The interior of the Balkans -- Bucharest, Belgrade -- has a continental climate. Yes, we're close to the sea, but the winds blow in the wrong direction, or there are mountains in the way, and the gentle mellow breezes of the Aegean and the Adriatic stay in the Aegean and the Adriatic. Belgrade's climate resembles Chicago more than Athens. Bucharest gets hot dry summers and cold snowy winters too.
This is distinct from western Europe, which tends to have milder climates. Sure, there are snowy winters in Bavaria and hot summers in the south of France, but on average the seasonal variations are not so great.
That's why the last couple of weeks have been so strange.
From London to Warsaw, Western and Central Europe have been suffering through the worst heat wave in a century. In London it went over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) for the first time ever. In Claudia's home town of Ostheim, crops are dying and people are sweltering under a relentless sun. It's very bizarre...
...and it hasn't touched Romania. The heat wave stops in Hungary, a few hundred miles northwest of here. The last week has been absolutely beautiful: temperatures in the low 80s (25-30 Celsius), light breezes, low humidity. Perfect Frisbee weather.
This is also very unusual; normally August in Bucharest is impossible, desperately hot and sticky.
It's probably a completely random thing. So rather than drawing any great conclusions, I'll just try to enjoy the nice weather. And hope it lasts until Claudia and the boys get down here next week.