This morning my nanny told me that while she was showering the cold water went out, and she got quite a shock from a deluge of hot water. Every one’s had that happen: flush the toilet and stand back while the water readjusts. For some reason, it doesn’t happen as much here. Maybe it’s because my hot water tank runs out of water so fast, we’re usually using tepid water anyway.

The basics of plumping are the same here: water comes up a pipe; water goes down. However many households, especially older construction, have poor water pressure. Flushing toilets can be a delicate issue. A lot depends on the source water supply. If you have your own pump, you might have better pressure. Many homes have those plastic water tanks sitting in back yards as storage for the times the water is cut off or for during the dry season when we all tend to get trickles in the last few months.

Since venting is not needed for the septic pipes, bathrooms are easy to put in almost any corner of the house. PVC pipes are glued together in all sorts of L shapes and T shapes to pipe water in. You can also PVC piping running across the grass, eking out of the side of a dirt hill, and running down the length of a wall. Moreover, it doesn’t freeze here, so we don’t have to insulate pipes. I think perhaps the entire scope of the nature of physics may not be taken into account when many of the water lines are installed.*

I have this funky third floor bathroom that was installed next to the tiny maid’s room, which is now my office. To flush the toilet in this room is, well, not a pleasant experience. I turned the room into a place to store my suitcases (and that creepy reindeer mentioned below). Putting toilet paper, in any bathroom - old or new - in my opinion is a no no. Even the best hotels have a bucket next to the toilet to put used paper. I’ve gotten so used to this procedure, I become confused and out of sorts when I visit the States. And! The water faucets are all backwards: hot is where the cold is and cold is where the hot should be!**

The nanny went on about how hot the water was and Addison was glued to her as if she was one of those peppy singers on High Five. Then she told me that once a president of Costa Rica went to visit Europe some time ago. Since Ticos take cold showers, he got in the tub/shower thing they have over there and was scalded because he wasn’t expecting hot water. Poor guy, he had to probably go to a meeting with the president of France with salve all over his face.

I can relate though. Water issues are very confusing and can burn you in the end.

*This is the best photo I could come up with. It’s not exactly what the tanks look
like here, but mas o menus. I’ll get my crackpot photography staff on it.
Oh sorry, I think that’s cracker jack. 

**At least we don’t have those “shock showers!” That’s a whole ‘nother subject!