12/27: Yabulieve it! (China)

Yabuli Ski Resort  is the largest ski resort in China, including the biggest ski jumping facilities, located in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. It is 110 mi (177 km) southeast from Harbin, approximately 2.5hrs by train. Yabuli hosted the 1996 Winter Asian Games, the 2008 National Winter Games and the 2009 Winter Universiade. [Wikipedia]

 FAMILY: different pieces of a puzzle never complete!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Have some Things in a Box 

 Everybody now!

Yabuli has a relatively small population, and limited activities. Our hotel, near the ski slopes, was a good 20-30 minute drive from the main city, but we had a taste of a little bit of everything. Lunch in the city, town, and a village!

True family-style dining

 Ready and waiting!

 Are you married? Cook for me forever!

 What's in that soup?

 Truly a daddy of 3 girls . tee hee

 Bracing ourselves for the cold and slippery streets of Yabuli

 At a fireworks shop planning our Christmas celebration!

 YAY!!

 Can't wait for some inconspicuous fun!

 In the icebox on wheels back to our hotel

 Back to the basics  :)

 Next day: Time to ski!

 What should we wear today? EVERYTHING.

    

 On the slopes. Too icy to shred:(

 Still smiling though!!

 @ Club Med, the better choice we didn't choose ! HA

Brotherly love

 Somebody try this with me!!

 We had lunch in our driver's village, on a family's DIKANG (heated brick bed covering the entire floor, used as early as 7200 years ago!) where everyone sleeps together at night. In the daytime it is converted to a dining room or used for other activities.

like puppetry !

 

 A great dish. Had my nod of approval

Om nom nom

 Our icebox on wheels for the trip

I got this

  ta-da!

Important family lessons

 WEEEE whirly twirly

 FOOM!

 PEW!

RAHM!!!

 This is what happens when you smoke!

 FEEEWWWW

Yabuli was great fun with the family but not so much for the purpose of skiing. Sometimes some things are not worth the hassle and China just doesn't make it easier. We will to try Utah next winter - its just a bit closer to home :) But what a great experience it was to have had our White Christmas in Yabuli!

Thank you for joining us - you were all in our thoughts and hearts this Christmas :)