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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ice Museum

Here are the pics...I'll write some later! So, it's been quite awhile later, but I thought I would update this post and give you guys the scoop on the Ice Museum. Let the commentary begin...

Here it is from the outside. Those arent really ice blocks and snow, it's just a piece of plastic dyed to look like it. It is very convincing though. You have to get up pretty close to it before you can tell.An ice Turkey...
I thought this sign was amusing...what grass?

Here is what the entire museum looks like when you first enter. It makes for a very dramatic presentation. They have installed lights in the ice throughout the museum. It is quite beautiful.

Here's what it looks like if I use my flash. It washes out off of the colorful lights in the ice. they told us that the museum is kept at a steady 20 degrees all year round. It was warmer inside than it was outside though!Here are the resident ice carvers. Apparently, the one guy (i cant remember his name) and his wife carve as a team and have won many awards. The thing I thought was interesting was that this area had hooks and such carved right into the walls out of ice. All the tools were hanging on ice hooks.
Here are the big blocks of ice that they use to carve with. They told us that they get them from a nearby beaver pond.
They had a martini bar in the ice museum. they sometimes use this museum for wedding and parties and such.
This was probably the most interesting carving. It was carved back in 2005 and has started to lose some of its sharp features, not because of melting...She told us that if the air flow gets too strong that that can also erode the ice.
From another angle...
A close of up the detail of one of the pillar tops...
Fireplace with tables and stools. Very pretty, but cold!
There were 4 of those chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. They were very impressive. Made, i think, from over 100 individual pieces of carved ice.
The newest carving in the museum...
This so reminds me of that seen in Harry Potter...
Avery and I with the Coke bear. I wonder if they had to get permission to carve this?
Avery and another carved bear sitting outside an igloo.
The museum actually has 4 bedrooms! And people actually rent this place out and sleep here! I mean...It looks very neat, but why would you want to sleep in 20 degrees?
Very pretty lighted Christmas tree with gifts.
This is what it really looks like.... this is one of the beds.

This is what it looks like with my flash. They said that the last people to rent it were back in March. So, it doesnt get rented very often. Only about 4 times each year. Talk about extreme weddings/honeymoons!

One of the bedrooms is fully equipped... although they told us that it is not really usable. If you rent the museum, you have to go in to the office to use the bathroom.
Another bedroom...
And another...
My friends having a martini at the martini bar in an ice carved glass.

To be quite honest, it wasnt as impressive as I was expecting. I was expecting quite alot more carvings and less of a scene of a rental reception hall. It was still fun to see!

2 comments:

Charisse said...

oh wow!!! how cool!!

Carey said...

Great photography. Those sculptures are amazing! I was too late the one time I went to the museum. I'll make it back there one of these days. You're son on "the can"... hilarious!