| There is nothing like a long drink on a hot sunny day to | | | | there is the ever present danger of getting a puck in |
| cool down. Fruit juice bursting with health and vitality | | | | the face or another bodily target despite the ten |
| needs more than a straw and an an umbrella to top it | | | | tonnes of padding and a helmet. Ice skating on the |
| off, for a proper refreshing beverage, heaps of ice are | | | | other hand is a much more sedate pastime, and |
| needed, crushed, cubed or flaked. There is more to ice | | | | twirling away to the bolero in spangled spandex is |
| than just popping the stuff in drinks to keep the | | | | always an option for a Friday night down the local ice |
| summer heat at bay. Here are some ideas for icy | | | | rink. |
| activities. | | | | Ice Sculptures that aren't Luges |
| The Vodka Luge | | | | Ice sculptures have connotations of being a little passe. |
| Continuing with a drinking theme, the luge is a fun way | | | | Although a vodka luge makes an interesting variation, |
| to enjoy a drink. The difference is that the alcohol is | | | | there are actually ice sculptors out there whose talents |
| inside the ice and no glasses are needed! A variation | | | | blow minds. Intricate sculptures of cameras and cars |
| of the traditional ice sculptures adorning corporate | | | | are cleverly crafted by artists as decor for corporate |
| dinner tables, the luge is a party centrepiece. The | | | | events and as promotional sculptures for big business. |
| vodka luge is a sculpted block of ice that has a | | | | The craft is regarded as an art in it's own right too and |
| channel running through it to pour a drink through for a | | | | competitions happen on a regular basis to crown a |
| super chilled alcohol hit. As the drink is poured in one | | | | person as the most talented ice artist. |
| end, the drinker waits at the other, mouth open to | | | | The Ice Hotel |
| consume the icy vodka. To make the process more | | | | However impressing all the crazy ice sculptures may |
| entertaining, the sculptures are often of body parts or | | | | be, nothing can beat the wonder of an ice hotel. There |
| objects that cause great hilarity when they have to be | | | | are several hotels of this nature located in Sweden, |
| put to the mouth! A basic luge can be created at | | | | Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and Quebec. |
| home, simply by freezing water in a mould as big as | | | | These hotels have to be constructed from scratch |
| you fit in a freezer. A plastic storage tub is ideal. | | | | every year as they melt during the summer time, and |
| Placing flexible tubing or wooden doweling in the mould | | | | absolutely everything is made from ice. The glasses, |
| forms a basic channel. | | | | plates, chairs, tables, beds are all made from ice. There |
| The Other Luge and more Icy Sports | | | | is the luxury of sleeping on reindeer skin to keep the |
| If partying like an animal is not on the agenda, the other | | | | chills at bay though! The first hotel was in Sweden and |
| luge is an option for more sober entertainment. A luge | | | | happened by accident. Japanese ice artists created an |
| is a sled for up to two people similar to a bobsleigh | | | | installation, and that evening there were no places to |
| and luge is the name of sport where the sleds race | | | | stay, so they bedded down to become the first guests |
| against each other and the clock. Another equally | | | | in what became an ice hotel. So get creative with |
| dangerous sporting pastime is Ice Hockey. Infamous | | | | ideas for ice, you may well stumble upon a great new |
| for it's on rink fisty cuffs, the fights during ice hockey | | | | trend! |
| matches are all part of the game. When not fighting, | | | | |