Freezing Holland.

This doesn't happen a lot, that we have 2 weeks of constant frost, I know for some of you it's not a severe frost, but for us in Holland it is very cold,
the skaters are out first time since about 10 years , they are on the park lakes , small canals and even on the big lakes, skating from one province to the next !! Brave people, they are wrapped up with newspapers under their jumpers, in their pants, some woman knit special Willy warmers for their husbands/partners/sons etc.
this is not a joke !! Even the Dutch Crownprince, Willem Alexander, skates those large distances, I don't know if his Mom Beatrix ever knitted a Willy warmer for him though, maybe his wife Maxima has done one for him ?
I can't skate, My parents wanted me to learn to skate on very VERY old fashion wooden skates, but no, I was too proud for that, what if my friends would see me on those things ?
once, I was about 16, I borrowed a pair and they put me on the ice behind a wooden chair, so I wouldn't fall, I was so frightened to fall on the ice (it's very solid you know !!) and was holding on for dear live with my whole body so tense, that after that experience, I could not walk for a week, everything ached so much !!
that was the first and last time for me !!

visit this site, it gives you an idea about skating in Holland.
http://www.thehollandring.com/11stedentocht.shtml

from the official Royal Family website.:
In his leisure time, the Prince frequently attends major fixtures when the Dutch national teams are taking part. The Prince himself is keen on tennis, running, skiing, sailing, golf, rock climbing, riding, skating and diving. In 1986, he completed the Elfstedentocht, the Frisian skating marathon, and in 1992 he ran the New York Marathon
.