To The Land Of lce Sculptures - 26Jan2013

And the saga continues into 2013.....

It was cold, but not as much as it could have been. It was the 26th day in the month of Jan, and the mercury levels had managed to slip 15 notches (centigrade) below zero. Weighing in the wind factor it could very well have dropped a few more degrees below. We wanted to visit Lake Louise for the famous Ice Magic Festival. This is a yearly event that is hosted by the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise towards the end of January. Ice sculptors from the world over come here to compete.

Lac de Arcs - A Frozen Lake

It was a Saturday and like many of our earlier rides, this one would take us through the Banff National Park. As on any other ride on the Trans Canada HWY #1, a stop at Lac de Arcs was customary. The lake was frozen this time of the year and we could not resist ourselves from setting foot on the frozen water. It was bewildering to see some rocks frozen midway without reaching the base of the lake.

After a short stop at the lake, we resumed our jaunt. Another 100 kilometers and we were at our destination. The scene at the village of Lake Louise was one of a bustling place. There was so much crowd that the parking lots near the lake were full and the authorities were involved full time at the base, which is near the village itself and is a few kilometers below the lake. We had to find a parking spot on the road which also had become full by then, servicing the loads of vehicles to which it was privy. Shuttle service had been made available to ferry tourists to the lake premises. This was a few hundred meters away from the spot where our vehicle was anchored. The line for the shuttle was certainly not the shortest I have seen and we waited almost an hour and a half to get our turn to board the shuttle. The ride up the ascent to the lake took about 10 minutes.

Inside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Once the shuttle dropped us at the hotel, we wasted no time in getting inside to secure a warm place. The prolonged stay outside while waiting for the shuttle below had dampened our bodies with chill. Flesh on the face, toes on the feet and the fingers seemed to have lost sensation of worldly touch. Inside there was a huddle of people floating all over the place. It was very sweet of Pravesh to have packed lunch for us all. It was afternoon, and the surging hunger in us made devouring the lunch a super fast activity.

This creation was called The Crazy Train (from the USA)

This one - Chasing The Sun

An artist gnawing away at his creation

Another ice sculpture

I'm your puppet (from the UK)

Resplendent with the charge that the lunch had put in us, we ventured out, with cold slapping our faces and bodies alike, to watch the ice sculptors in action. Many of the sculptures had been completed and many were under way, just about to be finished. The artists were busy laying their finishing touches to their respective creations. These sculptures change every year, but what does not change is the Ice Bar and also the Ice Palace. Below are pictures of the same for the benefit of the readers.

At the Ice Bar

The Ice Palace and The Skating Ring

I had begun to feel numb by the time I had completed the tour of the sculptures. I could not afford to spend any more time outside, exposed to the cold, and hence after visiting the Ice Bar and the Ice Palace, I decided it was time for me to get back to the warmer confines of the hotel. There were heating panels on the window sills and I allowed some time for my cold limbs to get back to normal, after which I bought some coffee. I waited inside for Avneesh and Kunal and their wives. The queue for the shuttle back to the village below where our car was parked was not as long as the one while coming up. It was almost dark when we came back to our car, although the time was about 4.30 PM.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Calgary Skyline from Crescent Heights

We dined at an Indian Restaurant known as Namaskar in the North East. It was a treat, kind courtesy Avneesh on getting his new job. We then drove to Crescent Heights, the hill that overlooks Calgary downtown. It is always a joyous moment to watch from the atop the hill, the city lights bustle. The mild mist and the cold together did an excellent job in mixing these very same lights in varying proportions, thereby casting an orangish glow on the fringes of the dark sky that ever so subtly yet lightly kisses the city landscape. Each time it is a treat to watch this sight and this time it was from within the warmth of our car.