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When January's chill grips Iceland, locals turn to warmth and tradition with Þorrablót—a midwinter festival rooted in Viking heritage. Named after Þorri, a winter figure from Norse mythology, this celebration began as a sacrificial feast to honour the gods and ensure survival through harsh winters. Today, it's a lively cultural event that blends history with hearty camaraderie.

At the heart of Þorrablót is food—quirky, preserved dishes that once sustained Icelanders through long, dark months. Expect a buffet of smoked lamb, dried fish and rye bread alongside more daring bites like hákarl (fermented shark), svið (singed sheep's head) and even ram testicles. These flavours, still softened by traditional preservation methods, tell stories of resilience. To wash it down? A shot of Brennivín, Iceland's signature spirit, distilled from potatoes and flavoured with caraway seeds.

Beyond the feast, Þorrablót is about gathering—singing old songs, reciting epic poems and sharing laughter in community halls. It's a celebration of heritage, humour and togetherness, turning the coldest season into a warm embrace of Icelandic culture.

Across the shimmering lagoons of Africa, the winding deltas of Asia and the salt marshes of southern Europe, a graceful figure emerges, poised delicately between water and sky. The black-winged stilt, with its long, slender red legs, moves with quiet elegance through the shallows. Their presence sometimes evokes a quiet intimacy—two birds drifting close, their movements mirroring one another in a delicate choreography, as if sharing a secret only the wetlands can hear. They hunt with quiet precision, gently picking insects, larvae and tiny crustaceans from the water's surface. Each movement reveals a subtle mastery of their environment, shaped by patience and instinct.

But these birds are more than graceful wanderers. Nesting on bare ground, vulnerable to rising waters and human disturbance, they are living indicators of ecological health. Their presence signals balance; their absence, a warning. To protect the stilts is to protect the fragile harmony of wetlands—those shimmering worlds where life breathes in silence. In their reflection, we see not only beauty, but the urgent need to care for the places that still hold it.

Some animals whisper their way through the wild. Zebras don't. They show up in high-contrast stripes, act like it's the most practical outfit ever invented—and somehow, it is. These African equines come in three species. Plains zebras—featured in today's image from Namibia's Etosha National Park—wear bold stripes, mountain ones sport pinstripes, and Grévy's go for the ultra-fine, designer look. No two patterns match, turning every individual into a walking fingerprint. Scientists believe those stripes help confuse predators, deter biting flies and even cool the body by creating tiny air currents.

Watch a herd—technically called a dazzle—and you'll see how social they are. They groom one another, babysit foals and communicate through brays and barks. Foals recognise their mothers by memorising patterns within hours of birth. These mammals are built for speed—up to 70 km/h —and teamwork, forming tight circles when threatened. However, shrinking habitats, poaching and competition with livestock continue to threaten them, making this day essential for raising awareness.

From today, January 31st, the winter event "Chitose-Shikotsu Lake Ice Wave Festival Ice Museum" in Chitose City, Hokkaido, will be held. Lake Shikotsu is frozen, sprayed with sprinkler water, and frozen, with Shikotsu blue ice sculptures of various sizes. At night, it is illuminated by colorful lights, creating a fantastic world...

Lake Shikotsu, known as Japan's northernmost ice-free lake, was born from the accumulation of water in the Shikotsu caldera, which was formed by a massive volcanic eruption about 40,000 years ago. The water is called "Lake Shikotsu Blue" because the water surface appears blue because the transparency is very high on average 15 to 20 meters.

Picture a small island rising from the Cornish sea, connected to the mainland only when the tide retreats. For a few hours a day, you can wander across a centuries-old granite causeway made smooth by pilgrims and fishermen. This is St. Michael's Mount, just off the coast of Marazion, in Cornwall, England. Managed by the National Trust and home to the St. Aubyn family since the 1600s, the mount blends myth, medieval history and sweeping coastal views.

The island is filled with stories: from the Archangel Michael guiding sailors to safety in 495 CE to tales of Jack the Giant Killer defeating the fearsome Cormoran. At the summit stands a castle that began as a 12th-century priory, later transformed into a Gothic-inspired fortress with regal drawing rooms, hidden staircases and panoramic terraces.

Below, the harbour's cobbled lanes wind through a historic fishing village once busy with boats and trade. Whether you are exploring the gardens clinging to the granite cliffs or wandering the battlements, imagining battles of the Civil War and the Spanish Armada, St. Michael's Mount is a rare place where past and legend feel equally alive.

Interlude starts today in Ottawa–Gatineau, and the forecast is simple: dress warmly and stay outside longer than planned. The festival began in 1979, when the National Capital Commission set out to make winter feel inviting rather than isolating—and that thinking still holds.

Events take place across Jacques-Cartier Park (North Section) and Confederation Park, where winter activities are spread out rather than squeezed into one spot. The Rideau Canal Skateway remains the headline attraction when conditions allow, offering kilometres of maintained ice through the city. Alongside it, Winterlude brings together snow parks, live performances, family-friendly programming and food stalls designed for quick warm-ups between outings. Ice carving demonstrations and snow sculptures add variety to the schedule without over-planning the experience.

The sculpture featured in today's image, 'Kimono,' was displayed during the 2010 festival. Part of the festival's long-running ice carving competition, it reflects how artists transform ice into detailed works that exist only as long as the cold cooperates. New this year is the Nordic Run by Nomades du Parc, with 1 km, 5 km and 12 km routes tracing the Gatineau River and Leamy Lake. Winterlude doesn't soften winter—it gives it purpose.