Before the heat wave baked my brains, I was in Aigina (greek island near Athens) with M who was taking part in a conference. The photos of the next following days are from there.
Today we had 47 Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) in Athens, the highest temperature on the planet, according to the news. I cannot stress enough what kind of hell this is. A bird was so disorientated that it came into the house, flapped its wings and went out the kitchen window. Writing on the computer makes the heat even more unbearable. Going out is like going to war. Emergency services are on high alert and public services close early at noon. There are scattered power cuts but we live in fear of a blackout. Which will mean death to many people for whom air conditioners are similar to life support machines. Several people died of the heat wave, most of them elderly.
The buildings are so hot, that they in turn, emit heat to the environment, raising the temperature even more. We sit around and do nothing all day. It is impossible to do anything. My eyes itch and hurt because of the heat. Everything smells bad. If this is the future of the planet, I do not want to live to see it.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I detest hot summers, especially the ones that are over 100 degrees Farenheit. 116 degrees is too bloody hot. I’ve seen toasters melt at that temperture. Maybe it’s time to buy a walk in freezer and live inside it, or use it as a summer home in the home? For some reason, I seriously doubt the UK has heat problems like this.
Chloe says:
that’s why i am not spending another hot summer in greece. i’m thinking Britain is not north enough for me at this point.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
…and I thought I was dying last summer when it was 34 degrees C… hope it gets colder for you soon!
Chloe says:
34 hehe, that’s virtually springtime weather
June 26th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Oh dear…I had 47 degrees once in the Algarve and I seriously thought I was going to die of insanity. It was painfully hot, it was really an inferno. And I didn’t have air conditioning - I couldn’t even sleep at night.
That was the hottest temperature I ever got and I’ll never forget it.
I’m sending you many fresh thoughts and hopefully some fresh wind. It’s still chilly over here, not to brag, sorry.
Chloe says:
i had no idea it could get that hot over there too. but then again, i had no idea it could get that hot here either!
June 27th, 2007 at 12:10 am
have I burned another hole into my graphics card or is that glass slightly banana-shaped? or ist that wishful thinking? and if it’s really shaped that way, where did you find it?
47°C is a perfect excuse to eat a pint of icecream every day! ;-))
xx
Chloe says:
yep, that must be another hole. The truth is i achieved that by the power of concentration only.
i don’t know Daria, they are everywhere in Greek cafes.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Oh I hope it cools off for you now.
Blessings my friend.
I have missed you
Love Jeanne
Chloe says:
thanks Jeanne. I wasn’t able to blog much, it was too hot to think and sit at my desk. xxx
June 27th, 2007 at 12:37 am
I’ve seen temperatures like that a couple of times and it was very unpleasant. Both times I got on a plane at Gatwick where it was grey mediocre British weather and stepped out into something akin to hot breath on skin but over my entire body. I found it played havok with my body clock because it was pretty much impossible to think straight during the day, and only marginally better at night. Sleeping with sweaty body parts is no fun at all. When forced to go outside my near best friend was Lanacane Medicate Body powder, which, if you can get it in Greece, gives the perception that you’re cool and sweat free even if you’re not. Great stuff.
I hope things cool down for you.
Chloe says:
thanks for the tip Jack. Next time i am in a pharmacy i’ll look it up. Sleeping with sweaty body parts is disgusting. You wake up in a pool of your own sweat, usually with a headache too.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:18 am
We made the mistake of vacationing in Malaga in June. It was unbearable without air conditioning, forcing us to spend most of our time in uninteresting hotel rooms. Pretty much a wasted holiday.
But 116! I have never experienced such a thing. How perfectly awful. And in a city with all the the traffic and bad air. I hope people don’t die.
I’m sending you some refreshing Hawaiian trade wind breezes along with my best to you and your fellow sufferers.
Chloe says:
oh no, that’s the worst that can happen on vacation. such a waste of time and money. thanks, some of the hawaian wind must have reached me. xx
June 27th, 2007 at 3:49 am
Soooooo…I was all ready to blog about how hot it is here today (we are in the middle of a heat wave) but 95F seems a bit tame compared to what you’re having to suffer through
Hang in there!
Steph
i hate to brag but we have the hottest weather ever xx
June 27th, 2007 at 8:08 am
Hi, Chloe. I’ve tagged you for a meme, “What you do not know about me,” over at my blog. Take a look.
June 27th, 2007 at 8:35 am
you can come to LA if you like. it was only around 80F today (about 30C). i mean, it gets up to the 100s in the valley, but who wants to live there anyway?
Chloe says:
right, we don’t. we want to move up north. i am going to Cathy in Canada.
June 27th, 2007 at 10:26 am
chloe, it’s still better than the summer of ‘87, when we had 48-50 degreec Celsius for 2 weeks. Very few people had air condition at home back then. The interesting thing is that this is happening in June now, not in July/August.
Chloe says:
you are right. but we were 20 years younger then (and didn’t notice!)
June 27th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Wow…You poor girl. I had no idea it was that hot where you lived. It is hard to function when the temps are that crazy. Probably hard to sleep too!
Take care of yourself. Cold wash cloths whenever or wherever.
Hugs,
Connie
Chloe says:
i had no idea either! it didn’t use to be that hot, the weather is going crazy.
June 27th, 2007 at 11:41 am
My mother and her husband are in Aigina now, they’ve been for a week or so - mostly in the water, they tell me. I think that’s the only way to survive… I’m amazed you manage to sit by a computer at all! Best of luck, it will cool down (somewhat) - eventually…
Chloe says:
oh poor guys, actually Aigina is more humid than Athens and thus, a bit worse. Of course there is the sea…
June 27th, 2007 at 11:46 am
OMG, Chloe, I can’t imagine that hottness !! We often get low 40s, but 47 … OMG.
Hope it has cooled down to a bearable temperature now.
Stay cool, take care, Meow xx
Chloe says:
thanks Kitty! it’s better already. Take care. xx
June 27th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Yikes! That’s crazy hot!
Forgive me if I get a bit nerdy right now, but this is the sort of thing (of many) that concerns people in the medical world about global warming. Old people and sick people don’t cope well in the heat.
After the big heatwaves here a few years ago new response systems were put into place to deal with heatwaves - identifying susceptible populations and coping mechanisms for public services.
I hope it cools down soon.
Chloe says:
you are not getting nerdy. it’s exactly the same situation with really cold winters, something we have prepared for -more or less- but burning hot summers are something new in Europe, so we’d better prepare for that too.
June 27th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
i can relate, it’s about 100 here but with the humidity it feels like hell. we call it “code orange” here, lol. i wonder what code red would feel like?
Chloe says:
erm, maybe hanging your t-shirt out to dry and taking back after 5 minutes, ironed too?
June 27th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
yesterday we were in the 90’s. My husband works in a factory.. no air. He was sick most of the rest of the day. He says add 15 degrees to out side to his work. We have no AC at our house so sleeping last night was dreadful. Today it so muggy and we are suppose to have storms.
Chloe says:
what can we do? we’ve drunk as much lemonade and iced teas as possible! i sometimes spray some water on the bed, try it.
June 27th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
INdeed, thank goodness for air conditioning. 116 is not unherad of here in Las Vegas, NV, though we have yet to reach those levels these year, they are not far-Since summer just started. our heat season will go well into September.
Stay in the shade!
June 27th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
It’s dry though, yes? That sort of temperature combined with humidity would set me to the loony bin.
Down in Southern California, they get the Santa Anas, which is a hot, dry, dusty wind that’ll make you climb the walls. It’s like getting slapped in the face with a hot glove.
To the bathtub. With ice.
Chloe says:
thanks Greg, i am constantly in the bathtub. my skin has wrinkled from all the water. i think i am turning into an otter.
June 27th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
Is it my imagination or is that glass melting?
Chloe says:
it’s your imagination Papa. I don’t know why, i find these glasses everywhere in greek cafes. they are very fashionable.
June 27th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Living in Texas, I can relate to the high temps along with horrible humidity. We’ve had fairly mild weather so far but as someone else mentioned, Summer has only just begun. Right now we are getting tons of rain which is causing some flooding problems nearby.
I hope the heat eases up for you soon. We were recently in Mexico and while it wasn’t 116 the humidity was enough to make you melt. I survived by constantly fanning myself with a cheap little fold up fan purchased at the local arts market for $2US.
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog. So hello!! from Austin, Texas.
k.
Chloe says:
Hello!
i wish we had some rain too. i think we should all go north. i long for chilly evenings when i can drink some spicy wine!
i liked your blog too.
June 28th, 2007 at 3:13 am
Hi there. I hope it cools down for you.
Chloe says:
thanks Angel. It is better already. how are you? xx
June 28th, 2007 at 4:54 am
God, that’s insane. I worry about my Mother-in-law in Athens. She has air conditioning but hates to spend the money to use it. I hate when elderly people get like that. WE had 35C today and I thought I would die, I could never live or visit Greece in summer. We’re coming in September, hopefully it will cool off by then…ciao
Chloe says:
it will still be hot but not that hot. 30 C would be good.
June 29th, 2007 at 3:54 am
Megalh pikra gia tis pyrkagies. Pws ginetai…
Chloe says:
Kai sto Pilio kiolas. Einai ena apo ta liga prasina meri pou exoume. Nomizo pos prospathoun na mas poun na fygoume apo edo. Den mporo na to eksigiso allios. H Ellada tha ginei ena terastio parking gia 4×4
June 29th, 2007 at 4:44 am
Jeepers. I know what 47 degrees is like, but it’s gotta be worse in a big city like athens. Hang in there!
Chloe says:
It’s the dirtiest 47 degrees ever! xx
July 1st, 2007 at 1:54 pm
i love your blog, way to go but are u really 251 years old? The pic of the sea is intriguing. It looks so inviting, yet deeply you know it holds danger. Are you a native Athenian?
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:29 am
YUCK!! i think i shall come visit in the fall then! LOL.
poor baby.
hope you can get cooled off. swimming maybe?
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:39 pm
its very hot.. and i saw fire while enjoy Opera. anyways, i heard fellow weeks should be better. lets hope.
July 3rd, 2007 at 9:22 am
Damn, that is extreme to say the least.
OK no more complaining about the heat here in Cali.
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:39 pm
i’m with nocturnal.. i won’t be bitching about the texas heat! yes, i will.. but, i’ll think of you in the 116 degrees and feel better!! poor chloe!
September 20th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Very interested comments and Pictures. Thank you and Best regards from Germany. Autoversicherung