Can you ever forget it? A hot sunny summer day that suddenly turns dark, blue-grey. The first, fat, heavy drops - darkening the pavement. Then the warm, soft deluge.
We would put on our bathing suits and, as long as there wasn't any lightening, we would be allowed to run like wild animals in the rain - letting it soak our hair and run over our skin.
The smell of warm, wet asphalt - musky, lightly sweet, earthy - rises and blankets you like the heat. It's a little like sand, a little vegetal. It's like Musk Nomade and a little like the earthiness in Nuit de Tubereuse. It's one of my favourite scent memories and a pleasure enjoyed free every summer.
Photo: Nicki Varkevisser
I walked out of my office today and the smell of the summer rain on the pavement brought back so many fond memories just like you described and when I went to google "this smell", your blog popped up. Nice!
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