I bought a washing machine, but it is not like a typical American Automatic washer. There seems to be a lot of manual stuff required. Joan is often at work doing laundry until late at night. We don't have a dryer, and everything has to hang dry. There are racks built into the ceiling to hang things from. I was looking for "Gain" at the supermarket the other day to get the stinky out of my shirts, but while Tide dominates shelf space, other American brands are absent.
We were looking at an airconditioner yesterday to help cool things off so we can sleep, but the land lord would not give me permission to have it installed. It is so humid here. I don't think an evaporative cooler will help much, but we may get uncomfortable enough to give one a try.
I bought a compression shower curtain rod yesterday so the rest of the bathroom won't get soaked every time someone takes a shower. It was about 2 inches too long, so I will have to borrow a hack saw from Mr. Belza and try to shorten it. At least 2 showers and sets of clothes are daily requirements.
There is some discrimination involved in living in a working class neighborhood. I see it at the taxi stands and Jeepney terminals. We always wait longer than people going to more prosperous parts of town.
During the hottest part of the day, it is impossible to keep my eyes open. Siesta is a wonderful custom.
When you see pics, some are going to say I live in the slums. All I can say is that distinction is quite subjective, and there are much worse places that are similar to the slums of Rio. I try to focus on the inside, which is always neat and clean. We have ceramic tile floors throughout the apartment and a small area rug in the living room.
Went to an open air market in Pasig today. Well, it's open except for a giant roof that keeps the sun off, but still terribly hot inside. Acres of whatever you might need or want. Apparently wanting to make a good impression on house guests is a universal wish. bought coffee cups, saucers, and pillows for the benefit of guests. Then we got some new pans for the kitchen and a laundry basket. Next we went to a K-Mart type store and got things like laundry detergent. We made Joan get color safe bleach, so hopefully there will be fewer colorless spots on clothes.
Good quality fruit and vegetable market stall
Loading everything into the side car of a motorcycle taxi was a challenge. Again, I provided endless comedy as I try to fold myself into the sidecar. "You are SO big" followed by peals of laughter is the comic relief of any outing.
All RICE is not created equal
We went to the local market today. Jackie bought squid, so I don't know what's for lunch, but it will include squid and of course, RICE. The food critic report - or emergency medical outcome will be posted later. Well, lunch was squid adobo, and I could only manage the rice. Wish I had Bourdain's tastebuds! The smell turned on the YUCK switch, and no matter what I did, I could not get my stomach to stay calm enough to try to eat it. Jackie said it was her mom's recipe and one of her favorites, so of course I felt terrible.
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