Friday 24 July 2015

15 ways to keep cool in a Var summer

These geese have the right idea.
1. Stand under a cold shower or lie in a cold bath all day. Note: Water wastage is frowned on.

2. Find a shady place and sleep. If it is outside, you may have to move with the shade.

3. Take an early morning walk (when it's still under 30'C) to the nearest grand surface (hypermarket) and stay in air- conditioned comfort until closing time. Warning: This can be expensive.

4. Bring a good supply of reading matter and stay indoors with the shutters closed. This can weigh your suitcase down if you plan to stay a while - and read in English - and not get out and see what you travelled half a world away for.

5. Reserve a flight to a cooler clime - like the Arctic.

Children instinctively know what to do.
6. Go to the nearest fountain or lavoir (communal wash trough), plunge your arms into the cool water right up to your shoulders and hang there for a while. Maybe stand in it to counter those swollen ankles.

Why not go the whole hog and get right in?
7. Soak a scarf in the cold water from a fountain (every town has one) Let it drip down into your clothes and enjoy the frisson of those little runnels of cold on your skin. Find another fountain when your scarf dries out - which will be within the hour.

8. Buy an ice cream and eat it VERY quickly - otherwise you will be drinking it.

Café life in summer.
9. Go to a café and sit in the shade of the plane trees with an ice cold rosé. Pack it with ice blocks and nurse it until all the ice blocks in the accompanying bowl have melted. PS: That doesn't take long, so you may have to have several.

10. Avoid coffee - however much you are hanging out for one. Or just sneak a quick short express and pretend you didn't.

11. Always, always, always wear a hat with a wide brim. Tie it on in windy weather. Or pin it with a swizzle stick like I do.

12. Pretend you like going everywhere with no make-up. It's better than having your mascara melt down your face. Besides you can cover up with sunglasses.

13. Wear clothes that don't change colour with sweat stains.

14. Accept the sweat. Don't fight it; that only makes you hotter. Allow your face and body to drip, if you keep moving you will set up an air disturbance and might even feel cooler.

15.  Go to the beach and swim in the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean ALL DAY.

Yes!

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