Thundering Grumbles!

Now that I've moved from London, UK to Budapest, Hungary, you'll be dying to know what the subject on everyone's lips is here. Well, it's the weather.

Since I arrived a week ago at the start of the month, every day has seen straight-down pours of torrential rain. It's June, it's hot and, apparently, this rain is unusual.

My first experience was while sat under a roof extension at a pavement cafe. First, a few drops fell. Diners moved under cover. Then the sky opened to a clattering downpour.

In London, rainy days are dull and grey. Here, I watched the rain fall onto the pavement as the sun shone as bright as ever on the very same spot.

There's thunder and lightening, too. The rolling booms and cracks trapped and echoed by the six and seven story buildings that line Pest's streets and enhanced by the Buda hills that stand guard over the city to the West.

To me, the rainfall is just another attractive feature of the city. It rains for 30 minutes, stops, then returns 30 minutes later. But it's around for far less than half the day. The predominant environment remains sunny and hot, delivering 27C or more. But there's the rub!

Budapestis complain that it's so humid. And with this recurring rainfall around - so it is. There are sleepless nights and tired daytime expressions. But the upside is - it's a good subject for Budapestis to grumble about.

And this morning it looks like there may be a turn in the weather. It's cool and fresh and not that sunny. What - near the middle of June? Now there's a subject for another pleasant grumble!