Ice rinks, ice rinks everywhere

Is this why the Dutch seem to win most of the skating medals at the Winter Olympics?  

From mid-November until mid-January, it would seem that temporary ice rinks pop up in quite a few places around here and so everybody has a chance to try their hand at skating.  On this particular evening Amber, Grace and I cycled (there are at least two rinks within cycling distance of our house) to the rink and we joined a large number of families, teenagers and adults on the ice.  Sadly, it hasn't been cold enough, yet, for the canals to freeze over - I'm hoping that will happen while we're still here, but not holding my breath!  It did strike me though, that with skating being so accessible, no wonder this nation does so well when it comes to the big competitions!

(Needless to say, the girls had a great time and made me promise that we would go again with Daddy and Robyn - mostly so that we can all have a good laugh at Richard, as he slides, Bambi-like, around the ice!!!)