especially as guests in relatives' houses.
AS I mentioned in Monday's Random Thoughts, I've been working on my Spanish, and noticed that getting around can be a challenge, depending on where you are.
But there are a couple of other things that we in the US tend to take for granted that aren't quite the same here.
First off, get used to cold showers. With all the humidity there is, it's not too terrible to deal with, but man... it's seriously cold. Especially in the older houses and neighborhoods.
Today, before heading out to stay with one of Gina's cousins in a newer area, I was able to sneak in and get a brief lukewarm shower. And I mean brief. The warm water was there and gone in a minute.
A quick check of things out here, and we have warm, even hot water. No worries for the next couple of days. And that will be refreshing.
Speaking of getting things clean, well, there are no dryers. Your clothes drying system is the same one they've had for hundreds of years: The clothesline.
Wash your clothes in the washing machine (which, we "broke" at Gina's uncle's house; a simple repair we hope), then hang them up to dry.
Most of the houses have set aside roofed areas for their clotheslines, allowing the air and sun to get through, but not the rain. It really can't stop the moisture in the air, which meant that all our cotton socks had to spend the night outside, and were cold and damp in the morning. And with the way the weather shifts around here, you definitely are taking your chances.
So, that's the latest from vacation. We've finally got some images into a computer and should start sharing soon. Until then, have a good one.