Tropics

Some things that I attribute to living in the tropics (though I realize that many also occur elsewhere):

- Having to sweep my doors and ceilings weekly (or more) to get rid of the spider webs that form

- All my clothes have a slight moldy smell to them, and some have developed noticeable mold spots on them. I DO wash my clothes frequently!

- Delicious pineapple (I probably eat 3 to 4 a week), mangoes, mamones, yuca, guavas, pejibayes, coconut water, chayote.... So many fruits and vegetables I'd never even imagined before

- Every bugbite is an adventure: it draws blood (and has it running down my leg), it turns white and perfectly round, it becomes a red splotch, it itches, it hurts, it lasts a day, it lasts two weeks, they come from ants (very painful), from flying insects, from spiders... never had such a variety of bites!!

- Never trust putting my hand or foot on or in something I have not checked. You never know where a scorpion or tarantula (or cockroach or frog/toad for that matter) will turn up!

- Nature is LOUD! Worst offenders (though I love most of these): toads, frogs, macaws (I love it because I can always spot them), geckos living in your walls, torrential rain, every type of bird, cantina... (wait, I was only listing things in nature)

- Sun comes out at 6 and sets at 6. 365 days a year, no exception.

- Winter = rain. Not cold: sweating is a 365 day a year occurrence.

- Amazing wildlife (see previous post for a few stories on this)

- Things to look out for: dengue, bot fly,leishmaniasis, malaria (though not really here)...