Summer in the Tropics

Summer in the Tropics

Yes, we too have summer now. I know, our temperatures have long exceeded what many people use now to judge their summer arrived. So how does one know that it is summer on a tropical island? For me it is simple: I turn on the cold water to get warm one, and warm water to get cold water.

Sounds crazy? Let me explain: The water pipes to buildings here in Taiwan can not withstand much pressure. (Not sure if simply for cheapness or because an earthquake would do less damage.) So every building has a pump that transports water to a water tower (or a few) on the roof. That tower is usually exposed to the sun.

To get warm water, we have a boiler with a small built-in storage capacity. That boiler is thermally insulated and not on the roof. So, in summer the sun heats up the water in the water tower, and only the first few seconds of cold water will be more or less cold, because that water was already in pipes inside the walls. After that comes warm water from the tower.

The boiler however is not hit by the sun, so it keeps the water inside cool. And that is why we turn on cold water to get warm water, and warm water to get cold water in summer. And summer it is.

陳昇-SUMMER (官方完整版MV)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Dc_yBZT80