ICE IS NICE

OR ICE CAN BE NICE!

Here are three examples of what ice is all about at the beginning of March in St.Pete's.

First, let's look at the size of the icicles. Yes, they would and DO kill people. A lot of people here say they have had close encounters with them. When the temperature rises slightly, they are likely to drop off from a high building without warning (they don't shout 'fore'!). They weigh a kilo or two at best and several kilos at worst. On the thawing days I am almost inclined to walk around wearing a crash helmet. However, the buildings are obliged to cordon off the areas of danger but they are not to be trusted so extreme care must be exercised. At the same time as perusing the tops of the buildings for falling ice burgs, don't for one minute take your eyes off the pavement as you are likely to go flying on very hardened ice, in places several inches thick. I sympathize with the authorities because it thaws and re-freezes so often that it is impossible to keep it safe. However, this does make the trip to the supermarket far more fun than normal.

Now let's take a look at the drainpipes. Again, when there is a thaw, you can be walking along the street when suddenly you hear a large rumble noise coming from somewhere above and quickly moving downwards before the ice simply shoots out onto the pavement, sometimes containing bottles and glass, (people party on the rooftops here). Make sure at this point that you aren't standing in front of one of the city's enormous drainpipes. I think the picture above speaks for its self.

Thirdly, see the man walking on the river? He is employed by the city to pick up rubbish from the ice on the canals. You may be able to see, a way in front of him, a ladder out across the ice. That is where his workmates are, watching out for his safety. Is that a joke?