Ice Skating on Sunday

Went skating with the Women's Club on Sunday to the Natural History Museum. Every year in London, there are more and more skating rinks opening up. The first year we did it we went to Somerset House (the photo with Stefa and Larysa) and thought, how quaintly English to create this little postage stamp of a rink for people to skate on. The last two years we've been to the rink in the courtyard of the Natural History Museum, only to find the rink equally as small. (The Telescopic photo makes it appear humoungous!)

They claim it's 1000 square meters, but it feels a lot smaller when they let all the people on the ice. As you can see from our family photo below, I am taking the photo and not skating, since I was shopping in the Christmas markets right beside the rink. (Also because I can't skate worth a damn and it causes my flat feet severe pain.) After skating, we went upstairs to the cosy cafe for mince pies, mulled wine and hot chocolate.

Ice skating has been embraced in London as a great winter outdoor activity (something we Canadians clued into long ago!) and they certainly have great historical venues in which to do it. This website shows about ten of the outdoor rinks available in and around London, from the Tower of London (in the moat!) to more natural setting in Hampstead Heath. It's got some great views of the rinks themselves:

http://www.londonnet.co.uk/ln/guide/about/attractions_iceskating.html