And this, as has been said over and over again, was only June - we still have July and August to look forward to.
On Monday (22 June) I took a train to Fulda for an annual meeting with other data protection officers. I've been there in 2025 and in 2024; clicking on the year will take you to my posts about those times.
This year, I arrived with a delay of 20 minutes, which was no problem since I always plan generously when travelling on our notoriously late trains.
My room at the hotel was ready and I went straight up. Unfortunately, housekeeping had neither pulled the blinds down nor closed the curtains against the heat (32C/90F), and so the room felt stuffy and hot, especially with the carpet. I don't like carpets much and if I have the choice prefer rooms with smooth floors such as tiles, parquet or laminate. But it was spacious and clean, and when I spotted the A/C wall unit, I shut blinds and curtains and switched it on so that the room could cool while I was at the conference.
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| View from my balcony |
We were booked for dinner at the hotel's own restaurant, fortunately outdoors. It was warm but not unbearably hot under the large umbrellas, and the food was alright if nothing special (we weren't there for culinary delights, but for work).
Afterwards, we joined our colleague who has customers in Fulda and visits the place several times a year. Like before, he took us to his favourite ice cream parlour for dessert (their ice creams really are very tasty) and then guided us through the Baroque town centre and on to the paths by the river, which made for pleasant walking.
By the time I was in my room - 20 past 10 or so - it was well cooled. I turned the A/C off, got ready for bed and slept well.
The conference ended on Tuesday (23 June) at 3:00 pm so that everyone (we were from all over Germany) had a chance to return home the same day.
I had a couple of hours before my train was due, and used that time to re-visit the two small parks, former cemeteries, which I had liked so much two years ago but couldn't go to last year.
They are next to each other and easy to find, and although it was hot at about 30C/86F in Fulda, I enjoyed the leisurely stroll and rested on a bench in the shade for a while to drink from my water flask.
The train was late (no surprise there) but managed to recover some of the delay during the journey, and at 7:45 pm I was home - back to my flat which was really hot (in spite of me having kept the windows and blinds shut) and stuffy, since nobody had been there to open the windows over night.
Wednesday and Thursday (24 and 25 June) saw me at the office. My room there faces north, and although outdoors the thermometer rose to 36C/97F, it was just pleasantly warm inside.
Both days I found the way home challenging with VERY crowded trains and long-ish waits on baking hot platforms, and as soon as I arrived at my flat, I had to rest on my bed for a while.
By Thursday, I measured 27C/80F in my bedroom and 28C/82F in my kitchen.
No walks on either day except for the few minutes for public transport.
I have already told you about Friday (26 June) evening; the day itself was uneventful. As usual on such hot days (37C/98F), I made sure to do my groceries shopping and cleaning early so that I could sit at my desk and work later.
Originally, we had planned for O.K. to arrive on Saturday (27 June) for the weekend at my place, but we decided against it - it was just too hot to do anything, and we definitely weren't going to cook meals or go for walks. Also, an official advice had been issued on the radio for people to stay put and keep indoors if possible; on some roads, the heat has been causing problems with the asphalt and other building material, and it was sensible to stay where we were.
38C/100F meant I went out only briefly to post a letter and get bread for the weekend, spending the entire day in my darkened flat, alternating between resting, reading, blogging, playing The Sims 2 and in the evening watching TV.
O.K. and I spoke on the phone, of course.
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| Local weather on TV on Saturday |
On Sunday (28 June) I was up early, like I had been every day that week - a combination of a warm bedroom, open windows, birds singing right next to my ear, early sunrise and neigbhours who like to make their presence heard as soon as they are up meant I was awake around 4:00 in the morning. Some mornings I managed another hour or so of fitful sleep, but there wasn't a day when I did not get up well before 6:00.
At 5:35 on Sunday morning, I went for a walk - and it felt so good! At only 23C/73F, it was lovely to be out, and even better once I left the houses behind and was on the fields where a light breeze was blowing.
When I was home an hour later, it was already much warmer, and the rest of the 36C/97F hot day was spent pretty much like Saturday. The thermometer in my kitchen showed 30C and the one in my bedroom 29.
The forecast was for slightly cooler temperatures on Monday and finally some rain over the next week - it couldn't come too soon for me. And that's coming from me, the woman who spent every summer on Sicily for almost ten years, and was happiest when temperatures ranged between 25 and 35C/77 and 95F.
We have a heat wave this week with over 90°F each day. My A/C will keep me cool and I can walk at the shopping mall (with A/C) if I want to get my steps in. I'll drive my grandsons to and from day camp as my youngest son will be in Manchester, England this week and my DiL works at our local hospital.
ReplyDeleteHope it cools off soon where you are so you can get out for your beautiful walks!
Walking at the shopping mall sounds a good idea when it's too hot (or cold, or wet) to walk outdoors - but it comes with its own perils. Or do you then not feel tempted to buy something only because you're there anyway, and it looks nice...? :-)
DeleteIt's been a little cooler yesterday, and I was finally able to do my customary Benningen-walk again!
I don't carry money when I walk so never tempted to spend! ;)
DeleteYou are a wise woman, Ellen :-)
DeleteTen years of holidaying in Sicily didn't prepare you for this, Meike.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Downtown Toronto in HDR Walk. YouTube. Johnny Strides.
A once original city was redeveloped into a concrete jungle. An oven. Three days ago.
My father was fascinated by a movie, The Day the Earth Caught Fire. 1961.
He used to say that one day it might happen. He thought Glasgow would escape it !
I have only been venturing out after 8 p.m. and even then it's sweltering.
The red-roofed church is the place to sit in. I enjoyed your Handel post so much.
The chapel on the old cemetery was shut, as it was two years ago when I last was there. I'd so love to look inside!
DeleteMy town has been re-opening several sealed surfaces around the centre as part of their heat management measures. It also means that heavy rain (which usually accompanies thunderstorms) can get into the ground and not flood the streets. The rain water is collected underneath the re-opened squares and used by the town gardeners.
It was different on Sicily for various reasons: a) it was dry heat, not humid; b) I didn't work (apart from house work, which was always plenty when the entire family was there, and of course I as the good daughter-in-law worked alongside my mother-in-law), c) days were structured to avoid the worst of the heat, rising early, having a long afternoon nap and then being up and about from late evening onwards.
The heatwave here has suddenly cooled again and a welcome breeze and spot of rain has helped refresh people and gardens alike. However, the next heatwave has already been forecast to occur in a few days' time.
ReplyDeleteWe've finally, finally had a night below 20C (19 as I am typing this at 6:13 am) after a thunderstorm that brought rain. Everything looks and feels a little fresher for it, even the birds sounded happier this morning (can birds be happy?).
DeleteI know it's just a respite; this is summer, after all, and the next heatwave is on the way.
I do hope it cools down for you soon! I went out at 6 this morning and 75 degrees felt wonderful. The temp went up to 95 in the day. Love the sound of the walk in the cemetary. Very peaceful. Take care! Maybe July and August will be cooler than normal! We live in hope.
ReplyDeleteIt has cooled down, Kay; see my reply to ADDY's comment :-)
DeleteI doubt July and August will be cooler as a whole, but we're to expect more thunderstorms, some of them might be quite heavy.
Nothing as horrible as what the people in Venezueala have to deal with right now, though! (I know it was an earthquake there, nothing to do with our thunderstorms. But it helps me to keep in mind that what we experience is going to be normal summer weather now, while elsewhere in the world, people struggle to survive.)
Those temperatures are really frightening to me! Glad for you that you had AC in your hotel room...! We're back to around 23'C here now (outdoors) and now seem to have a week of below 20 and rain ahead. Just now I still feel I prefer that to extreme heat... Remains to be seen how long before I start complaining about it being too cold! (?) ;)
ReplyDeleteWe're having good summerly temperatures now, too, with cooler nights so that we can really air our houses and flats before it gets too warm during the day. Yesterday was a max of 26C, today we'll reach 29C, but we've had a wonderful cool night at 16-17C. I have had the best sleep since two weeks or so!
DeleteThat is a very spacious hotel room! I'm surprised your trains are habitually late. I would have thought Germany would have very punctual trains!
ReplyDeleteThat hot week was miserable, wasn't it? Glad you fared OK and even managed some good walks. Like you, I got out and walked early in the morning and it was actually quite nice at that time.
If you click back on the linked post from Fulda 2025, you'll see that my room back then (same hotel) was even larger - I could have very easily thrown a good party in there, with enough room to dance!
DeleteI am amazed that YOU are amazed about the notoriously late trains in Germany, Steve. I write of delays and cancellations and missed connections here on my blog all the time. Our train system was efficient and punctual until it was privatised in 1994. From then onwards, it's been a steady downhill ride, so to speak...
Yes, I was pretty miserable last weekend apart from that early walk on Sunday morning. I felt reminded of the time of the pandemic, when everyone was isolating at home. Only that back then, I was walking A LOT!