As we approach the Autumnal Equinox (Sept. 22nd this year), it starts to cool down a bit in the Northern Hemisphere. This comes none too soon for those of us who dread the words "hurricane season." (wishing Texas the best as Ike lumbers towards Houston and Galveston!) The other day, I saw the Kiruna temperature sticker on the front of ice carving secrets had dropped to 2° C. Couldn't tell you how happy that made me! (Even better, Friday night it dropped below freezing!)

    As temperatures cool, thoughts turn towards ice carving competitions, winter sports, and...ice hotels. People have a certain strange fascination with ice hotels and visiting one has probably made the “list of things to do before I die list” for many. I’ve heard that they may try to even build one this year in the Pyrenees, between France and Spain. But the original ice hotel, or ICEHOTEL, is in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden and has been there in some form or fashion every winter since 1990.

    I’ve been compiling information about ice hotels and other ice venues on the “ice places” page and I will certainly write more about ICEHOTEL in the future. For now, check out the collection of ICEHOTEL photos that I’ve posted. Again, thanks go to Susanna Porter Öhman, Camilla Bondareva, & Magdalena Sjödin of ICEHOTEL, who have been kind enough to fill me in on some of the details and allow me to use the photos of ICEHOTEL on this site. The photo in this entry and all of the photos on the gallery page are © ICEHOTEL and may not be used or distributed without permission from ICEHOTEL. If you want to see more, check out their website where you can also purchase their Art & Design Catalogues which have even more pictures. Hopefully, the next time I need to get some photos of ICEHOTEL, I’ll be able to do it in person!