Dinner at Royal Oak (April 15)

Dusk

Rideau Canal Skateway - World's Longest and Largest Skating Rink

In winter, Rideau Canal serves as a natural skateway, which is renowned as the world's largest skating ring lasting for 7.8 kilometres. I didn't get a chance to go skating this winter, just took a few overlooked pics when I visited Winterlude Ice Carving Contest. Well, might give it a try next year ^^

The 38th season of skating at Rideau Canal kicked off on Jan 25, lasted for 41 days, then the skateway has officially been closed on Mar 5th. I guess it might served shorter compared with last year's duration due to the weather condition - excessive snowing. Hope next year it will snow less, please...


Rideau Canal [Wikipedia]

The Rideau Canal, also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 and is still in use today, with most of its original structures intact. The canal system uses sections of major rivers, including the Rideau and the Cataraqui, as well as some lakes. It is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America, and in 2007, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rideau Canal Skateway（里多运河滑冰场）:

Videos （点图观看视频）

Virtual Tour （点图观看360度全角照片）

What Did Winter Storm Leave for Us? (March 9)

Ottawa got the biggest winter storm ever of this year on Mar 8. Greyish sky, whisling of the wind, endless snowfall and few pedestrains, that's what outside looked like yesterday.

Today, I was shocked by what I saw outside the door of my house. Holy cow! It is all white, no stairs, no sideways... How can I step out, that's really the problem man!!! But I have to go to grocery store anyways to buy some stuff. Uh..A-l-r-i-g-h-t..Okay, let's get rid of this snow then >_<

Opened the door of my house in the morning today, wow~ Great! We were trapped

Where are the stairs? I cannot find them

You want to know how thick the snow is outside my door, here it is...

Keep shovelling, seems lots of work waiting for us

Need a rest, so tired...

"Hey,it is your turn~" (talk to my roommate)

Jesus Christ, I guess this snow can bury me alive!

Everyone is busy shovelling. Look at the cars, they are almost buried

Finally, I was free ~

Snow Mountain

I don't think I can walk on this sideway

Have to walk on the road where the car goes

Snowplow car, run! run! run!

Winterlude 30th Ice Carving Contest (Feb 15)

Part 1

Part 2

Have been so busy these days, and finally I got a chance going to see Winterlude 30th ice carving contest last Friday before class. It had been open for more than two weeks the day I visited there. This visit helped me retrieve some of my childhood memories more or less. I remembered that when I was in elementary school, my parents used to take me to Ice Carving Festival held in Yan Qing county, an outskirt of Beijing in winter. Although the trip took us several driving hours to get there, I was always excited all the way.

That Friday was a big sunny day although it was still cold. BTW, here in Ottawa, sunny day usually much colder than snowy or rainy day. This is an interesting finding that I just discovered during my first winter here. Really like the look of those ice sculptures bathed in the ample sunlight. They are so pure, transparent, reflectible and as clear as shining crystal. I believe that there is no single word being able to fully express the beauty and uniqueness of the ice carving. Only if when you are standing in front of them and appreciating in every detail, you can get the message. So admire those carvers, a group of creative artists, who endow cold chunky ice blocks with spririt and soul.

This time I almost took pictures of all ice sculptures there as well as shot a few video clips, and then I remixed them together. Hope you will enjoy my output :)