Ice Ice

Ok. So, there's this thing called Alstereisvergnügen. I AM SO EXCITED! So, the Alster is the big part of the 2 part man-made lake thing in Hamburg. It's the city center.  These are pictures from the first day that people were officially allowed on the ice.  Last Tuesday.

Alstereisvergnügen

So, maybe from here we should have thought that it would be ein bisschen gefährlich (a little dangerous).  There is a sign that says to never cross under the bridges on the ice because it's always much thinner than the rest of the lake.

So, we crossed over from the Alster, the big lake, to the Binnenalster that is the smaller lake that is by all the shops.  We found out later that that wasn't a great idea.  It wasn't roped off, but we weren't allowed on it.  There were a bunch of people on it, but then the cops came and told everyone to get out, but nicely, which was a bit surprising.  

BUT it was amazing!!  The pointy building is the Rathaus (City Hall) building and all the fancy shops and the new Mac Store all right here.

There were really cool ice chunks that had refrozen.

Since we came from the other side of the lake, we didn't see any signs saying not to go on the ice on this side.

And, then the cops.  They were even being a little funny on the loud speaker.  There were a couple of teenage girls that were pretending not to listen, but standing in the direct line of sight of the cop here (below).  So, he began talking to them directly.  It was pretty funny.   He said, "HALLLLLLOOO!  THIS IS THE POLICE......PLEASE GET OFF THE ICE.  GIRLS......I SEE YOU..... "  And they still took their sweet time coming in.  They were, what looked like, doing their fashion photography.  Trying to look really cute on the ice.

Ok.  This looks way more scary here.  That ice by the boats is really not frozen.

I thought this duck was frozen onto the ice.  I waited around to see that it wasn't.

Next day....when it became really obvious that we can't walk on the small lake.

ICE GRAFFITI

There were a few people riding their bikes on the snow/ice.

We're trying to find me some cheap ice skates.  This would be awesome!!!

AND, of course, you can drink on the ice, too.  There were nice boys selling beers on the ice.  Good idea..

I LOVE these old wooden sleds.  They sell the lame plastic ones that come in neon colors, but more than half the people still buy the old school ones.  I love it!

 ********  UPDATE   -  THE LAKE IS NOT FULLY FROZEN ANYMORE!!!  *********

SO THIS IS TOTALLY CRAZY!!!  This is what it looked like today!!!  I can't even believe we were out there.  And the newspaper reported that over 1 million people came and visited and walked on the ice this past weekend.  NUTS!

 Ok.  This is the Elbe (river)...Still a few ice chunks.

Rathaus / City Hall

There's this cute little boat that always has a cake and coffee special....which we found out today was not a special.  They just make it look like it on a sign outside.  It worked on us.  hahaha.