Hello from Norway!  I think I'm somewhere near the city Trondheim which is also referred to as the Paris of Northern Europe.  I decided to take a 12 day cruise beginning and ending in Bergen Norway with Hurtigruten Cruise lines. 

One of the tours I decided to do was halfway through the cruise at one of our northern most stops in Kirkenes which is only a few miles from the Russian border.  Many people on my ship took a tour bus to see the Russian border.  There was only time to do one chore and I chose this one I'm so glad that I did and spite of being colder then I think I've ever been in my life.  I grew up in the state of Vermont but have lived in Florida for nearly a decade and it just isn't as easy to travel to cold-weather places. 

I took a lot of photos at the Snowhotel because it was so interesting and I haven't ever seen anything like it.  People pay as much as $600 and more of a night to stay there.  There is a bar and a restaurant.  There are also reindeer on the property and dog sledding is available. 

I have mixed feelings about dog sledding. This was my second such excursion. When I was in Alaska I wanted to try it and especially see if the dogs were treated well. You can read my account here:

Dog Sledding in June on the Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

One of the things I like most about going dog sledding is playing with the dogs.  They just love attention and are so well behaved! 

It has become a tradition in my family to visit the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida to see the ICE! Exhibit as well as the acrobat and light shows.  We love the festive atmosphere as well as the variety of restaurants available at this resort.  The 2016 exhibit is over but the atrium view rooms where you can see the shows start to book up several months in advance.  This year's theme was  "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and was one of my favorite so far and I wanted to share my photos.

It's become a tradition for my husband and I to visit the Gaylord Palm's ICE exhibit in Kissimmee, Florida during the holiday season each year.  I really like staying at the hotel.  There is so much to do at the hotel itself as well as the Kissimmee area.

The Ice exhibit's theme for 2015 is "Twas the Night Before Christmas".  The event started on November 24th and ends on January 3rd 2016 so you still have time to go!  The prices for admission can be found here:  ICE Exhibit Packages and Prices.  Parking is an additional $20 at the Kissimmee, Florida location.  Please have your own gloves as they don't give them out this year!  It took my hands a good fifteen minutes to thaw after exiting the "The Frostbite Factory".

To make the ICE exhibit at Gaylord Palms requires 36 truckloads over a 3 week period of ice and several artists from Harbin, China which is near Siberia and temperatures fall to an average of 2 degrees in the winter.  I can't imagine having the skill and carving these awesome sculptures in 9 degrees F.

Here is the link for reservations or more information about the Gaylord Palms Convention Center.

 Here is a photo of my husband and I in the chilly entrance of the exhibit:

Here are just a few of my favorite ice sculptures:  It's not easy to take photos as it's a little dark in some of the rooms and there are a lot of people standing around the sculptures and having friends or family take photos of them in front of these beautiful works of art.

Here is one of the artists hard at work building/maintaining these gorgeous sculptures:


This crystal clear nativity scene is at the very end of the exhibit:






There are four ice slides.  There is an extra fee for them.

As I stated previously, The Gaylord Palms Hotel is very beautifully decorated, has a lot of restaurants and shows.  Here is a gigantic Christmas tree which took my breath away!
I watched several VERY talented acrobats performing neat the lovely Christmas tree.  Again, it wasn't easy to take photos.  Next year I would LOVE to stay in one of the hotel rooms overlooking this incredible courtyard!

Here is a dome and a sculpture I found just walking around:

There were a lot of small alligators and turtles in one of the ponds:


Thanks for stopping by my blog.  I hope you and are enjoying this holiday season.  Have a great week! 

~Michelle