Much to the chagrin of Winter Carnival aficionados, it rained in St. Paul on January 28! Not a pouring rain, but enough to need windshield wipers on the road. Of course, windshield wipers are needed in St. Paul year round. In the summer, they're for rain. In the winter, they're for salty road spray.
The temperature rose to a mighty +39 degrees at my personal thermometer on the 28th, and I thanked my good fortune that we had viewed the Winter Carnival ice sculptures already. The high temperatures might not have entirely melted the sculptures away, but it certainly would have smudged some of the intricate details.
Last year the sculptures were on Harriet Island. My personal reaction was that they were too far off the beaten path and not as many people came to view the sculptures on Harriet Island. The sculptures returned to Rice Park this year as a result of the 2008 Ice Skating Championships being hosted at the Xcel Energy Center. Rice Park is located right across the street from the St. Paul Hotel, the Ice Skating Championship headquarters, making it easy for tourists to view the lovely crystal carvings. (Not to mention the many downtown employees who can enjoy the sculptures over their lunch hour at that location.)
When we toured Rice Park, the crowd that mingled with us were opera goers exiting the Ordway Theatre which also borders the park. They were dressed in their heels and finer apparel shivering as they walked the park. The ice rink teemed with dragon breathing skaters. Lights still adorned the trees making the brisk winter night quite festive. It felt like Times Square in New York, a gathering place for the community.
Within two days, the temperatures plummeted to a brisk -29 degrees on my thermometer. Again, I thanked my good fortune that I had viewed the ice sculptures already. I may be a hardy Minnesotan, but 29 below with a wind is too chilly for my tastes! Evidently I wasn't the only one with that opinion as the sculpture "garden" was especially quiet that night. NO ONE was lingering.
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