SNOW! and what is winter for you?

Wonderland of snow..Can't say I see it as such more than when I see it in a photo today.
If you have never seen or experienced snow, and do for the first time, it is a fascinating concept.
It is a solid, but melts quickly so you get wet. It makes you cold, and wet. It makes your heart beat faster of excitement and it makes your cold cheeks hurt from smiling.

It is a Wonderland of snow!

This year in the area where I grew up in Sweden, they have one of those old fashioned winters I remember from growing up. They have so much snow. 1 meter and counting is more the norm this year than not. It is an awful lot of snow!
At the same time it is cold. It has been since beginning of January, on and off. Right now they are in the negative -20C and lower.
Can I just state here I am very pleased not to be there!!!

In the area where I grew up they have the winter week long sports holiday. Every region of Sweden has their week, and this week is the region of where I come from. This region is famous for many different things. Which this time of year is cross country skiing.

Last week, the Ladies ski race took place. It is a 30 km cross country ski race where over 7 000 ladies participated that day. It is a folk fest. It is also the Worlds largest and longest cross country ski race for women only, that happens every year (since 2012) on the last Sunday in February. This year they had no shortage of snow!

I add a link to their official website in english;
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/races/ski-races/tjejvasan/

On Sunday coming, the 1st Sunday in March, it is time for men and women to ski the longest cross country race in the World. It is also historically the oldest race in the World. They ski 90 km through the forest, down to the town where I grew up. It is another, even bigger, folk fest.

I add the official link from last years race, since we still have to wait for this year to happen.
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/races/ski-races/vasaloppet/

This is winter for me.

If you are interested in history, this link will tell some of the history about this race and Sweden as well. It's interesting and has all ingredients of bloodbath, uprising, and how kings can be made.
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/about-us/history/