2. Then the heat wave started. We got temperatures we never had since 1901 !! We went from 30°C (86 F) to nearly 40° (104 F) ! We are not equipped at all for such a heat and I don't know anybody who has an air conditioning in his house ! Only shopping malls and supermarkets and some other stores have it and most of the cars are equipped with it too.
3. After having done some shopping in a fortunately cool supermarket, I bought a pair of white sandals, before I returned home ! For a moment I thought I should drive around in my car the whole day and keep cool !
4.
This collage resumes the following days. I had moved my computer on the terrace, digged out our ventilator which we hadn't used for ages, and made myself as comfortable as possible. The best thing was not to move ! The cats lay around exhausted wherever I went or inside on the cool tiles or outside in a shady place.
We ate noodle or rice salad the whole week and after a movie on TV I stayed on a deck chair in my nighty and read until I nearly fell asleep and I dragged myself into my bed.
On TV we got informations all the time what to do and how to behave in this so unusual heat.
5. The highlight of the week was the invitation to a cocktail of the mayoress of Waterloo. She and the people who had organized the bicentenary of the Waterloo had invited all volunteers to thank us.
She is a very attractive and very friendly person and her "Thank you" speech was full of humor.
Around drinks and snacks we chatted and each of us told the most funniest experiences they had made with all these tourists. All in all it turned out that the tourists from all countries (UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Russia) had been very friendly and patient despite the not so good organized transport to the Lion, except the French and Chinese !
We all had a very nice time and are ready for the next work as volunteers !
and this is the official photo which was published in the Newspaper.
more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.
What a fun way to wrap up the volunteer effort of the bicentenary! Wow, 104 is really how even with air conditioning - I can't imagine it without it.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine 104 degrees temps without air conditioning. :(
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your efforts for the bicentenary. (Those snacks look delicious!)
Enjoy your weekend, Gattina.
Oh wow, what a thanks to you all. You look good in your "uniform". And the snacks look yummy. I'm used to heat that you talk about - but then in Africa we always had Aircon in cars and homes. But now we're getting so cold and that I'm not used to! Have a great weekend. Jo
ReplyDeleteGattina, I couldn't believe how hot your temperatures were! I do hope they've cooled down some by now.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed hearing about and seeing pictures from your time as a volunteer. (And I love your red shoes!)
Wow, those are hot temperatures especially since spring was such a long time coming for you. When we didn't have AC when we lived in Los Angeles, we would go to a coffee shop and 'rent a chair' during the hottest part of the day--the charge was a cup of coffee or a cold drink.
ReplyDeleteYour mayoress certainly treated you well!
What fun for all the volunteers to get together. So pleased you had a good time. We have also been suffering under the heatwave.
ReplyDeleteWe only had one day of heat (26 degrees) and now we are back to 15-19 degrees again. Which is summer in Norway I guess...
ReplyDeleteHow nice that all the volunteers were recognized for their hard work by the mayor! Sounds like our areas are both experiencing a heat wave. It is hotter here than usual too and very dry. Looking forward to this weekend as it's supposed to give some relief but then next week it'll be hot again. I think I would have been tempted to sleep in that chair outside!
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ReplyDeleteOh what a lovely luncheon and nice to be thanked for your volunteer work.
ReplyDeleteAh, you got a little taste of the high temperatures we have here! Good thing you found a way to cope with slow relaxation and lots of rest ;-) That thank you party looked very nice and what a lovely group photo of all you volunteers together!
ReplyDeleteThat was very nice of the Mayoress to honor all of you deserving Volunteers.
ReplyDeleteWe grew up in a little town in the desert-like part of Washington State, in the days before air conditioning. The temperatures regularly reached over 100 F ... And every summer, the paper would run a picture of someone frying an egg on the sidewalk. I've done it myself! But now we are all spoiled and I can't imagine that kind of heat without Air conditioning. I hope it is the only such hot weather you have this summer.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on doing a good job at volunteering.
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