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How do locals handle this heat? i just returned from Las Terrenas / The capital...
Can you please expand on this a bit for me?
Because anywhere in the world I go that's hot, cotton has always been my first choice for comfort. It's always worked for me. Have I simply been lucky all these decades?
Living in Santo Domingo I can tell you, it gets hot!!! At times it will feel like no air is circulating, no breeze. But if you plan your day accordingly you will survive. At night though I do appreciate sitting on the balcony where we do get a nice breeze. During mid-day I have learned the less I do the better. Hot is hot, you just learn to cope with it.
Clothing made from natural fibers such as wool and cotton are popular in cooler climates because they can help keep the body warm even when wet. A good wool blanket is a staple of many cold weather endurance kits. Before I go any further, I'm not saying that a 100% cotton shirt or even a wool shirt is sufficient all by themselves. These natural fabrics tend to absorb moisture and tend to stay wet for a long time because the sweat is not transferred to the outside of the garment where it can quickly evaporate. These fibers act like a sponge and soak it all up until they can't hold anymore. We'll ignore the thread weight and weave in this discussion even those these two factors do play a role in the overall evaporation rate of the garment.
The term moisture wicking was coined by the athletic clothing manufacturers to describe a type of blended fabric that moves moisture from the skin to the exterior of the garment so that it can evaporate. We know that the process of evaporation has a cooling effect because the process of evaporation requires heat to convert liquid to a gas. This is why our body sweats, to increase the rate of cooling when we overheat. Clothing acts as an impediment to evaporation. Being naked is best.
Natural fibers are better known for their propensity to retain heat even when wet. It is however, the reluctance of natural fibers to release their water content easily that works against us in hot climates. Being dry and cool is better than being wet and feeling cool/clammy.
In cold temperatures, being wet can quickly lead to hypothermia. Many a hiker has cursed the choice to wear jeans on a winter hike if they happen to get wet...jeans just don't ever dry in the cold without a fire.
On really hot days if I am going to be outside for a long period of time, I prefer lighter fabrics than cotton shirts. I prefer silk because it is so light it's as if you are wearing nothing at all, wicks moisture and is so thin that any sweat evaporates in no time at all. If I am just popping into the car for a quick trip to the store or watching tv I have lots of cotton as my second favorite choice. To wear here in the DR I look for cotton T-shirts that contain 10% - 20% polyester or nylon to help the shirt give up the moisture quicker and easier. Clothing with a high percentage of polyester or nylon are much cooler than cotton, but I find these make me itch so I won't wear them even if they are cooler and more durable than cotton.
I don't wear silk shirts to cut the grass or fix the moto because it snags easily and can be difficult to clean, so a cotton blend it is. I can tell the difference between a 100% cotton shirt and a blended cotton shirt by the amount of water I can wring out of one. You can tell the people wearing cotton around town by the big dark wet areas on their chest and back.
Summary: Cotton or wool shirt in the DR? Obviously cotton. Cotton however is not the best possible choice of material that is available to stay cool and comfortable but a blended cotton can be a good choice for activities where increased durability and ease of cleaning are a consideration.
I'll take the heat over a freezing Nor'easter any day. No scraping windshields or waiting 20 minutes for the car to warm up.
Head to Jarabacoa for a break
Head to Jarabacoa for a break
Heat? What heat? Denial is everything. Just ignore it. Or, embrace it... Take you're pick.
And, quit walking like an American. Just take calm easy steps. When's the last time you've seen a sweaty Dominican on the street? Stroll with deliberate ease that only the tropics can reinforce.
I suspect I'm unusually immune to heat. Even in Florida, I often do without unless the humidity gets high enough to cut with a chainsaw. I think AC is unhealthy for the most part.
In Managua, Nicaraguan locals took the radical step of not drinking water during the day. No cold showers. Nothing. It's considered unhealthy even with temps hitting 110. But, it's hell on your kidneys which often give out in middle age. Experts are puzzling over kidney disease of sugar cane workers, but there's no mystery there: sugar + no water + heat = kidney damage.
Drink plenty of water ....
And, quit walking like an American. Just take calm easy steps. When's the last time you've seen a sweaty Dominican on the street? Stroll with deliberate ease that only the tropics can reinforce.
I suspect I'm unusually immune to heat. Even in Florida, I often do without unless the humidity gets high enough to cut with a chainsaw. I think AC is unhealthy for the most part.
In Managua, Nicaraguan locals took the radical step of not drinking water during the day. No cold showers. Nothing. It's considered unhealthy even with temps hitting 110. But, it's hell on your kidneys which often give out in middle age. Experts are puzzling over kidney disease of sugar cane workers, but there's no mystery there: sugar + no water + heat = kidney damage.
Drink plenty of water ....
While concluding a business transaction following a beautiful day out at Butler National, I saw this advertisement from a local utility company, which could be applied here within this topic. At a minimum, it may assist you in lowering your RD electric bills.....
[video=youtube;bAxUlZWc9ME]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAxUlZWc9ME[/video]
[video=youtube;bAxUlZWc9ME]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAxUlZWc9ME[/video]
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the number-one cause of skin cancer. Cumulative sun exposure causes mainly basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer, while episodes of severe sunburns, usually before age 18, can raise the risk of developing melanoma.
(As explained by WebMD)
(As explained by WebMD)
And of course, you would want me and the rest to believe that this is the reason behind wearing an extreme amount of cloth?
I could care less what you, the rest, or any of the others believe, but as a Dominican this is why I tend to wear long pants, long sleeves, and head coverings during daytime/sunlight hours, as well as dawn/dusk hours for prime mosquito hours. I can only speak for myself, and those I know of.
The thread is in reference to Dominican heat. The mention of clothing and the type was a direct response to it. What you personally wear is irrelevant vs. what does happens everyday with the populace.
You are very "touchy," what happened - heat, mosquitoes bothering you?
I am fully aware of what this thread is in regards to, as I have been participating within it. It was you who decided to interject a somewhat curious question in regards to my statements. So please, as a foreigner, explain to all of us, why Dominicans wear "extreme amount of cloth" in the hot weather.
Yes, I believe Caonabo is correct on why the Dominican population wear clothing that covers them up. Have you not noticed that many Motoconchos wear sleeve protecting their arms and gloves as well, often hoodies and bandanas. I have even asked and got the answer that it is protection from the sun. I also asked my wife, who as a Dominican has most of the same habits, except she prefers to use an umbrella instead of a sweater or coat. The amount of skin damage, especiality to poor women from the sun is huge, and yes even dark skinned people suffer from over exposure to the sun. Dematologists do great business here. I myself never wear shorts except to swim or go to the beach, however I don't like wearing longsleeves unless I have to. In the end people do what works for them. I don't suffer during the day from the heat even though I am Canadian, but I thankfully have a/c in the bedroom for sleeping. Jarabacoa is usually 4-5 degrees cooler than Santiago/la vega but it still gets pretty hot and humid in the spring and summer months.
I used to be a beer drinking beach guy, but my doc nixed that about ten years ago.
I learned to wear t-shirts with long sleeve wrinkle resistant shirts a long time ago.
A welcome relief from mosquitoes.
Being a Polymer Guru I can only agree that products laced with Polyester are better for tropical climes.
However, if you can source ''Linen'' clothing the effect will be so very pleasant.
I had a Linen suit made for me when I worked in Central America; the stile was Safari ; and served me well for a decade... machine washable...... The heat bothers my DR Family but for some reason I adjust within a week.summer or winter.
They wear warm clothing with sweaters in Winter at 25c.... I wear shorts and rayon shirts. No linen available.
In summer I wear the same.
Much like Canadians, who are notorious talking about the weather, Dominicans are either hot, humid or cold...I have never heard them say the day is perfect.... same thing back home.
And so the quest for the perfect weather...... in my 2100 sq ft home in RD there is no air conditioning.
But in cities the concrete and pavement becomes a 'heat sink' and continues to boil much into the night.
I see many people lying on ceramic floors to get cool... interesting.
Sipping a glass of ice and rum with a touch of lemon under the shade of the mango tree is as good as it gets.(for me)
However, if you can source ''Linen'' clothing the effect will be so very pleasant.
I had a Linen suit made for me when I worked in Central America; the stile was Safari ; and served me well for a decade... machine washable...... The heat bothers my DR Family but for some reason I adjust within a week.summer or winter.
They wear warm clothing with sweaters in Winter at 25c.... I wear shorts and rayon shirts. No linen available.
In summer I wear the same.
Much like Canadians, who are notorious talking about the weather, Dominicans are either hot, humid or cold...I have never heard them say the day is perfect.... same thing back home.
And so the quest for the perfect weather...... in my 2100 sq ft home in RD there is no air conditioning.
But in cities the concrete and pavement becomes a 'heat sink' and continues to boil much into the night.
I see many people lying on ceramic floors to get cool... interesting.
Sipping a glass of ice and rum with a touch of lemon under the shade of the mango tree is as good as it gets.(for me)
Darkening your skin with sun is a newly acquired fashion - in global terms.
In bygone days, women had parasols to keep the sun off.
The paler your natural skin color - black, coffee or white - was a status indicator .
Darker meant outdoor labor...
Now status comes from having darker skin in winter... a reversal of sorts.
Me?
Read my thread Medical Stuff to see why I cover up.
Funny, because one of my Dominicans friends commented once that I looked like a Gringo -- short sleeves w/ short pants
Naturally, I responded - I am a Gringo !!
NOt any more ... all long sleeves & pants.
My food prices have dropped significantly,
I get more respect
My Spanish is better understood
In bygone days, women had parasols to keep the sun off.
The paler your natural skin color - black, coffee or white - was a status indicator .
Darker meant outdoor labor...
Now status comes from having darker skin in winter... a reversal of sorts.
Me?
Read my thread Medical Stuff to see why I cover up.
Funny, because one of my Dominicans friends commented once that I looked like a Gringo -- short sleeves w/ short pants
Naturally, I responded - I am a Gringo !!
NOt any more ... all long sleeves & pants.
My food prices have dropped significantly,
I get more respect
My Spanish is better understood