Dedaland

Palavela - Torino

I went iceskating here today.

Nice, smooth ice... I learned a few tricks like skating backward, spin around and lift one leg, cross the legs. It was fantastic... after spinning the head feels so light! *_*

The Palavela is a big facility that was built for the Winter Olympics of 2006. Luckily the city of Turin has decided to keep some of the structures instead of dismantling them!

The Palavela is open during week days for a couple of hours in the afternoon. The ice is so smooth it's incredible! It's like skating on oil!

Of course after one hour it gets scratchy and snowy but that is not a bad thing if you are wearing rent-on skates with no sharp blade.

Now a sharp blade allows you to do things in a more stable way as the blade cuts into the ice, adheres to the surface and the friction keeps your foot steady. When the blade is dull or flat at the bottom your feet would wobble and trying to cross your leg to turn would make you slide sideways and directly onto the floor... which is not usually that bad but not really cool since the ice is sticky and if you hit with the face it hurts and burns like heck! Imagine getting stuck with your tongue on that hahahaha.

The Palavela will be closed to public again starting next march 2010 because the ice skating world championship will be held here in Turin and the competitions will take place both here and at the other ice palace.

Turin is a most amazing city! I reccomend a visit sooner or later and if it gets too cold don't forget to get a cup of bicerin or vin brulé... it will warm you up!