Ice Sculptures

I posted some pictures from Chita, Russia.
Our Hotel over looked the city center park where each year during the holidays they prepare new ice sculptures for the public viewing and voting. It is my understanding it is a contest and the best sculpture wins a large amount of money.  They bring in TONS of solid ice blocks that are loaded into the middle of the park by a crane.  We arrived as they were finishing the display and a big celebration took place on Dec 25th, 2012 to open the displays. 

The Russian's celebrate Christmas on Jan 7th and NEW YEARS is actually the bigger holiday to celebrate.

Veiw from our hotel room during daylight hours.

 Early Morning visit to the park to see Sculptures all lite up.  - 37 degrees this morning! Brrrr.....

Close of up view of the main sculpture showing the massive ice blocks used to create this ice luge.

 Smaller sculpt ures of a little house and small slide for little kids.

Ice Truck.

Year of the Snake for the Chinese New Year...This was rather impressive the figure had an Asian Face.

 Park during the day...was busy with people of all ages and the middle school kids were having a blast sliding down the back side of the main Sculpture.  They used their jeans, sleds, even cardboard boxes.  Keep in mind it was a high of -17 degrees the entire time we were there.  The Russians didn't care they enjoyed themselves.

Entrance into the park.  We walked out of our hotel to this every morning and night!  It truly was breath taking!