Into every traveler’s life some errands must fall. And by yesterday it was more than time to do laundry. 

We’re lucky to be staying in a little apartment with drop-dead gorgeous views, a tiny balcony, and a small washing machine under the cabinet, where a dishwasher might be in the U.S. 

The machine’s buttons were mysterious and there was no information in the apartment that might explain how to turn the thing on, so Tom looked up the owner’s manual online. Even that didn’t tell us what we needed to know. But he tinkered with the appliance until it came on … and it stayed on for the next couple of hours. 

I wasn’t sure if our clothes would ever be dry again, but I was pretty sure they would be clean. And in fact, they are now both. The drying rack fits over the balcony railing, and, with a little ingenuity, over two kitchen chairs, as well. So by this morning, we had clean, dry clothes. 

It was an adventurous laundry day, Madeira style. 

(Clothespins: a laundry day essential)