Appliances Work Differently Here

The first, and most possible, mission to accomplish was different outlets.  Duh, European outlets (I didn't plan for it, but adapters are sold at every corner store).  But did you know that German appliances have a different outlet?  Adapter on adapter; hot.

My apartment is completely set with a dishwasher and a washing machine (they generally do not use a dryer here because clothes last longer without it.  Sadly for me, this requires you to have more than one week's worth of clothes).  It's so convenient to have everything right here!  My intellect regarding such appliances, however, is not convenient.

The washing machine has a hose attached to it that hangs on the side of a basin sink.  The plug for the washer didn't reach all the way to the outlet so I had to move the machine away from the sink.  The hose no longer reached the basin.  At least I was smart enough to realize that water would most likely be coming out of that hose.  I stuck the hose end into a mop bucket that holds ~ 3 gallons of water.  That's enough right? Right?  I mean, I don't see ANY water coming out of my machine in Missouri (logical?).  I walked down to the laundry room an hour later and it had effectively converted into a small lake.  Thank God the floors are stone tile.  On the down side I was up until 1:00 AM mopping my floor, but on the upside the laundry room tiles are impeccably clean.  I bought an extension cord.

At the end of my first week here I have finally conquered the dishwasher.  It is a Bosch automatic washer with no start button, only a power button and a button that let's you choose hours.  The first time I tried it I set it for 1H, or 1:00 AM so it would run during the night.  When I woke up all the dishes were clean and I thought I had it figured out.  This morning I tried to set it a half hour before for 10:00 AM, but then 10:00 came and went and nothing happened.  I tried again for 11H.  When I checked later it had changed my time and the machine hadn't run!  I finally figured, screw it I'll set it for 0H or 12:00 AM, and the machine started immediately.  The hours aren't for time of day, it's how many hours you want the washer to wait to start running.  Sweet Jesus, I felt dumb!

They don't drink the tap water here, and they are religious about it.  I though it was ironic that the cleanest water in Rome came out of the sides of buildings (it comes down from a mountain spring). The first couple nights I boiled tap water for my tea; a powder was left in the pan and a sludge in my mug.  Now I use the bottled stuff and stick it in the microwave.

Drink out of the wall, but not the faucet!

Good news: bicycles still move when you pedal them here!  I met my new friend whom I've dubbed La Rossa this week.  She is the beautiful road bike I picked up from Ginger.  Ginger is the town gossip who owns a bike shop down the street from my house, who has curly red hair and glimmering, needy eyes.

La Rossa

There are so many bicycles and mopeds here!  It cracks me up, all the older women drive mopeds.  You'll see a woman hobbling down the street with her cane, then at the end she'll swoop up onto her moped and take off.