Deep Freeze Turns Amsterdam Canals Into Ice Skating Wonderland (PHOTOS)

Skaters in Amsterdam, Netherlands took up the opportunity this week to skate in many of the city's famous canals. A deep freeze left the canals frozen allowing skaters to skate alongside waterfront boats and houses.

To see more great photography visit HuffPost Exposure.

Comments

[AllegroTroppo]

11:51 AM on 02/13/2012

In late December it rained in Moscow. Now it's freezing in Am'dam. go figure.

[BassguyGG]

11:05 AM on 02/13/2012

That's awesome. Amsterdam is such a wonderful city. If I lived there now I would leave my car parked and skate everywhere. We haven't even had a decent freeze here in NY yet this winter. Last year was great for outdoor skating but nada this year.

[Bryan Walker]

02:23 PM on 02/12/2012

Just wanted to say I loved reading most of the comments to this slideshow.
Its great to hear old stories shared.

[Blackorpheus]

12:51 PM on 02/12/2012

Climate change? Nah. It's just weather being weather.

[ForeverXL]

06:37 PM on 02/10/2012

I live behind the church (Westerkerk) you see on the main photo. Right now this city is a winter wonder land. People skating everywhere.

[BassguyGG]

11:06 AM on 02/13/2012

You are lucky. Amsterdam is a wonderful city.

[pinkibus]

11:42 PM on 02/09/2012

Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates

[candlepin2002]

03:30 PM on 02/09/2012

Elf Staten, anyone???? Last in the late 80's??
If you go to Amsterdam, for a very moving experience, go to the Anne Frank house.
Love the Dutch and the country side.

[netzwerg]

05:37 PM on 02/09/2012

Fingers crossed for Elfstedentocht. I think the last was in 1997.

[candlepin2002]

07:21 PM on 02/09/2012

Netzwerg...thanks for the correction, lived in Hengevelde (near Enschede) in late 80's. Loved the history, and especially the hard working people.

[BassguyGG]

11:07 AM on 02/13/2012

When I went to Amsterdam I didn't want to go to the Anne Frank house but my wife made me. I'm glad she did, it was a surprisingly moving experience.

[Stoptheworld]

03:19 PM on 02/09/2012

Kind of looks like some of the winters we've had in Upstate New York. Glad I moved to NC. Syracuse has had a winter with 199" of snow. Check out Goldensnowball.com.

[not2 good]

02:49 PM on 02/09/2012

I remember that skating under bridges was not the smartest thing to do because of thin ice. Seeing this cold stuff makes me glad to live in California. Holland is beautiful including Amsterdam. It is such a wonderfull old city. When you go there visit the Old Church and take a tour that takes you to the top. Dates back to the late thirteenth century. Lots of history that does not include just a bunch of ruins and rubble.

[netzwerg]

05:28 PM on 02/09/2012

"I remember that skating under bridges was not the smartest thing to do because of thin ice."

It has been so cold so long that skating under bridges is no problem, the ice is thick enough. I live in Amsterdam and have been skating to work for about a week now.

[not2 good]

06:52 PM on 02/09/2012

I was thinking fifty years back when a friend of mine almost went through the ice under a bridge. I am glad you are enjoying yourself.

[BassguyGG]

11:08 AM on 02/13/2012

Brugge is pretty awesome too.

[not2 good]

01:15 PM on 02/13/2012

Totally agree. Been there often. Can't beat the chocolate and lace and the people are nice. You have to admit they speak funny Dutch. Just kidding.

[Erikhuffpost]

02:25 PM on 02/09/2012

Does any of the Dutch among you still remember this winter? I do.

http://youtu.be/ZLGfZIOE5C0

[mommamia526]

08:07 PM on 02/09/2012

I was no longer in Nederland. But, I do remember the snow so high, when I was a child, that my mother made me go out the window of the second floor to slide down to the schuur (storage) to get a schep (shovel). Then I had to make a path to the kitchendoor, sothat she could open it, and take care of the rest. I lived in the country and the sloten (ditches) in the fields (tulips, etc. in spring, but before that hyacinths) were frozen over. We had tents on the ice where they sold hot chocolate. No days off for bad weather, so, we put socks over our shoes, and went to school together, making one long line holding hands. My older cousins came to get me (boys). It was just as cold in the hungerwinter (1944) and no heat, no food, and the water was frozen in the pipes! I am too old to skate now in any case, however, my cousin, who is older than I am, 85!! STILL skates! I bet he got his skates out of the fat.

[Erikhuffpost]

02:46 PM on 02/10/2012

Oh yes, 1944 was notorious, being the starvation winter. My grandparents told me all about it (I'm 43)

The winter of 1979 was also a record breaking one.

I remember going to school on skates. There was so much ice, it was the only safe way to go!

[Burkelbile]

01:34 PM on 02/09/2012

Ja - laten draaien van een kegel in een coffeeshop en breken de schaatsen!
Lekker!

[netzwerg]

01:46 PM on 02/09/2012

Dit is echt een goed plan voor het weekend. Bent u in?

[Burkelbile]

07:13 PM on 02/09/2012

Alles wat ik nodig hebt is een vliegticket.
:D

Veel plezier voor mij!

[48thGuy]

11:53 AM on 02/09/2012

I miss you Amsterdam!

[Burkelbile]

01:35 PM on 02/09/2012

Me too ... often. Maybe time for a return trip this September. Rent a bike and head for the Vondelpark.

[48thGuy]

02:54 PM on 02/09/2012

Love Vondelpark, I used to jog thru 4 times a week. And the Saturday nite movies at the Film Museum were the best times. Queen's Day on the balcony of the Museum was always a day to party too!

[mommamia526]

08:08 PM on 02/09/2012

Ik mis Amsterdam ook!

[Maarten Wentink]

09:55 AM on 02/09/2012

Now these pictures do make me miss Holland right now.

[dmac]

10:06 AM on 02/09/2012

I agree....though I will still wait for better weather to return ;)!

[Unrepentant]

10:15 AM on 02/09/2012

me too!

[sorgine]

07:27 AM on 02/09/2012

Deep freeze turns Dutch national railway system into a nightmare. One week and counting. They still can't figure it out.

[landskroon]

03:39 PM on 02/11/2012

the reason is the privatization that split rails from trains, need a new Nationalization of the railway system, once as good as the Japanese

[HeartlandLiberal]

06:51 AM on 02/09/2012

Here is a link to a Nasa article from just last year:

A Chilling Possibility
By disturbing a massive ocean current, melting Arctic sea ice might trigger colder weather in Europe and North America.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/05mar_arctic/