Another day of heat, this time the thermometer hitting 37 for the early afternoon. Looking out there's a fierceness to the air, the haze one of heat rather than pollution, vague hills climbing into the fuzz of blue sky drizzled with high cloud. Restless, that's the best description of the day.

A bike ride along the Xindian river having arrived at the foot of the mountain to find a fug of apathy, turned around, sweltering pockets of heat blown through the city streets by industrialised hair dryers. A few fishermen seated along the banks, sheltered beneath umbrellas, prone figures stretched out beneath the sheltering concrete of bridges.

Sunset brings a spike in humidity, heat lingering, pale stars beyond the darkened fabric of clouds floating south, the lights on the mountains sparkling in distances.