Anyone who has lived in Russia for a while, especially during the summer, dreads the remont--the time when  hot water supply is cut off so crews can maintain the central heat plants. Through some combination of good luck and timing, in all my travels to Russia I haven't yet fallen victim to the remont, although I'm sure my luck will run out this summer. It isn't really that bad to be without hot water. You can still take a shower, still wash your hands, still do your laundry. Sure, it's inconvenient, but it's possible to do all your regular things using only cold water.

Yesterday, though, I woke up and went to take a shower only to discover that there was no cold water. Well, there is absolutely no way to take a shower in scalding hot water, and I couldn't even wash my face or hands. I filled up the bathtub a little way and hoped that the water would cool off enough that I could use it, but after a half hour it was still hot enough to boil a lobster. So, I did the Russian thing and put on some cologne to cover up the fact that I hadn't showered and headed off to work. It's always an adventure living here.

Speaking of water, this is the color of the city water in Vladimir. You can see why no one drinks unfiltered water...