Ailsa’s Travel Theme this week, is ‘Clean’, so I decided to air the clean laundry of complete strangers. Can someone please explain to me why I book my air ticket, pack my cases, brave the scary airport security, travel for thousands of miles to some exotic destination, only to end up taking photos of clothes hanging on wash lines? When I’m at home, I would never dream of photographing the neighbours’ smalls and not so smalls, dancing merrily in the breeze.
Early last year, we travelled to the coastal town of San Pedro in Belize. I do have pics of pelicans and boats etc, but I also have these. I think tumble driers must be very scarce here, but I’m sure the laundry smells much fresher, and the electricity bills are minimal.
I find that there’s something fascinating about laundry in foreign countries. How many bras does a woman need, and does Captain Jack Sparrow live here?
Maybe the people here all do their washing on the same day, as there was no shortage of clean laundry to take pics of.
This brightly painted house had very little on the wash line, but I thought the shrine would make a nice foreground.
I find there’s something quite irresistible about the laundry and palm tree combination on Ambergris Caye.
I wouldn’t have minded the loan of one of these wash lines for a day. I do love my clothes to be clean, and it’s really awkward trying to do laundry on holiday. Maybe that’s why I have to take so many cases with me.
I hope you also enjoyed looking at Belizean washing. Did you find it more compelling than your own?
To see more entries for Ailsa’s Clean Theme, just click on the link.
I love the sights and sounds of laundry hanging in the breeze and sunshine! Nothing smells better either! These are all so colorful and fun!
Thanks so much, Jody. Me too. 🙂
I have been enjoying looking around your blog.
Every post deserved at least a like.
Some appealed to me more than others.
‘A tree falls in the forest;’ I liked because I see faces hidden in nature.
‘Which bed’ very appealing then the ‘OX cart’ round designs is a beauty.
Then without a doubt I found the Blue Ribbon prize.
Washing day, with the pirate from the Caribbean hiding in the washing.
well seen, you have an eye for it. thank you Sylvia.
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Jack. I’m so glad that you enjoyed my posts, and especially the pics. 🙂
🙂
This post reminds me of that post of yours I used on my #200th post. http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/weekly-photo-challenge-everyday-life/
I just went back to have a look. That was a long time ago, but it was a good one, and thank you for reminding me, 🙂
Seeing a laundry-filled line always makes me smile. They’re so reminiscent of my youth, before dryers became widespread. I remember that scent in the air when standing downwind of freshly hung laundry.
Thanks for your comment, John. Glad it brought back fond memories. 🙂
you’ve curated your gallery in an humorous state of mind!
My mind is very often in a humorous state. 😀
Love the photographs of the quaint and colorful houses in Belize.
I once got into a lot of trouble for photographing my neighbours smalls. 🙂
Ooops!! 😆
You must let me know if you are coming my way with your camera. I’ll take my bras off the line!
Hehehe. I will let you know. 🙂
Easter is a promise of joy and renewal
May this one before us
Marks a new beginning
Of happiness, love and prosperity.
Wishing you a Happy Easter!
With love Maxima
Thank you so much, Stefan. Easter greetings to you too. 🙂
This laundry is far more colourful than my own, Sylvia!
Then you need to get with the colour programme, Dianne. A few items of red undies, never go amiss. 🙂
LOL! 😀
While living in Mexico we found this to be a common sight. Seeing laundry on the line always reminds me of my mother, who hung the laundry out each week.
As for the bras, I don’t even own that many! 🙂
Maybe they didn’t all belong to the same woman, but they do all look to be the same size. 🙂
Yes they do. 🙂
So glad that I’m not the only one who loves taking photos if hanging wash! These are great pics!
Thanks, Nicole. 🙂
Love it! Reminds me of life in the Philippines. We still hand wash everything and dry them under the Sun in all their glory. Real, humbling, simple. The tropics reminds us that we don’t need expensive machines to have a good life.
Thanks for your thought provoking comment, IT. I’m glad my photos brought back good memories. 🙂
There are so few neighborhoods in the U. S. that allow laundry to dry on a line that it’s almost like peeking into someone’s private life nowadays. And do you really want some stranger checking out your bras? Your underwear? I’d feel like I had to buy all new underwear if I was going to dry it on a line. But then again, sometimes you learn more about a people than looking at their monuments to a dead society!
Yes, I’ve noticed that about the US. Here in South Africa, and also in Europe, we’re not so shy. 🙂
Nope, you’re not the only one, I do it too http://wp.me/pL5Qv-4B and http://wp.me/pL2aa-eU. I suppose in the UK people don’t hang their washing out in the front of their houses, usually in the back garden, unless like me you don’t have a garden 😦 Afraid I have to use a drier, and drape sheets over an airer. I miss not being able to hang out washing – though recently it would have come back in dirtier than it went out!
Jude xx
I looked at your posts, Jude. I didn’t see the washing hanging out in Venice. Maybe I wasn’t there on washday, 🙂 Yes, it’s not great having to dry washing indoors. I’m lucky in South Africa that I have an enclosed drying yard, but not so in Florida. I don’t think the neighbours would like me to erect a wash line next to the lake. 🙂 Sylvia xx
LOL! I had to laugh Sylvia, especially at the Captain Jack Sparrow photo. Really colourful and beautiful shots and I could smell that good, clean and freshness of the laundry. Lovely post. 😀
Thanks so much, Sonel. Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
I liked them a lot, they reminded me of my country. No tumble dry there neither 😉
Thanks so much. 🙂
Lovely laundry! I do like it flowing in the breeze and the lovely scent when taking it inside again. I have a habit of looking at how it’s hanging and what devices are used in different countries.
Thanks, Leya. I’m so glad that you also find it fascinating. 🙂
Nice laundry shots….and I am even stranger than you, because I have been known to take photos of my own laundry, floating on a soft breeze backlit by sunshine…..so pretty 🙂
Yes, that does sound very pretty and quite romantic too, Seonaid. 🙂
Well done .
I love the colorful laundry drying with the wind.
Thanks so much. 🙂
that is too funny, and so true. How often do we return home with photos and trinkets only to find ourselves saying “what the heck was I thinking?”
Yes, I agree with you, Ruth. I restrain my urge to buy souvenirs these days, either for myself, or friends and family. 🙂
Interesting how most of the world still hangs clothes outside … which is something i don’t see very often.
Yes, I think the Americans are in the minority on this. My DiL told me that she thinks hanging washing outside is very “lower class.” I love her too. 😯
Oh my …. seems DIL has some learning to do.Sounds like she’s American.
How did you guess? 🙂
A tad obvious isn’t it.
Hahaha . . . that is a long way to go to photograph laundry! But it is colorful!
Thanks, Nancy. I assure you that this wasn’t my main objective. 🙂
I LOVE the scent of clothes & sheets & blankets that have been hung out to dry. I miss those days.
Our subdivision doesn’t allow that. Buuuu…
Too cold here & I can’t hang-dry my laundry outside. I really need to move. 🙂
Me too, RoSy. I remember when I lived in winter, hanging diapers out on the wash line in winter, and them being frozen stiff when I fetched them in at the end of the day. 🙂
They look like flags people put up as decors for their homes.
Yes, strange looking flags, YC. 🙂
Here in Australia it’s the done thing to hang our washing out to dry. We do have the right weather for it after all. Most people wouldn’t dream of using a tumble dryer unless it was pouring rain. It’s much nicer to have freshly aired laundry. I love these colourful photos.
You’re right though, I wouldn’t take photos of the washing here either.
It’s much the same in South Africa and England. Electricity is so expensive, and so open-air drying makes a lot of sense, besides being ecologically friendly.
I enjoyed your photos Sylvia, fantastic!
Thanks so much, Della Anna. 🙂
credo che un buon investigatore potrebbe dire molte cose sugli abitanti di quelle case…solo vedendo i panni stesi…he he
tutto molto lindo e delizioso 🙂
I believe that a good investigator could say many things about the inhabitants of those houses … just seeing the drying laundry … he he
all very neat and delightful:-)
Yes, I guess you’re right, Ventis, just the same as the contents of people’s trash bags would tell a lot of tales. 🙂
Sì, credo che tu abbia ragione, Ventis, proprio come il contenuto di sacchetti della spazzatura della gente raccontava un sacco di storie. 🙂
Sylvia … what a cheeky zoom in !
Yes .. other people’s laundry lines can be colourful .. and hmm interesting 😉
Hehehe. It would have been even more ‘cheeky’ if I’d found some big Bloomers to zoom in on. 🙂
We almost moved to a gated community closer to the beach, but those ‘covenants’ about how tall the grass had to be and no hanging wash out were more than I could handle. Don’t think I’d want that kind of elitist for neighbors either… and there weren’t even any Herons to entice me. 🙄
No Herons? Then it definitely wouldn’t have been worth it, Gunta. 🙂
I love being able to hang clothes on a line…I never use a dryer anymore…it just isn’t the same. I loved seeing these Ailsa…very colourful
Glad you enjoyed my prying pics, Jo. 🙂
That’s some colorful laundry! If I hung mine out to dry, it would look like a disco party on my block due to the sequins…
and the animal prints no doubt. 😎
OH yes. Those too!
Ah, you little wash-line paparazzi, you!!!
I love them! Very colorful and I can smell the freshness!
One of the joys in our new house is that I can hang my wash outside my back balcony [especially curtains – straight down: no ironing needed if you get my point!]. They dry in no time on a sunny day and they stay fresh. Although it is not restricted by law, no one actually hangs their wash on their front balconies where it’s visible -with the occasional exceptions- but the back is ok! 🙂
Hehehe. You learn something new about me every day, Marina. 🙂 You certainly sound very happy in your new home. That’s great. xx
Fascinating, and a very good point Sylvia. Why on earth? We all do it though don’t we? Mind you, I can see the charm by looking at these photos, I love them, showing as they do a very different way of life 🙂
Thanks, Sherri. Yes,I agree with you about the ‘certain charm’. 🙂
🙂
The first sign of spring means I can once again hang all of bras, underwear, shirts, pants, towels, etc. on the line. I love the smell and if people have issues with our undergarments don’t look.
Wonderful! I love my undies to wave in the breeze too. 🙂
I’ll stick with my regular clothes dryer. That way everyone won’t realize how many T Shirts I own featuring liquor and beer advertisements. All free give-aways during our annual Bike Week events. 🙂
That must be quite a collection, Phil. Maybe you should hang them up and let me photograph them next time I come past your place. 🙂
Hang out your washing on the Siegfried line.. an old WWII song that springs to mind for some reason Sylvia. Smashing shots. Laundry can be very colourful indeed!
Yes, a great old song which I also remember, which is quite shocking, as I didn’t think either of us was old enough. 🙂
I was involved in a WWII Review with a local theatre company in my teens. Had a wonderful time and learnt all the songs from the era. 🙂
Sylvia so you are a washing voyeur this is a slightly disturbing twist to your blogging 🙂
I’m sorry to ruin your mental vision of me, Scott. 😛 My hubby calls me ‘The laundry Lady’, because I have his clothes washed, ironed and back in his cupboard almost before he’s taken them off. 😀
People are probably going to either
A) Wonder if there’s something wrong with their laundry
or
B) Start taking photos of their neighbour laundry now that they’ve seen you do it lol!
Yes, I’ve probably started a new trend, Andy. 🙂 We’ll probably even start seeing laundry graffiti everywhere. 🙂
heh! that’ll be interesting 🙂
Certainly no rules regarding hanging out your washing there AD 😀
No, not even along the beach. 🙂
I’m with you on this theme as I too love taking photos of laundry while away. Definitely more appealing while traveling. I love the shot of the colorful house.
Thanks, Sue. Glad to know I’m not the only laundry freak. 🙂
I like hanging clothes outside. They smell fresh when you bring them in and you know we have lots of sun here. XD
I enjoyed your pix’s. They’re all terrific.
Issy ❤
Me too, Issy. I always hang washing outside here in South Africa, but where we live in Florida, it’s not allowed, so I hang it in the garage which isn’t nearly as nice. 😦
WOW .. I didn’t know they could do that. It must be a deed restricted community. I know they have more regulations especially with rubbish cans and home color, etc. Well, but everything always looks very pristine. Some sacrifices are worth it. XD
You are not allowed to hang your washing outside ! Why ???
We live on a golf and country club estate in Florida, and there are certain rules which we have to adhere too. I’m getting used to not having a drying yard, but I make the most of it when I’m back here in South Africa. 🙂
I would really miss that. We do have some places like that around NZ. In Bethlehem they have rules on not allowing pet guinea pigs or rabbits…which I find very bizarre.
Maybe it’s because they breed like rabbits and may overrun the place.
I love the look of laundry on the line. Where I live in NJ, I can’t hang out my wash. We don’t have a yard space suitable. It’s one of the things I loved growing up– loved the job of hanging the clothes, especially sheets. When I bike, I like seeing laundry lines. Nice pix, I’m sure you have photos of other great Belize sights!
Yes, my mom taught me how to peg clothes on the wash line as soon as I was old enough to help. We did see some really interesting sites in Belize, especially the Maya ruins at Lamanai. http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/beyond-the-jungle-and-up-the-temples-at-lamanai/