【Travel with Seasons】Montreal, Canada and Surroundings (February)

As February arrives, successive heavy snowfalls pile up layer upon layer. During the day, the surface snow melts under the sun; at night, it refreezes into ice, and then a new layer of snow covers it. So beneath the shallow fluffy snow lies a smooth, icy surface. When you go out at this time, you must watch your step—one careless slip and you'll fall flat on your back.

The continuous low temperatures over several months have by now frozen everything extremely solid. Therefore, the restless Canadians have taken advantage of the ice theme to develop many novel activities, injecting vitality into this bleak winter.

Less than two hours' drive northeast from Montreal is Trois-Rivières, which is in the prime season for ice fishing.

Every year, depending on river ice conditions, roughly from after Christmas to mid-February, locals set up temporary huts on the frozen river and run ice fishing businesses.

If you come here at this time, you will see vehicles shuttling back and forth. Hundreds of small huts with smoke curling from their chimneys line up in neat rows, looking like a busy little village. If nobody told you, would you ever imagine that all this is built right in the middle of the river, with half a meter of ice beneath your feet, under which currents are flowing?

When it comes to ice fishing, you might first imagine a fisherman wrapped up like an Eskimo, crouching by a small ice hole, shivering in the cold wind. But that's not the case! Ice fishing here has become industrialized; far from being harsh, it is quite enjoyable.

Ice fishing takes place in small huts that can accommodate multiple people. Fishing lines hanging on the wall and a long rectangular ice hole in the floor are the battlefield. A stove and plenty of firewood allow you to cook your catch right there with your own cookware, staying warm and comfortable all day long.

The fish caught are not large—a kind of Atlantic tomcod about 20–30 cm long. If you can't finish them, you can simply toss them outside to freeze naturally and take them home to enjoy later. Typically, over the course of a day, each person can catch dozens of small tomcod and gain a full sense of happiness.

=== Quebec Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec) ===

Ice fishing is just an appetizer. You absolutely must not miss the true winter "feast" that takes place once a year.

Drive east from Trois-Rivières for another hour or so to reach Quebec City, the capital of Quebec Province.

Every year starting from the first weekend of February, Quebec City hosts the grand Quebec Winter Carnival.

This carnival lasts ten days and is the largest winter carnival in the world, as well as the third largest carnival globally after the Brazil Carnival (Carnaval do Brasil) and New Orleans Mardi Gras.

During the carnival, the mascot "Bonhomme"—a snowman wearing a red cap and a colorful sash—becomes the acting mayor, spreading the spirit of "joy" that he symbolizes to this 400-year-old historic city, igniting passionate warmth to welcome millions of tourists from around the world.

Each year, the main venue is a crystal castle built entirely of translucent ice blocks—the "Ice Palace," home of Mayor Bonhomme. During the day, sunlight refracts on it, producing rainbow-like halos that make you feel as if you've wandered into a fairy tale. At night, when colored lights turn on, the dazzling translucent castle becomes a sea of celebration, hosting the world's largest outdoor winter disco party.

From opening to closing, there are different activities each day for visitors to watch and participate in.

There is the exquisitely crafted snow sculpture competition—artists from more than 20 countries jointly present hundreds of meticulously carved, lifelike snow and ice artworks.

There is the daring ice canoe race on the river—60 professional teams brave the cold on the St. Lawrence River, filled with floating ice, paddling canoes in extreme competitions of courage and endurance.

There are also snow concerts, dog sledding, ice climbing, horse racing on ice, snow sliding... All the winter activities you can imagine and even those you cannot think of take place in rotation during these ten days, allowing you to fully experience them.

Finally, don't miss the highlight—the grand nighttime parade of floats. On the second and third weekends of the carnival, Mayor Bonhomme personally leads a huge procession of floats, bringing the entire event to its climax.

=== Ice Hotel (Hotel de Glace) ===

Besides the carnival, there is another must-visit attraction around Quebec City at this time that deserves half a day's drive.

The Ice Hotel is the only hotel in North America built entirely of ice. In addition to conventional facilities like a lobby and guest rooms, it also has a bar, a children's playground, and an independent chapel.

Everything inside the hotel, including beds, tables, chairs, decorative sculptures, and even wine glasses, is made of ice.

This also means this special hotel can survive for less than three months. When spring arrives and flowers bloom, it completely melts away. The following winter, more than 50 skilled craftsmen work continuously for over a month to rebuild it.

This project is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also extremely costly.

However, it is worth mentioning that each year the hotel sets a new theme for its design and creation, so the hotel you visit may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

This fairy-tale attraction draws over a hundred thousand visitors each year. You can enjoy wine in an ice bar using ice-made glasses, have fun on an ice slide, pause to admire beautiful ice sculptures, and wander through guest rooms with different styles... Some even choose to hold weddings here, creating a "Frozen romance." A love witnessed in such a translucent church must be as pure as ice crystals, right?

The most amazing part is that the guest rooms can actually be booked for overnight stays. Imagine sleeping on an "ice bed" wrapped in bearskin on a night when the temperature is below minus ten degrees Celsius. However, the steep price prevents most people from trying.

Summary: The first half of February is when the ice is most solid. Head east from Montreal to experience the unique charm of ice fishing, the Winter Carnival, and the Ice Hotel.

(Written with painstaking effort by "Travel Time Treasure." Please indicate the source when reprinting. Thank you for your respect!)

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