Today in Zurich the temperature is about 32 degrees C. There are weather warnings of "significant risk", a level 3 out 5 which is described as "heatwave expected". In Sydney, a 32 is a really hot day but quite regular in summer and not a heatwave. We did experience a 46 in Sydney one New Years Day and that was a major Sydney heatwave.
Nonetheless, I have become unaccustomed to this heat and we have all the blinds down and most windows shut on the basis that the air outside is hotter than the air inside in most parts of the house. This heatwave is forecast to last until at least Wednesday.
School starts this week so no doubt families are out enjoying their last fun day of the summer holidays and many will fall victim to sunstroke since people here seem to be determined to stock up on Vitamin D for the entire year when there is a day like this.
Richard swam in the lake yesterday i.e. Zurich lake for the first time since arriving - I am unlikely to do so. Even at 21 degrees it is too cold for me though I could almost imagine doing it today. He enjoyed it apart from the pebbly bottom which his delicate feet found rather rough. I suggested that next time he takes his Crocs but then again that might cause him to slip and that would probably be even less good for his health.
Our newly arrived Australian via Canada friend, Alexa, is an experienced lake swimmer even though she has only been here just over a week (in other words, she had already tested it before taking Richard for a swim there. She prefers not to put her head under water however as she found it rather "green" down there. One of our neighbours, Rene, pooh-poohed her worry that it might not be so healthy saying you could drink the lake water with impunity. I think she was more worried about boat fuel than anything but I pointed out that Swiss boats on lakes were not allowed to discharge anything vaguely smacking of health hazard into the water. Ducks and swans even dogs and horses may discharge unmentionables, but not boats. Talking of which: why are horses allowed to spread manure all over walking paths but not dogs? We make some questionable distinctions in our judgement of risk - it would appear to be primarily an emotional thing.
Nonetheless, I have become unaccustomed to this heat and we have all the blinds down and most windows shut on the basis that the air outside is hotter than the air inside in most parts of the house. This heatwave is forecast to last until at least Wednesday.
School starts this week so no doubt families are out enjoying their last fun day of the summer holidays and many will fall victim to sunstroke since people here seem to be determined to stock up on Vitamin D for the entire year when there is a day like this.
Richard swam in the lake yesterday i.e. Zurich lake for the first time since arriving - I am unlikely to do so. Even at 21 degrees it is too cold for me though I could almost imagine doing it today. He enjoyed it apart from the pebbly bottom which his delicate feet found rather rough. I suggested that next time he takes his Crocs but then again that might cause him to slip and that would probably be even less good for his health.
Our newly arrived Australian via Canada friend, Alexa, is an experienced lake swimmer even though she has only been here just over a week (in other words, she had already tested it before taking Richard for a swim there. She prefers not to put her head under water however as she found it rather "green" down there. One of our neighbours, Rene, pooh-poohed her worry that it might not be so healthy saying you could drink the lake water with impunity. I think she was more worried about boat fuel than anything but I pointed out that Swiss boats on lakes were not allowed to discharge anything vaguely smacking of health hazard into the water. Ducks and swans even dogs and horses may discharge unmentionables, but not boats. Talking of which: why are horses allowed to spread manure all over walking paths but not dogs? We make some questionable distinctions in our judgement of risk - it would appear to be primarily an emotional thing.
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