What a crowd!

Winterlude is in full swing with the temperature one degree above zero this afternoon; it brought out the crowds, especially on the Rideau Canal. There's always the risk that the ice will collapse under the weight of all those people, but the authorities are aware of that and test its thickness well before letting them on. Many people were on skates but some were just walking, why not? My second photo showing the Laurier Avenue Bridge was taken from the MacKenzie King Bridge which you see in the first picture which in turn was taken from the Plaza Bridge. I like being above the mêlée.

I visited the "Crystal Garden" in Confederation Park with the intention of watching the ice-sculptors at work, but the queue for that attraction was so long, I thought better of it. Instead, I wandered around the rest of the park, finding artistic installations not only in ice but also in other media, took a look at the maple syrup making corner (cauldron over log fire, taffy for sale by the sugar shack) and then queued up to see what was inside the Chinese yurt. Around the inner walls was a photo exhibition from China which I studied with great interest, but not before listening to a chap called David Hickey play with his astrologically decorated "symphonic gongs" and quartz crystal singing bowls. I expect he was chosen to perform here because he calls his music a Crystal Journey.

There was also an outdoor photo exhibition called Poles Apart, presented by the British Council and the World Wildlife Fund: pictures of the Arctic and Antarctic "highlighting the challenges and changes at both poles." Spectacular and interesting scenes, anyhow.