what is the quickest way to cool my apartment? no a/c..? Answered

• Shades on the West-facing windows - preferably one in the each window and another one outside, six inches to a few feet from the wall.
• Your East-facing windows face right into a West-facing wall, if I read your (rather helpful) diagram right. Does that wall soak up heat all day and thn re-radiate it into your East windows? - Best solution would be to paint the wall white and then plant vines (okay, this isn't the quickest solution, even if you get fast-growing vines). Second best, window shades as above.
• Cross-ventilation for your bedroom at night: open the two North- facing windows in the bedroom and the East-facing windows in the living room. Keep the kitchen window shut, and put a fan in the hall - better yet, one at each end - to draw cool air in from the courtyard and blow it towards the east windows. (The West bedroom window you'll have to experiment with to see if it's better open or shut). You may be able to increase the effect by watering down the courtyard to cool it and the air above it off.
• Use only all-cotton (or other natural fiber) sheets (they're often available for cheap at thrift stores) and wear all natural fiber clothing.
• Take lots and lots of cool showers.
• Move to Antarctica.

2 old tricks for hot sleepless nights: 1. that hot water bottle you use in winter - half fill it and put it in the freezer or use an ice pack - you need to wrap in something to prevent condensation - I use an old sock. Put it in bed with you. 2. In extreme heat take the top sheet from the bed and wet it under the tap. Put it over you - as it dries it will cool your body by evaporation. Indeed it may be too cold for you.

Curtains!