Our brand new ice skates

This is a photo of the fountain at Toronto City Hall which doubles as a skating rink in the winter.

Ok: History alert! Toronto has 2 city halls that are side by side. "Old" city hall and "new" city hall. In the photo you can see "old city hall" which is a beautiful piece of gothic architecture (complete with gargoyles). In 1965 "new city hall" was built next door, and is the current city hall and houses this fountain/skating rink. "New" city hall, as you can see by the rink, is very modern in style.

Toronto is only just under an hour drive from home. Yesterday we took the children with their new skates to the rink. They have only been skating a couple of times, so they don't skate very well, and are intimidated by toddlers whizzing by them skating backwards. Many Canadians learn to skate almost as soon as they walk. Even the man who sold us the skates at Canadian Tire told the kids he got his first pair of skates at age 2!

I told the kids the only way to learn is to get on the ice and go. They had fun, and nobody fell down - which for us is good. Skating at this rink is free.