Since a few years Brugge besides a Sandsculpture Exposition also does an Ice Sculpture exposition. (more about Brugge and Sand Sculptures here) The sculptures are in a huge tent with an inside temperature of - 5°C (23 F). 300.000 kg (665 lbs) of ice and 400 tons (886 lbs) of snow were carried inside with bulldozers and cranes and then carved by a crew of 40 professional, international artists from China, Canada, USA, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Once I was in the tent I thought how can it be possible to carve sculptures in this cold ! Although I wore gloves my hands were still freezing when I took pictures. Inside it looked very fairy like and magical ! Besides the cold I felt like in a dreamland.
When I came out of the station I saw the huge tent just right in front of me. I didn't have to go far. My entrance ticket was combined with my train ticket, the Belgian Railway organises Excursions to a very interesting price. That also is an easy way to get there without having to look for a parking place.
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As it was a Wednsday there were not too many people inside and I could walk through and take pictures without being disturbed. The above pictures show the entrance.
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I then walked through tunnels like this.
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Then I arrived in the middle of the exposition where a bar had been carved into the ice. Hot coffee, wine and strong alcohols against the cold were served here.
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There even was a cimetary !
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I did a slideshow of all pictures I have taken inside, it just gives an idea how beautiful this exhibition had been.
Brussels Time.jpg)
16 comments:
I have only seen ski sculptures in an "open air" exhibition...in a ski resort! I might look for those old pictures.
Those are great sculptures. I once read about the technique for having clear ice or white-looking ice, but of course I can't remember it now :)
The ice bar is the best, lol. Wouldn't like to sit on those ice chairs, though...
It's a great deal to have a combined train/entrance ticket. Thanks for taking us along, Gattina!!
Marvelous creations. I love how they can be so different, some white and some transparent. I can't decide which one I like the most, they're so different.
Must have been awesome to see them live. I've always wished to go to the Ice hotel here in Sweden, even though I hate the cold :-)
I've never seen ice sculptures other than in photos, but they certainly do look wonderful. It must take great skill to produce them.
However nothing would persuade me to sit on a chair made of ice - nothing! I hate feeling cold!
What a beautiful collection of ice sculptures and you've captured them all so well.
First I was thinking: wish I was there, but then your guided trip made me feel like it - thanks!
It reminds me a lot of The Ice Rose, a gift to the Norwegian King on his 70s birtday.
Ohhhhhhhh wow! This is AWESOME! We have had things like this here in the states - but always too far away for me to get too -- always in the way colder climates too. Like Minnesota! These are sooooo beautiful! I can see why you felt like fairyland! What FUN! Thank you sO much for the tour! (I do hope they provided seat "cushions" if you wanted to watch that film!)
oh brrrr!
you go and do the most amazing things
The ice sculptures are quite remarkable. Carving them outdoors at Winter festivals is widely practiced here.
You should plan a vacation in Quebec City, in Canada, during their wonderful Winter Carnival.
You could book a night sleeping in their ice hotel on a bed made of ice. Don't forget to waer your long johns!
We are like in a dream! i really would want to visit this exhibition! Et le bar! Rien ne manque! Je préfère les sculptures transparentes, et avec les couleurs c'est encore plus magique!
Merci Gattina pour cette petite excursion dans le palais des glaces! Vraiment formidable!
Hi Gattina, Wow those ice scuptures are wonderful, The bar with hot coffee looks good but I wouldnt sit on the ice stools Brrrrrrrrrrr. loved the little white penquin...
WHOA! I love it - especially the *UHM* bar. I´ve been to the "Absolut Ice Bar" in Stockholm a few years ago and I´ll definitely never forget this evening.
Die Skulpturen sind atemberaubend. Gut, dass ich Scahl und Handschuhe angezogen habe, bevor ich Deiner Einladung gefolgt bin =)
Oh, eins darf ich nicht vergessen - Du bist offiziell "gezwungen", eine Rock Band zu gründen - aber nur, falls Du Lust hast. Ist ganz nett, weil man ein Bildchen basteln kann.
I love the way that the lights shine on the ice! It is very magical! :D
These are amazing sculptures.
I just found this other blog you have. Very nice! Mom loves to travel, so we will come back for sure. This ice reminds me of pictures my mom took on top of the Jungfrau in Switzerland, of ice sculptures inside the mountain!
--JB
Gattina, I didn't see your ice sculpture visit until this morning. oh my! That must have been so much fun. I really enjoyed looking at your photos. Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together and share it on your blog!
-CookieSunshine
That is awesome as well as lovely! I havent seen some marvelous ice sculptures like that in Norway.
Btw, Cebu is a city in the Philippines.
Wonderful sculptures, Gattina!
While I'm not a fan of winter, I most definitely am of ice sculptures :-)
I loved your story and the slideshow. If you're open to the idea, I would love to have you write a guest post at my site for this, along with your fabulous photos :-)
Have a wonderful weekend!
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