The capital of Heilongjiang province, HARBIN is the last major city
before you hit the sub-Siberian wilderness and its scattering of oil and
mining towns. It's worth a visit for its winter Ice Festival alone, but
it's also one of the few northern cities with a distinctive character,
the result of colonialism and cooperation with nearby Russia. More a
recreational centre than a cultural Mecca, it's a place to shop and
explore the streets. locals have picked up on some of
their neighbour's customs: as well as a taste for ice cream and
pastries, the residents have a reputation as the hardest drinkers in
China. On the outskirts of the city is a stark reminder of one of the
country's blackest periods – during World War II, the former village,
now suburb, of Pingfang was home to Unit 731, a Japanese military
research base where prisoners of war were used as human guinea pigs.
During
the summer, the climate is quite pleasant, but in winter the
temperature can plummet to well below 30°C, and the sun sets at 4pm.
Local people are accustomed to the dark and cold, however, and it is
during winter that the city is most alive, with skiing and ice festivals
in December and January. [Rough Guides]
Coldest days in 50 years... lucky us!!
Warming up with breakfast
Sing it, girl!
Activities on the frozen river
Vodka and Russian dolls
breaking the ice ;)
Like a pet rock
Dumber!
Look ma we're on the river!
I'm not cold enough. Gonna make a snow angel
It's a beach out here
Famous Harbin sausages!
Frozen lashes!
Church turned gift-shop?
A warm night at 20 below
Ice sculptures!!
a meal of marrow
Harbin was great, but oh so cold!! And the streets were slick. Two of us fell on the streets, one was rewarded with a fractured hand. Ouch. The ice sculptures were beautiful, but really we couldn't imagine how it could get much colder. But we hopped on a train (and by "hop" i mean sloshed, slipped, carried and hauled heavy luggage) headed to where it was an additional 10 degrees colder. Brrrrr...
No knife? No problem!
Happy times for the whole family on the train!
Except for me, embracing the stomach flu diet
Next stop: YABULI!!
