Two essential items in my keeping cool kit.
“Welcome to Panama. It’s hot but dry, very dry.” This was said in English with a smile as the man glanced at my flushed, damp, and clearly non-Panamanian face. He appeared to be a manager in the department store I had entered to cool down.
While my northern hemisphere family and friends are trying to stay warm, my goal here in tropical Panama City is keeping cool. Humidity is high making the typical daily maximum of 30⁰ C feel much higher. It takes only a short walk to be drenched in sweat.
Another day on the metro, which is air conditioned, I was using my hand held fan to accelerate the cooling process. This seemed to amuse a lady of about my age who was sitting beside me and benefiting from my exertions. She spoke to me but once I let her know my linguistic limitations (“Hablo muy poco espagñol”) we just smiled as she didn’t appear to speak my language either.
My little fan from Spain and my umbrella are two of my favourite accessories on this trip. The umbrella shelters me from the rain or the sun as wearing a hat is just too hot. Nor am I am the only one mopping my face. Seeing people in business suits on the street I think they must be trying to get back very quickly to air conditioned offices.
Air conditioning or ceiling fan or both?
My host is environmentally conscious and we both prefer to minimize the use of the air conditioning. The ceiling fans are going full time though. Often there is a cool breeze blowing through the apartment which has windows on three sides. Cupboards and closets can’t be closed all the time or they will get musty.
A few months ago I was sweating in Broome, Western Australia and the heat and humidity bring back memories of the years my family lived in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates on the Indian Ocean. In future I am looking for the happy medium between extremes of heat and cold. Meanwhile, I am very grateful the apartment has a pool. It is such a great way to cool down after being out and about.
It is wonderful to have a pool to cool down.