Wednesday, February 07, 2007

More about the Canal

Some of you may have scratched your heads when I mentioned walking around the canal in my previous post. "Why would AC want to walk by a canal in winter?"

Well, you see, in winter it turns into one long skating rink, almost 8km (or 5 miles). I don't think I had ever seen them skating on the canal until last Sunday when we happened to be in the same area as where the concert will take place tonight. In our first winter in this region last year, the canal wasn't open to skating for most of the season; it was simply too warm. This winter started the same way before we got locked into the freezer. Brrr!

Anyway, on Sunday, we did get to drive alongside the canal for a while, and it was terribly delightful to see hundreds upon hundreds of people enjoying the invigoration of the day. We didn't seem to chance upon a good spot to take a picture, so I've located one form the internet for you to get the idea of what I am nattering on about. Don't you think it looks magical?



There are even concession stands on the ice in places. Look here to see a photo. In fact, if you click the photo, it will take you to more pictures of this area in winter. It's probably worth a look.

Meanwhile, the concert's tonight!! I'm hardly excited at all. I'm sure you believe me, eh?

20 comments:

The very nice man said...

O-ooohh!! Wish I was there!!
Man, I am jellous!!

Heather Plett said...

For awhile this winter, when it was too warm in Ottawa for them to use the whole area they normally use, Winnipeg boasted a longer skating area on the river. But by now you've probably eclipsed us again.

Now if only it would warm up a bit so we could skate without freezing off every bit of exposed skin!

-epm said...

Ah, Ottawa in winter!

I've only been in the summer and now I'm itchin' to go back....

Ginnie said...

That looks like so much fun...if I were 30 years younger! Won't it be something to remember when it gets warm and returns to water ... all those people in the canal.
Have fun tonight.

Linda said...

It looks like lots of fun. I'd love to skate there sometime.

mreddie said...

Great photo! Enjoyed the others as well, especially the one entitled "waiting for summer". ec

Cathy said...

Ginnie said it for me: roll that clock back 30 years and oh! what fun.
Hope the concert was fun.

Anonymous said...

Did you know the Ottawa Canal is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest skating rink. Winnipeg is actually challenging this record this winter with our river skating rink at the Forks and we were very hopefully.. until Ottawa got hit by the deep freeze. :-)

Turtle Guy said...

I remember skating, and in fact did some not THAT long ago. Here in Calgary, the rage is the Bowness lagoon... that or the Olympic Oval at the U.

...no, I'd have to say the lagoon wins hands down. So many childhood memories for me.

Sweet photo!

dmmgmfm said...

What a wonderful time you must have had. Tell us all about it soon, alright?

Steffi said...

Very beautiful pictures!I wish I was there.

Bye,Steffi

Pam said...

The canal picture was terrific, I loved it. We live near the Connecticut river and it has frozen every year I have lived in VT, but there is too much current for skating except for one year a long time ago.

How was the oncert?

Bonita said...

Ah, I know you will have a delightful evening! What good fortune anticipation can be.

Gina said...

Well, you haven't posted about the concert yet, so do you have a post-concert hangover? And not necessarily from alcohol? ;)

The canal looks awesome.

PBS said...

The canal does look magical and beautiful! Hope you enjoyed the concert.

photowannabe said...

The canal looks like a magical place to skate. Thanks for showing and explaining it to us.

Maya's Granny said...

I've read about fairs that were held on the Themes when it froze in the middle ages, and they had peddlers' booths out on the ice. Now I've seen a picture of it.

Anonymous said...

How fun! We have a river running through our city, and what a great idea this would be. I enjoyed your photos.

Valerie - Still Riding Forward said...

Hope the concert is wonderful for you. I loved the skating story.

Leann said...

awesome picture,it looks fun.I skated when I was young.loved it.