I remember my first Autumn in Munich, towards the end of the season when the cool air was beginning to get it’s harsh edge of cold. A friend who had lived there a little longer than me and so had therefore witnessed winter there asking me if I had bought my winter coat yet. I shook my head, explaining I already had a winter coat; in fact it was the one I was wearing. She looked me up and down, eying up the long black wool coat and burst into laughter; “That is not a winter coat!” A month later, the weather had chilled even more, and I went and bought a ‘proper’ winter coat.
I still have that coat, and it has served me through two Munich winters and a Sevillian ‘winter’. Once, again though, my thick coat is not up to the job and I have had to venture into the more industrial strength of the coat world: This winter calls for a duvet coat.
One of the first things we were told, and then told again, and again, was that to survive the winter pain free, invest in a good coat and a decent pair of boots.
Boy, has that already turned out to be good advice!!
I still have that coat, and it has served me through two Munich winters and a Sevillian ‘winter’. Once, again though, my thick coat is not up to the job and I have had to venture into the more industrial strength of the coat world: This winter calls for a duvet coat.
One of the first things we were told, and then told again, and again, was that to survive the winter pain free, invest in a good coat and a decent pair of boots.
Boy, has that already turned out to be good advice!!
Only yesterday I was speaking to someone at the gym and she said how you can easily spot the newcomers to Montreal by their thin coats and paltry boots. She took one look at mine, and said I didn’t look like a newcomer – a good sign for the months ahead on the warmth factor!
For the couple of weeks after buying the coat I had to stop myself from wearing it - despite the thought of wrapping myself up in the cosy duvet style of it appealing to me, the temperatures were not cold enough to justify it.
So that was the coats, but on with the footwear. Those in the know have explained that cheap boots aren’t good, as the salt and grit will destroy them before winter is up. Boots I once considered to be winter footwear are mere fashion wear.
For the couple of weeks after buying the coat I had to stop myself from wearing it - despite the thought of wrapping myself up in the cosy duvet style of it appealing to me, the temperatures were not cold enough to justify it.
So that was the coats, but on with the footwear. Those in the know have explained that cheap boots aren’t good, as the salt and grit will destroy them before winter is up. Boots I once considered to be winter footwear are mere fashion wear.
But with our winter uniform we could comfortably stand these temperatures…just! I am a cold person – my feet and lips go blue even during a typical English summer.
The temperature during the first week of January dipped to -26 with windchill in the daytime, I think there was one particular night it reached -30!
Layering seems to be the way to go: a hat and then the coat hood. Two pairs of socks in fur-lined boots. Ski trousers, four layers under my coat. My hands are not so toasty, so a ‘proper’ pair of gloves will have to be purchased I think. On one of the cold days we went for a fifteen minute walk up to one of the main streets, by the time we reached the street my hands were numb and sore so we had to duck into a café and warm my hands on a hot mug of coffee before the walk back home.
And winter has only just begun...
Layering seems to be the way to go: a hat and then the coat hood. Two pairs of socks in fur-lined boots. Ski trousers, four layers under my coat. My hands are not so toasty, so a ‘proper’ pair of gloves will have to be purchased I think. On one of the cold days we went for a fifteen minute walk up to one of the main streets, by the time we reached the street my hands were numb and sore so we had to duck into a café and warm my hands on a hot mug of coffee before the walk back home.
And winter has only just begun...