It's an ill wind

The cold spell across Europe (both northern and southern) is wreaking some chaos though none seems to be quite as bad as that in Britain where the transport system keeps collapsing regardless of the fact that the conditions are far worse in other countries.

Still, as Der Spiegel reports, there may be compensations:

Holland, meanwhile, hopes the cold continues long enough to hold the mythical ice-skating race called Elfstedentocht.

Britain, I fear, has a long way to go before we can have fairs on the Thames.