A Tale of Two Baños

Please notice the pictures of these two different showerheads. The first is a picture of the showerhead from the hotel we stayed at this weekend, which caters to Americans, Europeans, and generally anyone accustomed to taking a shower with a steady stream of hot water which doesn´t pose the constant threat of electrocution.

The second is our showerhead at home here in Atenas. Notice the exposed wires dangling ominously overhead. I´m thinking maybe they didn´t do the ¨Water And Electricity Don´t Mix¨PSA here. (And, commence snobbish American rant.)

I think we could probably look past the ever-present danger of being electrocuted if the damn thing actually worked. But I think the purpose of this hot water ¨heater¨here is to raise the water temperature to just above freezing. What it means for us is that showering is certainly not the pampered experience it is in The States, and there´s definitely no lingering. Instead, showers are much less frequent and when we do bite the bullet and decide to get clean, only key body parts are tended to. We´ve started calling them ¨A.F.A.C¨showers (Armpits, Feet, Ass & Crotch). My back hasn´t been washed in 8 days and counting.

But the bathroom fun doesn´t stop in the shower. Due to poor plumbing infrastructure in certain parts of town and a fairly dry climate here in Atenas, running water usually stops in our house at about noon and doesn´t return until the following morning. That means tooth brushing and face washing using the 2-litre Fanta bottle (pictured below), and well-planned, uh, ¨movements.¨ I think I´m starting to get a reputation in town as ¨the Gringo who buys a soda so he can use your shitter.¨