One distinctly unique behavior I noticed among my Belgian friends in Kyrgyzstan is that they were constantly talking about terraces. It’s sunny, let’s go sit on a terrace. We’ll order tea and beer and sit on a nice terrace.
Farrell and I could never match their enthusiasm, especially in Bishkek where it was sunny most of the time. They’d tell us about how it rained a lot where they came from, Ghent, and we’d nod our heads and pretend like we understood their obsession with sunshine and terraces.
But now, we truly get it.
It rains a lot in Ghent. When it’s not raining, a lot of days are just grey. The season has been teasing us with warm weather lately, but as soon as the sun is hidden behind an (inevitable) cloud or two, it’s chilly again.
With the sign that perhaps more consistent warm weather is on the way, we took the cue and trekked out to Ikea to buy furniture for our little slab of outdoor space. And with ridiculously long days (northern latitudes, what a weird thing), I foresee many nights watching the sky change colors with my lovely love after Darwin goes to bed.
(Unless, of course, it’s raining like it is today, soaking our new furniture and grill.)
Sounds like Seattle weather. This actually prompted me to go and see if Seattle had any sister cities in Belgium – it doesn’t! Missed opportunity! – but I learned that Tashkent is one of its many sister cities. Weird!
and Tashkent is a sister city to Kortrijk, Belgium, so that makes us like… cousin cities?
Yes! Before we lived in Belgium I was always confused about why people over here were always ready to tell us about how great that sunny day was last week. We came from a place that was sunny all the time so we took it for granted. Now I get it.
Exactly! I’m sorry to admit that yesterday I didn’t spend any time outside (I’m in PA now) even though it was sunny, because it was “too wet”. I need to get my act together and start enjoying this weather, even if it’s more common here.
I dig it. In Moscow it was the same after the winter/constant spring rain – but on benches in the park as we’re not quite so fancy as the Belgians.
I love your little terrace, even if it is 90% rainy.
Thank you! If Moscow parks were anything like Bishkek parks, well-maintained and full of flowers and statues, then it’s certainly not a bad place to hang out in the sunshine.
Since moving to NL I too have a serious appreciation/obsession with terraces … even if it’s actually quite chilly. Like in Belgium, most days are either rainy or grey, and at this point even a passing blue sky feels like a reason to celebrate! I, who in Toronto cranked up the air conditioning and would never have found it a fun idea to sit on damp grass if I could help it, now rush out of the office for a coffee break and a sit ANYWHERE I can find if there is the slightest glimpse of sunlight!
I agree! Some days it’s a good enough reason to go outside if it’s simply “not raining… that much”.