View of the Ice Hotel from the Pavillion Talik, where we checked in, stored our stuff, got warm, etc.
Entry to Ice Hotel, where we joined a general tour of the Hotel. The hotel is a tourist attraction and visitors wander around until about 8 PM when the Hotel is then open only to overnight guests.
Jim and Marji at the "Reception Desk."
This chandelier hung from the ceiling at one of the main hallway intersections in the hotel. The LED lights rotated through a color spectrum.
Jim and Marji at hotel entrance.
Jim at the top of the 10 foot ice slide, that took sliders down through the ice cafe and back into the main hallway.
Here he comes around the first turn!
Sally and Jim standing in front of the Ice Bar.
A flat screen TV showing a video on the construction process.
One of 3 hot tubs which are fired up once the tourists leave.
Jim and Marji in the chapel. There were 3 weddings here on Valentine's Weekend!
"Stained Glass" ice in one of the bedrooms.
Snow carving on one of the walls in one of the bedrooms.
More wall art!
As the sun was setting, we went back to the Pavilion for our "How to Sleep in the Ice Hotel" talk and demo.
This woman talked about how to dress for sleep and how to use the sleeping bags that are provided.
She showed us how to get into our sleeping bag liner, while standing on top of our bed,
And then how to zip up and cinch up the draw strings around the top so you look like a mummy!
We returned to the hotel and claimed our "theme" rooms. The theme was "hockey" and Bob and Sally's room was ringed with photos set in ice, embedded in the walls.
Our room was a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Pee-Wee Hockey in Ontario.
There was a snow sculpture of the date,
And stadium seats made out of ice!
Back to the bar/disco, where the fireplace was hot and the disco lights were dancing.
The bartender mixed us some drinks in "glasses" made of ice!
Vodka Sunrises!
Drinks for all in a snow alcove!
After drinks, we wielded sharp objects and tried our hands at ice-carving! We successfully carved a football out of a rectangular piece of ice!
Bob, Jim and I then jumped into a hot tub to get warm to the core, before returning to our ice room.
Toasty warm, we returned to our Pee-Wee Hockey room, trophy included!
So, here is how one gets ready to sleep in the Ice Hotel. You sit on the bed and remove your boots.
You then do a winter strip tease, while standing on top of the bed!
Get rid of the socks you've worn all day and put on dry, wool ones.
Climb into the sleeping bag liner,
And then slip into the heavy-duty sleeping bag and zip it up.
And you are ready for a long winter's nap!
Some of us slept better than others, but we got up to a beautiful morning and were ready to try XC skiing 17 of the 70 km of trails in the area.
It was a wonderful adventure and we are all glad to have slept here.Hope all is well.
1 comment:
It looks like a lot of fun - and slightly chilly!
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