Winterlude 2013

I was so thrilled to make it out to Winterlude this year. For reasons I cannot seem to remember, I haven't been since 2010- and I live fifteen minutes away! I've always loved going every February to check out the ice sculptures. My memories go as far back as when I was very small and my parents used to pull me on the ice in a wooden sled. When Ben and I were attending the University of Ottawa, we used to walk over to the Rideau Canal between classes to check our the ice sculptures and enjoy a beaver tail- that was awesome.

Anyway, this year Ben's cousin and her friend were visiting from New York, so we made a real effort to make it down town to take part in the festivities. I already shared my phone pictures from the night here. Now here's the pictures from my camera:)

 We happened to pick one of Ottawa's coldest nights to be outside. I was extremely grateful for the fire pits that were there- the warmth from their flames instantly soothing my throbbing fingers and toes. We spent about two hours taking pictures of the ice sculptures, enjoying delicious beaver tails and watching hundreds of people skate on the Rideau Canal. I would have loved to be out there skating myself, but that just didn't work out this time. I'm so glad we made it though, I can now add this trip to the file tucked away in my memory that holds all of my other Winterlude adventures. I look back on all of them with fondness (and always forget about how cold I was).