The heatwave continues...

Blijburg - bananas, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

A thunderstorm came over last night, not giving any rain, but the sun has been out again today and it is above 30 degrees again, making it the longest heatwave I have experienced here since the mid- to late- 1990's (having missed both of the ones we had two years ago).

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far, going above 36 degrees in the south, 33.7 maximum here in Amsterdam.

Gradually, the air is getting more humid, the nights, warmer and it is getting more difficult to get a good night's sleep. Poor Fred has a nasty chesty cough/cold and has been hiding away in the basement, trying to keep cool.

The grapes outside are as fat as they have ever been at this time of the year and will no doubt be providing fodder to the greedy fat pigeons from opposite within the month (they like the grapes just before they are sweet enough for human consumption).