Cold water

This Dominican life includes cold water. Deliciously cold showers after a hot day, or in the event there is not water left in the rooftop tank, deliciously cold bucket baths.

The tank on the roof is black, so you would think it would warm up the water. It probably does take a bit of the edge off, but only the very hottest days, and when the tank is nearly empty, do you get warm water. And if it's that hot, you actually look forward to the cold water.

I have my own solar water heater for when I want warm-hot water, usually in the morning. It consists of a small black tub. I fill it about half full, cover it with clear plastic, and set in the sun for a few hours. The water will get so hot that I must dilute it with cold water so as not to burn myself!

At other times, I have been known to heat a small pot of water on the gas stove, just to take the edge off for morning bath.

Here it is common to take many showers a day. You of course take one before you sleep and when you wake up. You also take one before you go anywhere and when you get home from anywhere. And it is a good idea to take a shower just after the sun goes down, so that the whole evening you feel cooler.