Houhai Lake is a small lake in central, old Beijing. Every winter it freezes over and is visited by locals and travelers, young and old, from all walks of life. Iceskating on Houhai Lake is one of the longest-lasting forms of entertainment in Beijing, and in a time when most people stay indoors in front of the TV or computer, it may be enjoying a resurgence of popularity, in spite of the cold.

Here at Houhai Lake, the grind of the city life seems to come to a standstill. Instead of the cacophony of buses and car horns, it's the laughter of children and the scraping of blade against ice. Instead of the choking fumes of the highways or crammed space of the subway, you can enjoy fresh, cool air and the open rink.

So if you'd like to join the fun, it will only cost you 20 RMB to rent a pair of skates, and 200 RMB for the deposit, which of course you will get back when you return the skates. And the time on the rink is open time, which means there's no limit. You can skate all day.

"I have been skating for over 30 years, nearly 40 years. I want to recapture the feeling of my childhood spent here. When you skate here, you will get the feeling of childhood again. Now I am old and have a grandson. Work, family, life, all bring me a lot of pressure. You can release that here. I'm not a good skater, only been skating a long time. Some people are afraid of the cold weather. But it feels good once you get warmed up. Exercise is important in life. We did not have so many things to do in winter before, but now children like to play computer games at home, but I suggest children should play outside more. For indoor rinks, the environment is very good and the ice is very smooth. But it does not have the feeling that we common people can enjoy. It's more for rich people because the rink charges by the hour. Guomao is 30 RMB an hour. But here you can skate all day for only 10 RMB! The feeling is totally different."

"Yes, we often come here to skate. We live nearby. This rink is open every year and we come every year. We come before the weather gets too cold."

"I am 12 years old. This place is different from other rinks. I feel more free here. So much fun and comfortable. I come here every year."

"When he was young he would use the ice cart. When he was 6 he started using skates, and we helped him stand on his feet. Now he can skate by himself. During Winter break he has a lot of free time. After their tests they can have more time to play. It's good for them to play outside."

Although I'm a little bit clumsy on the skates, it still feels very easy and free. It's not too cold either, once you get your body moving. There's a lot of people out here. It's a sunny day. Got the music, fresh air.

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