cyclists! sh*t happens when you don’t lock your bike properly

01 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in bike

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Bike theft in Toronto is ridiculously high, as I noted last week when I mentioned the Toronto Star article that stated pedestrians and onlookers fail to notice or report a bike being stolen in plain view in broad daylight.

I also mentioned how important it is to lock your bike to a fixed object, preferably a bike stand, or bad things may happen to your bike. Witness what happened when a terrible Toronto thief tried to steal my bike last week after I locked my bike to a bike stand that was not bolted to the sidewalk.

Attempted bike theft looks like an ugly mess, no? My heart sunk when I approached the scene of the crime after the Hedly concert at the Air Canada Centre, because I knew these four “don’ts,” but I still did:

  • I knew not to lock it in that dark corner between two deserted office towers.
  • I knew the area across Union Station was blocked from traffic and pedestrians by construction, so there was minimal visibility.
  • I’d thought about finding a post-and-ring stand in a more visible spot, but my friend insisted our bikes would be safe (aside: peer pressure sucks!).
  • I knew to lock my bike to the closed part of the stand, but the open end is easier to lock up to, so that’s what I did. Dumb, I know. You don’t need to say it.

So, filled with dread at the thought that someone stole my bike, a lot of “I shouldn’t haves” and “you should have known betters” ran through my head.

Because, believe it or not, that wasn’t the first time I’d locked my lovely hybrid to a movable object. Two summers ago, I locked my bike to a temporary fence at the free Metric concert outside Toronto’s Union Station, steps from this most recent crime scene, and my bike was taken. Yes, I’m that stupid. I did it twice!

You can see in the photo below that my bike survived my first round of cycling stupidity. My beloved Kryptonite New York lock is securely locking it to my friend Katie’s bike, which is locked to the barricade, which is nowhere near where we had locked our bikes!

That’s right! Immediately after the Metric concert, while Katie and I were obliviously sipping coffee at a café down the street, the nice people at Sidan Traffic Control (the company that sets up barricades for street events throughout Toronto) tore down the barricades and took them – with our bikes still attached to them!!! – to a storage facility.

Of course, we knew nothing about that when we realized Front Street would be opened to traffic soon after the concert ended. We were simply panicked that the mysterious event organizers had cut our locks and abandoned our bikes. The horror I felt when I saw Front Street completely clear of barricades – and my bike! – made me want to cry. I mean, I love my bike. She’s my baby – my first bike as a full-grown Cyclist with a capital C.

But all my years as a fact checker paid off. The researcher in me pushed the panic aside and sussed out the situation. We asked someone who was tearing down the stage what had happened to the bikes, and she told us Sidan had put everything in a truck, bikes included.

Skeptical that our bikes were OK, we went across the street to the The Fairmont Royal York hotel and asked the kind concierge to look up the phone number for Sidan, so we could leave them a message on the spot. I also emailed Sidan when I got home. (Fact checking has taught me to harass people till I get the information I need, and I’m rather good at it!)

Sean at Sidan emailed and called early the next day to say our bikes were safely stored in Toronto (rather than at their head office in Bolton, Ontario, a good 50 kilometres north). Fully aware that stupid cyclists like ourselves often lock bikes to their barricades, our Sidan angels had thought, “Oh, it happened again. Load the whole kit and kaboodle into the truck.” Phew! Best. News. Ever.

Heart soaring with relief, I arranged to pick up our bikes that day. Since Sidan closes early, Sean left the bikes – still locked to the barricade – hidden behind some shrubs. And that’s where we found our babies! I took the picture above as a reminder to never, ever lock my bike to a movable object again.

Obviously, I didn’t learn my lesson. But hopefully you did! Read about my 6 tips for locking your bike, and then do as I say, not as I do!

xoxo
jen

__________________________________________________________

And this is how to lock your bicycle to prevent bike theft!

For more on bike safety, check out…
How to Lock Your Bike to Prevent Bike Theft
Girly Gear to Light Up Your Ride
Use Your Knog(gin): Ride With a Bright Bike Light 
I Heart My TV Sucks Ride Your Bike Bumper Sticker
‘Cause I Love My Brain, I Want a Nutcase Helmet
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Helmet Fit for Minnie Mouse
Ciao Bello to My New Public Bike Bell, Federico! 

awesome bike-chain bike stand in kensington market

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in bike, gear, photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Toronto’s Kensington Market and bikes go hand in hand. Cyclists famously overtake the Market’s one-way streets, casually going in the opposite direction, against traffic. I admit, I’m one of those directionally challenged cyclists who wish cars were banned from the Market.

I champion the idea of moving Kensington beyond Pedestrian Sundays (the last Sunday of the month, from May to October) to making the streets pedestrian-only boulevards every day, even if it meant I couldn’t bike those roads. As it stands, I usually can be found riding south on Augusta, staring down northbound drivers shaking their heads at me.

Yet I’ve never locked my bike to this awesome, artsy bike stand at Augusta and College, in the north end of the Market. Coolest. Bike stand. Ever. Really, the Kensington bike rack tops my beloved City of Toronto post-and-ring bike stands. Not only does it spell out “Kensington,” its namesake neighbourhood, but it also resembles a bike chain!

I mean, a Kensington Market bike-chain bike stand is as cool as a bike-chain grease-mark tattoo. OK, OK, only a bike geek would go gaga over a grease-mark tattoo, but you have to agree that Toronto’s coolest bike stand suits the artsy, crafty, hippy vibe of the hood that has a coffee shop that looks like this when it’s closed:

Kensington Market's Casa Acoreana Cafe, at the corner of Augusta and Baldwin, makes for an artsy backdrop for vintage bikes.

Kensington Market is also a haven for Toronto cyclists because it houses Bikes on Wheels (BOW). The cute boys of BOW are always helpful, whether I’m having problems with my brakes or I need air or those little metal caps that keep the brake cable ends from fraying… It’s no wonder I spontaneously plunked down $53 for the Topeak RaceRocket mini bike pump, when I already had a portable pump and was in the middle of a 120 kilometre ride to Oakville and back. Perhaps I was distracted by the boys, ahem, I mean the boys’ friendliness. Likely I was lured by the high-end but affordable bike gear. I couldn’t help myself. Gear whore, here!

Plus, Kensington is also home to Mike the Bike, a popular source for refurbished bikes, though I’ve never been able to find the storefront on Oxford Street near Spadina Road. Smart guy that Mike presumably is, he posts pics and deets of the bikes on his website, so people like me can find him online!

__________________________________________________________

Bike theft prevention is serious business.

For more on bike safety, check out…
How to Lock Your Bicycle Securely to Prevent Bike Theft
Girly Gear to Light Up Your Ride
Use Your Knog(gin): Ride With a Bright Bike Light 
I Heart My TV Sucks Ride Your Bike Bumper Sticker
‘Cause I Love My Brain, I Want a Nutcase Helmet
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Helmet Fit for Minnie Mouse
Ring My Bell: Ciao Bello to My Public Bike Bell, Federico! 

travel and escape: snorkelling costa rica’s cano island

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in outdoors, travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Yay! Part 3 of my three-part series on Costa Rica for the Travel+Escape channel’s website is live! And so far, my post about snorkelling the waters near Cano Island is the most popular of the three blog posts. Perhaps people relate to my fear of open water…and the slimy stuff in that water. Or maybe people like reading about someone trying to overcome that fear. Probably it’s the story about how I snorkelled with sharks! Sorta.

Part 2 of the Travel+Escape series was about my two daytrips to Corcovado National Park, which was monkey paradise!

And Part 1, which I’d posted about before, was about how I forged a crocodile-infested river in Drake Bay to get to the deserted beach on the other side. Not really. It was more about how I’d have to wait for low tide to cross the river near the ocean because I didn’t want to meet the caimans lurking in the calmer water down the river. And how having to wait for the tides taught me to slow down and just enjoy doing nothing.

__________________________________________________________

It's a jungle out there!

Read more about my trek to Costa Rica:
It’s a Jungle Out There!     Hola, Drake Bay
Breakfast with a Toucan    Snorkelling with Sharks 
Lunch with a Lizard
Costa Rica, Te Extraño     
Answering the Call of the Wild in Costa Rica
Horseback Riding Along the Jungle Trails of Drake Bay, Costa Rica

how to lock your bicycle securely to prevent bike theft

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in bike, outdoors

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Stealing a bike in Toronto is a cinch, even in broad daylight, according to a recent Toronto Star article that proves bike theft in Toronto goes unreported – even unnoticed – in this city of cyclists and apathetic onlookers. Scary thought.

Cycling in Toronto is all about improving infrastructure, of course, but, sadly, it’s also about bike theft prevention. That’s why I try to lock my bike to a fixed object (one of the City of Toronto’s awesome post-and-ring bike stands), using one of the best bike locks on the market (the Kryptonite New York Standard U-lock), so I thought I was adept at outwitting bicycle thieves. I was wrong.

As was revealed to me the other night, bike theft in Toronto truly runs rampant: someone tried to steal my bike last week, after I’d stupidly locked it to a movable bike stand in a poorly lit, little trafficked corner, and the wannabe thief flipped over the stand and my bike (see photo above)! The thief (or thieves?) was likely trying to snake my bike along the stand and off the open end, but I’d locked my bike so tight, it wasn’t budging.

Lesson learned: If you lock your bike properly, it will deter thieves trying to steal it. And so, here are my 6 tips for locking your bike.

1. Buy the best bike lock you can afford.

Locks don’t prevent bike thieves from stealing bikes – locks deter thieves from stealing bikes. Thieves want to grab and go, so they won’t risk being seen by onlookers during the precious minutes it will take to pick a top-notch lock, so invest in the best.

The best is the Kryptonite New York Standard U-lock. I own two!!! Here’s why.

  • Makers of the world’s best bike locks, Kryptonite rates the New York Standard U-lock an 11 out of 12 on its bicycle security scale.
  • The 16 mm steel shackle is a tough nut to crack, even with bolt cutters.
  • The double deadbolt locking mechanism is pretty pickproof.
  • It’s the perfect size to snugly fit around a bike stand and a seat post and rear wheel. The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini lock is too small and only fits around a stand and seat post. Depending on your bike, the Kryptonite New York MC lock may be too long, which will create a gap between your bike and the stand, inviting thieves to wedge a lever in the gap to pry the lock apart.
  • The lock is darn heavy and large. That’s what makes it cumbersome to carry, but that’s also what keeps thieves moving on to the next bike – a bike that is secured with a lock that’s much easier to cut through or pick than yours is.

2. Buy a second locking device (yes, you DO need 2 locks!).

Proper bike theft prevention means making your bike as difficult to steal as possible. Which is why I always use 2 locking devices: a Kryptonite looped cable combined with my Kryptonite New York U-lock. (When I’m really paranoid about protecting my bike, I use both of my New York locks!)

Since a thief will always try to steal a bike that can easily be taken in seconds, rather than minutes, the trick to protection is using multiple locks. Don’t be lazy about this. Two locking devices are better than one.

3. Lock your bike to a fixed object.

Better yet, lock your bike to a fixed bike stand. Always. I will scour Toronto’s streets, looking for one of 16,000 post-and-ring stands to lock my bike to, because the stands are securely cemented to the sidewalk and I’m able to lock both the wheels and the frame to the pole. They are much sturdier than a wimpy sign post, which I only use when desperate during quick daytime stops.

Remember: a movable object can be moved, even if your bike is locked to it. See the first photo if you don’t believe me. But you do, so let’s move on, shall we?

4. Lock your bike wheels AND your bike frame to a bike stand.
The keyword here is bike: lock your bike to itself as well as a fixed stand. Double locking your bike means that if a thief steals your bike by breaking the bike stand, the thief will not be able to ride off with your bike if your wheels are locked to your frame. And it’d be mighty suspicious to carry a fully locked bike down the street, no?

Here are 5 steps for securely locking your bike with your U-lock and a looped cable (see photo above while following the instructions below).

  • Place your bike – gears facing out – against a fixed stand.
  • Loop one end of the cable through the front wheel and around the down tube and stand; thread one end of the cable through the other.
  • Don’t leave space for bolt cutters to fit in the gap. If you need to, wrap the cable twice around the seat post, the wheel or both.
  • Fit the U-lock around the bike stand, seat tube and rear wheel. (If you can only fit the U-lock around the bike stand and seat tube, so be it.)
  • Thread one U-lock end through the free cable loop, and lock the lock!

Alternative 1: Loop the cable through the front wheel and down tube twice, securing the U-lock to both looped ends.
Alternative 2: Secure the front wheel with another U-lock or a cable lock instead of a looped cable.

5. Pick a highly visible, well-lit area.
The easiest way to deter someone from stealing your bike? Lock your bike in a highly visible area, as the thief won’t want to be seen stealing. The best spot would be beside a street lamp on a busy sidewalk.

Look for a public place with these 4 must-haves.

  • Lots of pedestrian traffic.
  • Lots of stationary people (people lingering, sitting on a patio or by a window or on a bench – people who might notice your bike and that a stranger is eyeing or handling it).
  • Lots of vehicular traffic.
  • Lots of light, especially at night (streetlights are your friends).

The other night (see the first photo), I locked my bike in a place blocked off by a lot of construction, where there was little vehicular and pedestrian traffic, in a dark corner between two business towers that had closed for the night. And it was a movable stand. All “don’ts”!!! The only “do” I got right was locking my bike properly with 2 locking devices – that’s what saved my bike from being stolen. Nearby, however, were 3 other stands overflowing with bikes, which brings us to Tip 6: There’s safety in numbers. Or at least there should be.

6. Prevent theft by locking your bike with lots of other bikes.
This photo I took of bikes in Lucerne, Switzerland, shows how a bike stand to bike thieves is like a candy store to a kid. However, there actually is safety in numbers when it comes to protecting your bike from theft: if your bike is locked securely, it’s safer with a group of bikes that aren’t locked properly than it is parked by itself.

As I’ve stated all along, bike thieves want to make a quick getaway more than they want to steal an expensive bike. As obvious as that sounds, I used to think it was the other way around.

So remember: if there are tons of bikes in the vicinity, they’ll always try to steal the bike that is the easiest (read: quickest) to grab. Make sure that’s not your bike!

__________________________________________________________

For more on bike safety, check out…
Girly Gear to Light Up Your Ride
Use Your Knog(gin): Ride With a Bright Bike Light 
I Heart My TV Sucks Ride Your Bike Bumper Sticker
‘Cause I Love My Brain, I Want a Nutcase Helmet
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Helmet Fit for Minnie Mouse
Ring My Bell: Ciao Bello to My Public Bike Bell, Federico! 

geek burlesque: toronto’s underground sexy simpsons burlesque

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in art, theatre

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Toronto Underground Cinema‘s Simpsons-themed geek burlesque (that’s Sky Blew doing a striptease as Duffman, above) brought “before and afters” to a new level Saturday night! Now, I like my share of makeovers, but burlesque is a makeunder – and the Toronto Underground Peepshow is stripped down…with a heaping helping of geek humour! Yes, it’s geek burlesque, or geekesque! First came August’s Marvelesque (revealing Marvel characters), then November’s The Evil League of Sexy (spotlighting smokin’ hot movie or TV villians for kids and adults alike), and this weekend was the soldout We Put the “Spring” in Springfield (featuring your fave Simpsons characters! doh!). After having gone to two geekesques, I must say that I like a man in uniform – and I like him out of uniform, too! Especially Sky Blew.

Back in November at the Toronto Underground Cinema, burlesque virgin Sky Blew indeed blew the crowd away as Jareth in the Labyrinth, with his awesome performance complete with owl costume, and a crystal ball, um, bulking up a certain nether region. (If you’ve seen Labyrinth, you’ll no doubt recall the numerous shots of Bowie’s crotch in tight tights. Watch the video below of Bowie singing “Magic Dance” if you don’t. Watch it even if you do – it’s fun!)

Full disclosure: my 13-year-old self lusted after Bowie as Jareth. Yes, that fact amuses me. It also makes me inclined to favour any guy who can do a bang-on comical impersonation of Bowie/Jareth while undressing in front of hundreds of laughing strangers. I admit, I fancy the fella. Sky Blew, I mean.

duffman burlesque: sky blew knows how to make an entrance


Who is Sky Blew? Who cares! The guy knows how to make an entrance (pun intended)! Dude was inside the construction paper beer can for 2 hours before the big reveal! The Duff can was draped in a black cloth that he teasingly pulled into the top, slowly revealing the Duff can like a gal hiking up her skirt to hitch a ride. Sky Blew seriously turns on the charm, whether in full-on costume (above) or nothing but a G-string (below).

And my gosh, does the dude know how to work the crowd. For his stint as The Simpsons’ Duffman, Sky Blew strategically intercut songs that embodied the character and the idea of burlesque (Yello’s “Oh Yeah,” Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” and the Village People’s “Macho Man,” among others) with hilarious voiceovers of Duffman (“Duffman has a bad feeling about this!”). I was in stitches the entire time! He needs his own solo show!!! Note to the Peepshow organizers: Puhleeease talk him into doing a one-man show!

it’s true: i like my geek burlesque

Geekesque. I didn’t coin the term “geekesque,” but I love the play on “geek burlesque.” And there’s nothing I can say to convey how good Sky Blew is at making geek burlesque sooo funny. You just have to watch him. We’re supposed to be laughing at him doing a strip tease, after all, and much of that humour is achieved by the combo of audio and visual. I mean, he kinda looks – dare I say – sexy in this shot, don’t you think? (Maybe you have to like lanky geek boys, which I do.) But what he’s doing above isn’t really sexy or sensual – it’s brawny in a frat boy way: he’s chugging beer to the tune of “Oh Yeah,” after having doused himself à la Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. The pseudo-masculine music makes the scene funny because Sky Blew’s definitely not brawny.

sky blew’s burlesque: you know you wanna watch him

If you weren’t at the Toronto Underground Cinema’s Simpsons burlesque but wish you were, watch this video of Sky Blew’s Duffman striptease! It’s sooo NSFW, but I promise, your sides will hurt from laughing so hard.
__________________________________________________________

What: Toronto Underground Cinema‘s geek burlesque
Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Underground Cinema is in the basement of a condo at 186 Spadina Ave. (just north of Queen Street).
When: The geekesque Toronto Underground Peepshow is held every few months. Each show’s theme is revealed during the previous show, so you have plenty of time to pitch your idea, if you’re so inclined to perform.
Cost: This last burlesque was $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Why: While it’s not to everyone’s taste, it’s too, too funny to dismiss. And the state of undress depends on the performer – it’s not all G-strings and tassels!

venturing into the wild side of costa rica

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in outdoors, travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Voilà! My first blog post for the Travel+Escape channel’s website is up! Click here to find out just how much fun I had forging a croc-invested river to get to the picturesque beach on the other side. It’s Part 1 of a three-part series on my adventures in Costa Rica’s remote Drake Bay, on the Osa Peninsula. Part 2, about my close encounters with wild animals in the lush jungles of Corcovado National Park, goes live Tuesday, March 13! Don’t forget to check out the posts!

__________________________________________________________

Costa Rica, Te Extraño

Read more about my trek into wilds of Costa Rica:
It’s a Jungle Out There!     Hola, Drake Bay
Breakfast with a Toucan    Snorkelling with Sharks 
Lunch with a Lizard
Costa Rica, Te Extraño 
Horseback Riding Along the Jungle Trails of Drake Bay, Costa Rica  
Answering the Call of the Wild in Costa Rica


skating in the rain at city hall

08 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in architecture, outdoors, photography

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

Forget about singing in the rain. Ice skating in the rain at Nathan Philips Square is so much cooler! And with the warm, wet weather we’ve been having this winter’s end in Toronto, ice skating through puddles is really the only way to get around our popular outdoor rinks. Popular, at least, when the ice is frozen. Last night, however, only a handful of skaters laced up their ice skates to enjoy the slick surface at the Nathan Phillips Square rink, which made for a picturesque reflecting pool with Old City Hall in the background and space-agey Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall (below), lighting up the night just steps away.

__________________________________________________________

What: Night skating at Nathan Phillips Square
Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
When: Wednesday, March 7, 2012, was the last good skating day of the season. Check the city’s outdoor rinks status page for details on which outdoor rinks are operational till March 11.
Caveat: With the Zambonis retired till next year, the ice surface maybe be uneven from melting and refreezing.
Cost: FREE if you have your own skates; rentals are closed for the season.
Why: With this wonky weather, the rinks are relatively empty, so you can have the rink to yourself for a relaxing night skate to say bye to winter!

Want to see Nathan Phillips
Square packed with skaters
during the day? Check out…
Winter Solstice
(Or Let’s Skate, Toronto)


that’s me…dancing in an IDD flashmob!

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in dance, inspiration, music

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

That’s right! That’s me on International Dance Day (IDD) 2011, dancing in a flashmob as part of the National Ballet School‘s celebrations in Toronto’s David Pecaut Square, in front of Roy Thomson Hall! Hard to spot, I know. I’m behind the ladies in red: look for purple hair, pink scarf, blue jacket.

I’m sooo not a dancer, yet for that very brief moment last spring – thanks to the National Ballet School (NBS) and International Dance Day – I considered myself one. Best. Experience. Ever. The NBS IDD flashmob was the coolest and waaay-out-of-my-comfort-zone awesomest (I know that’s not a word, but it rhymes and I’m going to plead artistic license here). Go on, check out my moves below! I come in on the second verse of Joel Plaskett’s “Penny for Your Thoughts,” but don’t worry if you can’t find me. Even I have a hard time spotting myself till about 3 minutes and 35 seconds in.

__________________________________________________________

What: A flashmob, silly! Specifically, the National Ballet School of Canada‘s second annual flashmob on International Dance Day, April 29, 2011. I rehearsed for two months with the school’s teachers-in-training to perfect my smooth moves!
Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In David Pecaut Square, beside Roy Thomson Hall, in the heart of the entertainment district. This year’s flashmob could be anywhere in Toronto! Psst…in 2012 we’re doing it Bollywood style!
When: International Dance Day takes place every April 29, with dance flashmobs occuring worldwide! There might even be one in your city.
Why: Flashmobs are a spirited way to celebrate a love of dance.

__________________________________________________________


Want to learn the lowdown
on how I got flashmobbing?
You’ll find out soon…
oh so soon!

knuk & bonhomme: quebec city winter carnival mascots

03 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in outdoors, photography, travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

It’s a Carnaval de Québec knuk! That is, one of the playful sidekicks of Bonhomme Carnaval, the Quebec Winter Carnival’s snowman mascot. Spotting Bonhomme and his knuks is one of the things to do in Quebec City during the winter carnival. Marching through the historic part of Quebec City, this wee one is accompanied by his mom while his li’l sis, dressed up as Bonhomme himself (complete with traditional red toque, sash tied at the waist, and head-to-toe white), is carried by Dad till she agrees to tag along. Oh my gosh, I want to hug them both! Believe me, the little Knuk and Bonhomme were just as adorable in person as I was chasing after them walking to the Quebec Winter Carnival festivities on the Plains of Abraham. Too. Cute. For. Words.

__________________________________________________________

What: Le Carnaval de Québec (the Quebec Winter Carnival)
Where: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Activities are concentrated in Old Quebec (the historic Old Town), specifically on the sprawling Plains of Abraham.
When: The 59th edition of the modern incarnation of the carnival runs February 1-17, 2013. Yes, that’s a year away, but it pays to be prepared!
Cost: A Bonhomme Effigy (a figurine of Bonhomme) is required for most of the 300-plus activities and shows. In 2012, the Effigy cost $13. Attach the Effigy to your coat to access all 17 days of festivities. You can buy your Effigy starting in January 2013 at hundreds of shops in Quebec City, or on-site during Carnaval.
Why: It’s the world’s largest winter carnival! And Old Quebec is picturesque.

__________________________________________________________

For more on the carnival and other winter activities in Quebec, check out…
Chilling at the Cool Hôtel de Glace
Why I Adore… Le Carnaval de Québec
Say “Bonjour” to the Cool Carnival

quebec city: say “bonjour” to the cool carnival

27 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by in outdoors, photography, travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Let’s be honest. When you think about carnival, you think about Mardi Gras and the craziness of Rio and New Orleans, don’t you? You think sun and heat and half-naked ladies parading along streets in glittery over-the-top colourful costumes, and parties galore, right? Betcha the last thing you think about when dreaming of carnival is snow. Or cold. Or Canada, home to the world’s largest and most famous WINTER carnival!

You read right! Last week, I wrote about my favourite event at Quebec City’s fabulous Carnaval de Québec (Quebec Winter Carnival): the gorgeous night parades. I also raved about the spectacular Hôtel de Glace (Ice Hotel), which isn’t part of the carnival but is a must-see if you’re in the city during Carnaval (from the end of January to mid-February). So let’s continue that theme with my top 5 things to do at the Quebec Winter Carnival.

1  the night parades

As I wrote last week, I wouldn’t dream of going to Carnaval de Québec without taking in one of the festive night parades. The floats themselves are really about the colourful characters, not about advertisements or huge platforms featuring an oversize figure and a bunch of dancers or princesses. The characters, whether clowns (as shown above) or a giant glowing turtle or centipede or big red top hat, are the main attraction. Scratch that. Bohomme Carnaval, the carnival’s snowman mascot, is the real appeal, and he knows it! The symbol of the 218-year-old carnival since 1954, the spirited Bonhomme always appears on the final float to great cheers by youngsters and the young at heart alike. Keep in mind that there are only two night parades, and they take place on the second and third Saturdays of the carnival.

2  the ice hotel

Not part of the carnival proper, the Hôtel de Glace is open from early January to late March, since it, naturally, melts come spring. It’s spectacle on a grand scale, as spectacles should be, and its ephemeral beauty has to be experienced in person to be truly appreciated. It’s a hotel made of ice and snow, after all. Feeling cold while chilling in the Ice Bar sipping cocktails out of ice glasses is part of the fun! Don’t worry, your lips will melt the ice glass a wee bit, so you won’t freeze to it. Though, you might feel your toes going numb as you wander the private suites, which are open to the public during the day, and are illuminated with coloured lights and decorated with intricate snow carvings. If you really want a cool experience, you can shell out $400-plus a night per person to sleep there, cuddling in a -30°C-rated sleeping bag on a bed of ice!

3 the plains of abraham

During the carnival, the historic Plains of Abraham is turned into an awesome amusement park, where many of the activities take place. There’s plenty to tickle your fancy, from snow sculptures (see No. 4) and zip lining to snow tubing and snow rafting to snow slides and ice slides. There are even life-size table soccer games, and sleigh rides and dogsledding!

Dogsledding on a small patch of the Plains of Abraham certainly is no comparison to mushing in the wild, but it's cheap and fun! Staring at the rear ends of these dogs wasn't the nicest, so I recommend you fight your friend to stand on the runners at the back of the sled, rather than lazily sitting on the sled as I did. Be warned that you can't snap photos while you're driving, so if you're looking to shoot a few pics, opt for the seat instead.

On top of the activities you can participate in, the Plains of Abraham is loaded with sporting events you can watch, like the St-Hubert Derby (horses pull sleighs in races), dogsled races, and skijoring (horses pull skiers – yes, it sounds crazy, and yes, it’s a legitimate sport!).

Now, Bonhomme’s Ice Palace is not an extreme sport, but it does have a cool factor, and its new home for 2012 was the action-packed Plains of Abraham. Though it’s not on the same scale as the 32-000-square-foot Ice Hotel, the entire palace is illuminated at night and is the site of the evening dance parties, where you can shake your thang under the stars!

4 the snow sculptures

Talk about larger-than-life characters! Every year, sculptors from around the globe bring giant blocks of snow to life in an open-air museum on the historic Plains of Abraham. The International Snow Sculpture Competition officially opened in 1973 with just four teams participating, although snow sculptures had already been part of Quebec culture for years. Watch as groups of artists create fantastical figures overnight, then marvel at the stunning results during the day. And maybe treat the sculptors to a Caribou (the traditional Carnaval drink) or BeaverTail (a delectable flat beaver tail-shape doughnut sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar) for their efforts!

5  the soapbox derby

I’d like to pick the crazy canoe races along the St. Lawrence River as No. 5, but to be fair, I’ve never seen teams battle (or paddle?) it out on the frozen yet flowing river, though I sure would like to! There’s a reason they’ve been holding the canoe races since 1955! But to give the kiddies their glory, I’m picking the soapbox derby. It’s fun to watch the kids in their homemade soapbox cars speeding down the streets of Old Quebec, with their families and strangers cheering them on. And while you’re in the heart of the Old Town, you can always pop into a gallery or boutique to do some window shopping under the guise of thawing your toes. Bonus: As you wander the historic European-style streets of Old Quebec, you’ll come upon the majestic Château Frontenac.

__________________________________________________________

What: Le Carnaval de Québec (the Quebec Winter Carnival)
Where: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Activities are concentrated in Old Quebec, the historic Old Town. Some events take place on streets and squares, but the majority of the fun occurs on the sprawling Plains of Abraham.
When: The 59th edition of the modern incarnation of the carnival runs February 1-17, 2013. Yes, I know that’s a year away, but it pays to be prepared!
Cost: A Bonhomme Effigy (a figurine of Bonhomme, the carnival’s snowman mascot) is required for most activities. In 2012, the Effigy cost $13. You attach the Effigy to your coat, and that gets you access to all 17 days of festivities. That’s more than 300 activities and shows! You can buy your Effigy starting in January 2013 at hundreds of shops in Quebec City, or on-site during Carnaval.
Why: It’s the world’s largest winter carnival! Plus, it’s a fun way to enjoy the outdoors. Quebec City’s historic Old Town is chock full of little galleries and restaurants, so there’s lots to do indoors if you need a break from the outdoors. 

__________________________________________________________ 

For more on the carnival and winter in Quebec, check out…
Why I Adore… Le Carnaval de Québec
Chilling in the Cool Hôtel de Glace
Knuk & Bonhomme: My Favourite Unexpected Site at Carnaval