We definitely had to get used to this when we lived in Portugal and Spain last winter. When I lived in Texas, a lifetime ago, I always line-dried (our verb?) my clothes. But, then marriage, kids, etc. and a generous in-law gift, prompted the purchase of a dryer, and I haven't line-dried since. Until last winter. The thing that surprised me was that, despite overcast and cooler weather, your clothes still get dry. Sure, it may take longer, but they will dry out. Like many other aspects of European life, you learn to adjust your time expectations and factor them into whatever activity you're engaged in.
Line-dry, yes! Ok so we do have a word for it, albeit not one I have heard often enough for it to be top of mind. "Tender" is literally part of my daily vocab here! Love the point about simply learning to adjust expectations...the things we ~think~ we need until we are forced to try another way and realize it's not so bad, or even better, we like it more than what we did before. Makes me wonder what else I might be missing that other cultures could show me.
I'm adding "tender" to our spanish vocab as well. We spent the winter in Costa Rica and Panamá this year where locals also line-dry their clothes (although dryers are a bit more common). Next winter we're back in Spain and Portugal. We will be using "tender" in an effort to fit in! And, yes, learning from other cultures that there are a thousand equally appropriate ways to skin the cat is the benefit of world travel. If skinning a cat is ever appropriate?
We definitely had to get used to this when we lived in Portugal and Spain last winter. When I lived in Texas, a lifetime ago, I always line-dried (our verb?) my clothes. But, then marriage, kids, etc. and a generous in-law gift, prompted the purchase of a dryer, and I haven't line-dried since. Until last winter. The thing that surprised me was that, despite overcast and cooler weather, your clothes still get dry. Sure, it may take longer, but they will dry out. Like many other aspects of European life, you learn to adjust your time expectations and factor them into whatever activity you're engaged in.
Line-dry, yes! Ok so we do have a word for it, albeit not one I have heard often enough for it to be top of mind. "Tender" is literally part of my daily vocab here! Love the point about simply learning to adjust expectations...the things we ~think~ we need until we are forced to try another way and realize it's not so bad, or even better, we like it more than what we did before. Makes me wonder what else I might be missing that other cultures could show me.
I'm adding "tender" to our spanish vocab as well. We spent the winter in Costa Rica and Panamá this year where locals also line-dry their clothes (although dryers are a bit more common). Next winter we're back in Spain and Portugal. We will be using "tender" in an effort to fit in! And, yes, learning from other cultures that there are a thousand equally appropriate ways to skin the cat is the benefit of world travel. If skinning a cat is ever appropriate?