Rotterdam on Ice
Now that the holiday season has passed, it is time to continue enjoying the marvels of winter! With classes resuming shortly, it is important to make the most of these final weeks. Here is a winter activity that might spark your interest.
Ice-skating in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is definitely one of my favorite cities to visit in the Netherlands. Not only because my family lives there, but also because it is filled with incredible restaurants and fun events. During the winter, one of my best parts of the city, is its big ice-skating rink. Open from December till March, the rink is actually a 400 meters-long race course! If you are trying to picture this rink, just imagine a racing track covered in ice. Pretty cool... don't you think?
A Venue for all Skating Levels
For advanced skaters, this rink is the perfect place to practice skills and get a good workout. But for skaters that are not feeling as confident, there is also a smaller rink where they can borrow plastic seals that are used as crutches on which to lean on. Although my sister and I are pretty decent skaters, we still go to the smaller rink to relax and push each other around on the seals.
In between skating, it is also possible to take a break and grab a snack. After skating on the ice, I usually like to get a hot chocolate to warm myself up. If I go during lunch time, I also enjoy sipping down a warm erwtensoep (Dutch pea soup).
Events at the Ice Rink
The venue also hosts different events throughout the winter season. On December 24th, it held a Santa Skate on Ice day. This event was like a SantaCon, but on ice instead. During the festivity, participants were each given a Santa Clause suit to wear and take home with them.
Although it is a fun event, Santa Skate on Ice is also a meaningful one. The event is dedicated towards raising funds for research on cystic fibrosis, a disease that affects around 1500 children and young adults in the Netherlands. During the event, participants were each asked to pay a €10 entrance fee along with a minimum donation of €1. All funds that were raised went directly to the Skate4AIR foundation.
Another interesting event, is the Student Curling Cup. If curling is your thing, this is the perfect opportunity for you to show off your skills! The event will take place on February 15, so there is still time to sign up. In teams of at least eight people, groups will compete against each other for the final victory. Even if you are not participating, it can still be fun to stop by and support your fellow classmates.
Grab Your Skates and Get Going!
The ice rink will be open until March, so grab your skates and start skating! Whether you are going to exercise or simply to enjoy the ice with your friends, you will be guaranteed to have a good time.
