Rainstorms... Hell Hath No Fury Here...

So in a few other previous blog posts, I've talked at length about how much I like the weather here in Bogotá.  We've had dry days, some cloudy, some sunny, but on balance pleasant to go back and forth between school and other parts of the city.  Over the past few days, however, we've just been getting hammered with rain, almost at the same time of the day.  Today I had the misfortune of doing my usual Tuesday chore, laundry, a little later in the day.  Usually I go at 8:30 or 9:30, but this morning I had to tutor a little bit, so I pushed it back.  Anyways, I made it to the laundromat around 12:30.  From there, I always give the washerwomen about an hour and forty-five minutes to get everything done, then I pay them and go.

I think God was playing with me a little today.  I sat at Juan Valdez Coffee, my usual waiting spot while I'm passing time waiting for my laundry, and I noticed that, gradually, the sky got darker and grayer.  Tapping away at my Kindle, I saw that there were thunderstorms in the forecast, but it didn't specify when.  Leaving the coffee shop around 2:00, I made it to the laundromat under, shall we say, a light drizzle.  Ok, I thought to myself, if it can just stay like this for about the next 30 minutes, I'll be a happy man...

Remember how I said God was playing with me?  As I waited the final five minutes for my laundry to cycle out of the dryer, I saw the rain start to pick up.  I started to see the drops falling from the sky in neat lines, then saw massive levels of puddling as the intensity picked up.  Paying for my laundry, I told the washerwomen to have a nice day, and to keep a good thought that I *might* stay dry.

As I waddled out of the laundromat, fifteen-pound sack of clothing over my shoulder, I noticed that I understated the fact that the rain was picking up earlier.  By the time I had reached the next block, my shoulders were soaked.  Standing under a bus terminal for about five minutes, I quickly grew frustrated at the fact that every car driving by had driven just fast enough to splash my pantlegs and parts of my lower body, so I made a daring sprint across Carrera 7.  For those of you who know, I'm big and awkward when it comes to running to begin with... imagine me with a bag full of laundry over one side!  It's probably a bit like watching the Frankenstein monster in fast forward...

Anyways, I made it across the street miraculously without falling on my butt, and walked along the sidewalk as close to the buildings as I could.  The rain managed to kick it up yet another notch, making small rivers near the sidewalk.  Finding a canopy near a small breakfast hut, I stopped with my laundry and just stood in awe.  We've had some pretty intense rainstorms in Bogotá in the past week, and this one pulled no punches.  Annoyed with the persistence of this storm, I walked into the cafeteria and got myself a croissant and iced tea, hoping to wait it out.  After a good 20 minutes, the rain subsided, and I was able to walk the remaining three blocks to the TransMilenio.

Without rain, my walk to the laundromat is usually quite easy.  It's when flood-like conditions emerge that such a venture becomes a living hell.  This past weekend, I went with my friend Harrys to buy this:

I love this jersey, and it will be something I treasure from Colombia for the rest of my life.  Anyways, we were talking about rain... after lunch, Harrys and I walked over to Juan Valdez to get a coffee; and, wouldn't you know it, yet another spontaneous downpour.  Fortunately, this time I had a coat, and while my head was drenched, my body wasn't so much.  In addition, thank God for my closet, as I have room to hang up just about anything I need.  In the meantime, though, a coffee was exactly what I needed to cure a good dampening:

We must be entering into some sort of rainy season here in the capital, because I just can't seem to get enough of the afternoon storms.  At least we should expect some leafy green trees and flowers, though, when the sun comes out, right?  In the meantime, I'm going to have to invest in either some sort of waterproof jacket other than my GSPIA one, and/or an umbrella.  If I could only find an umbrella that didn't have flowers or polka dots on it, I'd have had one today.  Alas, hopefully I remember that I need one the next time I visit a mall... anyways, that's it for today.  As I dry off and fold my clothes, I hope all of your respective weeks are drier and (if not) comfortably contained by umbrellas and rain slickers.  Have a good one!