So in case you haven’t heard, it’s been so cold this winter that the Alster – the large lake in the middle of Hamburg – has frozen over thick enough for Alstereisvergnügen! For the first time in over a decade, Hamburg’s population is free to roam about on the ice, drink Glühwein and be merry. Technically though, it’s a mini-Vergnügen, which means that the ice isn’t thick enough to hold the Glühwein stands (they’re on the banks of the lake instead), just the people. But that’s not dampening anyone’s spirits. It’s been such a highly anticipated event this winter that it has it’s own Facebook page with about 12,000 fans, and it’s been tweeted about a gazillion times.

After holing myself up at home and work for a couple weeks to meet some deadlines, I was afraid I would miss enjoying this rare event. But it’s lasted long enough for us to take a Valentine’s Day stroll on the lake, along with a few thousand other people. What a sight! Everyone was completely reveling in the novelty of walking — or biking or skiing or sledding (but it was a little too snowy for skating) — on the lake. It was certainly the happiest I’ve seen people in Hamburg for a long while. Plus it looks cool! Check it out:

Almost makes up for all the suffering this winter has caused, don’t you think?

More photos to be found here.