re: My host also spent time pouring buckets of water around to cool down the cement.

back in the 1960's, we lived on the fifth floor (top)of an apartment building (in the bronx)

every evening, on hot days, my dad would go to roof, and lower a hose that my 'grabbed' with a bent coat hanger.

she'd attach to the kitchen sink faucet (we had a quick connect fitting)--and he would hose down the hot asphalt, with cold tap water. (and it would cool via evaperation.. and in time cool the apartment too--we had no A/C back then, just fans, and it made a big difference.

(we also 'washed" (off the sand) after a trip to the beach on the roof.. the parapet offered some privacy, (and most of the building were the same height) we'd rinse off, remove our suits, and walk down to the apartment wrapped in a towel)
(now days access to the roof is not permitted.. (it was beginning to happen in the early 1970's

my other obsession