The Pond at Duthie Park is Frozen

Today my wife and I wanted to go out and about but had to convince our daughter, Mik, to go along with us. Reluctantly she finally agrees after I told her that one of our destination is possibly a park where she can play. Since it was a bright and sunny afternoon, once again I was fooled into thinking that it won't be that cold and had the wrong clothing on me. After the first stop, I tried to renegotiate my going to the park deal with Mik using the freezing cold temperature as the excuse. I had to relent after she made her case by saying: "Dad, if we don't go to the park I will be as happy as a fly, but if we go to the park I will be as happy as a lion that is given fresh meat!"

We made it to Duthie park soon before the sun set. The temperature was around 3 degree Celsius and the wind made it feel even colder.  As Mik was playing at the slides, I was fascinated to see 3 boys playing by the lake - they were breaking and picking big pieces of ice, then throwing them onto the frozen lake and spattered the ice into small pieces.

Three boys breaking the ice

Leafs under the frozen surface

It was a pleasant surprise to meet our family friends at the slides so Mik had a buddy to play with while the adults chat as we waited ... or at least I tried to - it was hard because my face was numbed and initially I mumbled my words away and everyone broke into laughter. Though it was really, really cold, the stop at the park was worth it as the scenery during sun set was just perfect and I got my camera with me to capture the moment.

Beautiful sunset behind the trees in Duthie Park

About Duthie Park Aberdeen

The park situated by the banks of River Dee was given by Lady Elizabeth Duthie of Ruthrieston to the Aberdeen council in 1881 in memory of her uncle and her brother. The 44 acres park has big open spaces with a Victorian bandstand as the central feature, fountains, lake/pond, statues, Winter Gardens, a restaurant, bowling green, tennis courts and two playgrounds for children. The winter gardens are fascinating to me not only because they house many exotic plants including the largest collection of cacti in Britain, but because these plants also reminds me of home ... plus it's nice and warm in there ... Mik's favorite is the slides which I think is the longest slides I've ever seen in Aberdeen. This is definitely a park for everyone.

Lots of big tree like this one at the edge of the grassed area 

Winter Gardens and restaurant behind the trees

Sunset behind the Victorian bandstand