The One With Winterlude

You've got to hand it to these Canadians, they don't let potentially fatal temperatures get in the way of life. Unless they're from British Columbia, in which case they're hibernating right now. (Check out how Canadian I am that I am now cracking in-jokes at the expense of people from other provinces. Watch out, Newfoundland, you are next in my firing line of acerbic wit). Anyway, it's Winterlude here in Ottawa! Winterlude is a celebration of all things winter and snow and ice and cold and frostbite and hyperthermia! It's also a lot of fun.



My twin.

The main celebration takes place in Confederation Park, still lit up from Lights Across Canada from December. Now, though, it has been further adorned. There are amazing ice scupltures, crazy paper animals, and an oddly hypnotic ice drop display with haunting music and mind-altering mood lights. It was so pretty. Yes, such a description doesn't quite convey just how alluring the whole display was, but take my word for it, it was like a winter equivelent of the Demon Headmaster, just slightly, (hopefully), less sinister.



Cinderella on ice.

If I could have one obscure talent, it would not be ice sculpting. Now that I wish to denigrate the impressive skills of the world's ice sculptors, but can you imagine painstakingly crafting something akin to one of the great wonders of the world, only for it to be destroyed? Admittedly, that's how God must feel, post-Eden and all that, but it must be soul-destroying! The sculptures for the competition were insane! Some of them were so intricate, it was mind-blowing. I had to favourites. One was Cinderella themed, complete with pumpkin carriage, and the other was a topless mermaid who I tried to compete with, because I am mature and busty. I quickly put mine away though, because it was cold. They've all been lit with this gorgeous pink light which makes them look like something out of a Disney film and there is, to be so very very corny, a magical feel to Confederation Park as you walk around.

Winterlude this year includes a Chinese-themed section with a series of paper creations and a tunnel of lanterns which was great to walk through at night and further added to the whole mystical, wondrous aspect to Winterlude. There was a great paper turtle which I tried to imitate, again because of the whole maturity and secret desire to be a turtle thing I've got going on.

You know when you just get to experience things that you know you'll never experience again? That. You know that third year abroad feeling when you realise how blessed you? That times a million.