ICE HOTEL, QUEBEC, CANADA

ICE HOTEL(HOTEL DE GLACE)
DUCHESNAY QUEBEC
CANADA
ICE HOTEL is constructed every year at DUCHESNAY, which is about 20 Kms from Quebec City in Canada. This is constructed entirely of ICE. Ice blocks are specially made taking care not to have any air bubbles, since air bubbles will not allow proper cutting and shaping. The idea of the hotel originates from the INNUI IGLOOS.

The snow is sprayed on huge inverted catenary shaped steel forms and allowed to freeze. After a couple of days, the forms are removed, leaving a maze of free-standing corridors of snow. In the corridors, dividing walls are built in order to create rooms and suites. Icehotel opens in phases, the first phase opens in the beginning of December and for each week, another part of the hotel opens up for visitors and guests until the beginning of January when the entire construction is completed. Guests are allowed till mid March after which the ice starts melting. When completed, the hotel features a bar, church, main hall, reception area, a small theater and rooms and suites; and for guests to sit and sleep, blocks of sculpted ice in the form of chairs and beds are made.
The building spans an area of 6000 Sq.m and approximately 20000 MT of ice/snow is used in the construction. Just about 60 people work on the construction, cutting and laying the blocks and laying the electrical wiring. The blocks are jointed with a material called SNICE. The walls are more than 1.2 m thick on average. All of the furniture is made of ice, including the reception tables,bar table and bar stools, beds,chairs and even some drinking glasses and plates. Architecture and design vary every year.

We traveled from Ottawa to Montreal, changed trains and reached Quebec, where we stayed for the night. Quebec was earlier a French colony and joined Canada later on. So the language and culture are all French. The river Quebec was frozen and breakers were working for breaking the ice. Even in Quebec City there are a few structures made entirely of ice blocks, but you cannot go into them. In Quebec in December day light is available for only 6 to 7 hours.

We were picked up by courtesy coach next morning and we reached DOUCHESNAY around 9 am. We were wearing three layers of clothing in addition to the thermals. There was very heavy snowing, so we had to wear a wind cheater also over all these.
We went in DeceMber 2003 just after the hotel opened to guests. The hotel had 32 ordinary suites including a few theme suites, two bars, one chapel and a theater. You will be given a WHITE WEDDING CERTIFICATE if you get married again in the chapel. A white ice wall serves as screen for projection of films.

The temperatures were around minus 35 deg. C and with wind chill it was nearly minus 40 deg. C. Beds, stools are lined with reindeer furs and Arctic sleeping bags are given for sleeping. Only the bathrooms are heated, in a separate insulated structure. It is impossible to use it in the night as one has to get out of the sleeping bag, put on warm clothes to visit them. The suites do not have doors but have only deer skin curtains. Supervisors keep moving around in the night to check all guests are comfortable and no one is in trouble because of the cold. The temperature inside the suites is about minus 5 to 8 deg.C. A parallel hotel of normal construction with heating is also available to guests who are not able spend the whole night at the Ice hotel. Normally a large number of day visitors are allowed. How ever at 6pm, only those who will be staying will be permitted inside. After lunch on the first day, they hold a briefing telling us all the Dos and DON’Ts. You are advised to stop taking liquids after 5pm to avoid going to the toilet in the night. You are also taught how to get into the sleeping bags and tie them around you. We had early dinner and went inside the Ice hotel. We spent quite some time visiting all the places and also to get acclimatized. Since the out side temperature was very low, it was comfortable to be inside the hotel. We went to our suite around
9 pm, got into the sleeping bag and slept till around 4.30 am when Radhika felt a little uncomfortable. So we left the suite and went to our heated rooms. The experience was exhilarating.

There are a large number of other activities to keep you busy during the day. These include Snow mobiles, Dog sleds, archery, rock climbing (the rock is also made of ice), ice skating etc. We decided to try our hand in snow mobile and dog sled.
First we hired a snow mobile. I was to drive with Radhika on the pinion. We were given extra heavy clothing for the ride including gloves and goggles. A guide came on another mobile. One has to show an international driving licence to be allowed to drive. The snow mobile is on skis, with a 6HP engine, there is no clutch, only an accelerator and brakes.
As we started, I had to take a sharp bend and enter the track at a lower level. I could not control and hit a wall of snow. Both of us and the snowmobile were completely in snow. We were pulled out and we proceeded. I started at 60 Kms/hr and slowly accelerated to about 100 kms/hr. Problems come when you have to cross tar roads. The skis do not move on these. So you have to check for the traffic on these roads and at the same time accelerate to avoid stopping on the road. A little tricky. We drove for about an hour and stopped. The guide asked Radhika how was the drive. She told him Manohar drives faster on Mumbai roads. So on the way back I tried to go around125 kms/hr. It was absolutely fantastic. After we returned Radhika also tried her hand to drive inside the yard. We had some photos taken and left feeling high of the experience.

Next day we wanted to try the dog sled. We were taken to a kennel about 15 minutes drive away. We were explained about different breeds of dogs used on the sled, and how to drive the sled. There are three pairs of dogs for each sled. There is a bucket seat in which one person can sit. Radhika took the seat. The driver has to stand on skis projecting at the back and hold the leash and a whip. There is a bracket between the two skis which when pressed into the ground acts as a break. So I became the driver. There were three more groups with us. It was exceedingly cold that day. Our noses were becoming red and it was difficult to breathe. Our goggles were getting foggy and we could hardly see anything beyond 10 M. I was wearing three layers of gloves and found it difficult to get a grip on the leash and whip. Somehow I managed to drive for half an hour. As my finger tips stated becoming numb, I just loosened my hand within the gloves to wiggle the fingers a little, but in doing this I lost concentration and did not notice a curve. I drove the sled straight into a wall of snow. The sled over turned and both of us were in waist deep snow. We were rescued by the guide and we continued.
I found during the drive one or the other dogs used to slow down some times stop. Others have to pull them. I was told they stop very frequently to urinate and hence it is necessary to keep shouting and sounding the whip and shout MUSH. Somehow we completed the one hour drive. It was a great experience. Due to the severe cold and heavy gloves it is practically impossible to operate the camera. The trigger is so small you can hardly put your finger tip on it.Some how I managed to take a few pictures.

The biggest problem was food. We are strict vegetarians. In spite of informing them earlier, we could get only salad, potatoes, fruit juices. The salad also contains various unknown kinds of leaves. We were feeling like animals eating grass. But we enjoyed the stay and experience. Interestingly people ask for chilled beer in the restaurant. Of course we also had cold fruit juices.

The whole thing is extremely expensive. Nearly US $ 800 each for all the facilities we used for a two night stay, but I think it was once in a life time experience and worth it.