Monday, February 7, 2011

Winterlude 2011

As is our annual tradition, we took Adrian with us as we visited Ottawa's "Winterlude 2011." Winterlude is Ottawa's winter festival. This Sunday was the first Sunday of the opening weekend. Of course, I forgot to take my camera!

We drove towards the Rideau Canal, open for the festival as "The World's Largest Skateway." It is 7 km of skating from downtown to Dows Lake. We found parking space, free on Sundays just a block away from the canal and headed onwards. The spot we had chosen was 1.5 km away from the downtown park where the ice sculptures are to be found. The canal was packed with skaters, walkers and all manner of toboggans being pulled by willing parents and grandparents. There were people in masses in all directions.

Adrian enjoys this annual trek. "Once a year," was his comment, and that with his tongue hanging out, a sure sign of enjoyment. As we got nearer and nearer to the ice sculpture park, the crowds thickened. After all, it was 2 C with no wind. A most pleasant Ottawa winter day.

When we arrived at the sculptures, the crowds were even thicker. They seemed to be ten deep in front of the sculptures, and line-ups to view them curled and twisted for maybe 100 yards. Adrian can get agitated in crowds so we did a circular tour of the park before heading back to the canal. The walk back was enjoyed by all. An hour of walking on the canal was well worth it.

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