Hot, Hot, Hot

Winter stayed for long this year, even in April we still had our shares of snow and lots, lots of rain. That's why summer hit me so hard this year. Last week we were freezing when Queen's Day (national holiday) was celebrated in rain and wind, and now we're sweating our butts off.

25 - 30 degrees Celsius. In May. That's absolutely hot, but I don't really care this year. Normally I like my springs temperate, a slow build-up to the warmer summer days, but since we had little to no spring this year anyway I'm liking the abrupt shift in weather types. The only problem is my new apartment. It's above a factory hall, which is out in the open, no trees surrounding it. This means that no matter what time of day it is, the sun is always burning on our roof. Thank God this place came equipped with two massive aircos, otherwise I'd now have molten. It's 30 degrees Celsius inside the house.

Still, I'm a summer person, hot houses or no. When people see me they often guess I'm a summer hater. I always wear dark shirts and long pants, but truth is I just don't like it when too many parts of my body are not clothed. However, when summer comes I enter the best time of year. It all has to do with the many great summers I had the past years.

Summers were where it was at for me and my friends. Summers are the long hot nights in front of the pub with something to drink while watching the passers-by and discussing facts of life and society in general. Not to mention the refreshment a quick thunderstorm can bring after a hot day. Summers are when we have the best talks, the nicest trips and when we spend the most time together. The weather just calls for it.

And everything is green. Green is good, especially since it smells so great when it's raining. I cannot describe the smell, if you've never noticed it, step outside on a hot day when it starts raining. That smell is what I mean. The feeling of biking around with no jacket on when the streetlights are reflecting in the wet streets at night....

I'm too nostalgic, I think. All the summers in the past years I have spent in this city. It's a pretty big city for Dutch standards (pop: 175,000) but I feel like I know every inch of it. Almost every part gives off a special vibe to me and reminds me of several ocassions when my friends were there. And as I've told you before, I always link it with certain kinds of music. Visiting those parts in this city by bike at those summer nights, rain or no rain is refreshing in itself. It feels like I'm revisiting my youth, especially when the right songs accompany me on me reminiscing trip. Yes, the fact that summer kicked in early this year can only mean good things. More great nights to spend outside, more reasons to not leave for bed early. I feel like a flower that's opening up after the dark and cold months that now lie behind me.

Hopefully you can welcome the sun in soon, too.