I have been thinking about visiting this city for quite sometime now and decided to bring my family there for the year end holiday last year. My favourite holiday period is always at the last week of the year, from 25th December till 1st the following year. It is this time I can witness and partake the year end festive celebration in a different atmosphere. My holiday planning is always the same, decide the date, research the places of interest, book the air ticket, hotel and rent a car. But for this holiday, I had booked the air ticket first and upon researching realise that 7 days in freezing cold Harbin is one day too many. When I inquired at Air China's office later about amending my tickets to stay 2 days longer during transit at Beijing, the administrative charge and difference in air fare would cost me in total RM5,000 for the five tickets! That make me focus on Harbin for 7 days,
I always wrap up the check in luggage to be more secured.
Boarding the sky train.
Not many flyers today.
The plane is good and comfortable.
The flight to Beijing is smooth.
This trip prove to be the most eventful trip I have taken so far. When we checked in at KLIA, the counter staff had already told us the luggage need to be collected from the belt and rechecked in when we transit at Beijing. She can only check the passengers through but not the luggage as per China's policy for incoming passengers. That's not a problem, or so we thought. We had two problems when we arrive at Beijing, firstly, the transit time is 1.5 hours which on the norm is more than adequate time if you can check your luggage through all the way. But we disembark from international terminal, took a long walk and a 10 mins train ride to the domestic terminal and the luggage did not come out until an hour after landing. By the time we collected our luggage and was checking in, the time is up and the counter suggested we take the next flight to Harbin which is 1.5 hours later. So we have to get a new ticket and re-check in and go through the entire custom screening process. At the immigration, two of our passport numbers did not match the numbers in their system. I had earlier omitted to update the new passport numbers when I change to new passports after booking and for this, they are not allowing us through. After some haggling, the Supervisor let us through, but not after some anxiety.
Finally boarding the plane to Harbin.
We already felt the cold air.
We took the second flight to Harbin after missing the first connecting flight. Harbin is in the province of Heilongjiang. Together with Liaoning and Jilin, this is the Dongbei Region ( North East ) which the Japanese refer to it as Manchukuo ( Manchuria ).
The flight from Beijing to Harbin took us only 2 hours and the first thing that hit us upon arrival was the cold. It was not so bad whilst in the building, but once outside we have our first taste of freezing cold weather. Harbin airport do not have a coupon system and the cab are all lined outside to take you to your destination. They have meter, but very often chose not to use them.
There are no MPVs so we took two cabs to our hotel downtown. The minute we got into the cab, the driver told us our clothing cannot last more than 10 minutes outside. I told him we just flew in from a hot country and our winter clothes are still in the luggage. But he was right, the brief 10 minutes or so outside the airport was biting cold. On the way to our hotel, we could see trees bereft of any leaves and the cold icy snow outside.
As we turned into our hotel, this was the first sign of ice sculpture we saw, a half completed bridge carved out of ice.
The Hotel entrance have it's name and logo sculptured from a huge ice block.
We arrive on Christmas Day and the huge Christmas tree at the lobby is the centerpiece.
From our room, we could see everything white. There's a skating rink at the far right.
Right in front of the hotel, it is all snow and ice.
This was taken a few days later but the welcome is displayed on TV when you switched it on.
We had two rooms side by side, unfortunately they do not have any connecting door.
Are we glad to have a room that is cosy and the shower room floor is heated just right to provide the warmth.
By the time we settled in, it was lunch time and we dine in at the hotel's restaurant.
It was a bit late and we have the whole restaurant to ourselves.
You can see the coldness from the window view at the restaurant.
But inside, we are still dressed up like summer !
Today being the first day, we did not plan any activity other than rest and try to adjust to the cold. After all, we have spent the last 12 hours in 3 airports and in the plane and badly needed that rest.
It gets dark at 4.00 pm but we went out at 6.00 pm for our dinner.
The hotel concierge had suggested the street behind our hotel where there are some eateries.
We decided on a Mongolian hotpot dinner.
We have to choose the lamb cut and side dishes. First the lamb is thrown into a wok.
Then the soup with dry dates and some oil are added. Just like our steamboat, we wait for it to simmer and boil,
The side dishes that we ordered.
The century egg is oily but it's really good.
The picture makes it looks plain, but it's really tasty.
We really enjoyed the meal, especially the hot soup in cold weather.
All contented after a hot and fulfilling meal.
Even though the it is about a kilometer to our hotel and well within walking distance, we took the cab back as the weather is biting cold.
Braving the cold.
We woke up the next morning to an even more chilling weather.
Our driver came in her MPV and one look at our "winter clothes" and she said the same thing, our clothes would not last more than 10 minutes ! She suggested that we have a look at some real winter clothes and promptly took us to a small wholesale store after we agree to have a look. The reluctance is obvious, we are most probably buying it for a one time use. Nevertheless, we bought some inner wear that can fully protects wearer from the cold and some protective face mask, Yvonne got herself a new overcoat. The problem is the shop do not accept Credit card and we paid in cash. This unbudgeted item is a cause of concern as I did not bring too much Yuan when coming here. I was banking on my credit card and ATM. Hopefully the China ATM do not give me any problem.
WE started out late morning and it was already lunch time. We asked the driver to recommend us any eatery with local food and she promptly took us to a village just slightly out of town.
The restaurant is just off the airport highway.
Haoshi Traditional Pork Dishes Restaurant.
Even though it is village food, it is really good.
The portion is big and the rice is semi glutinous steamed with red beans.
It may look messy, but we finish everything in this bowl.
Pork is the signature dish here.
This is really peasant food. We could not finish this dish which is maize, potato and pumpkin.
We headed back towards the city. Harbin is neat and modern from this picture.
At another roundabout, large blocks of frozen ice were placed there to be sculptured for decoration. These ice blocks were simple sawn off from the frozen Songbei River nearby.
At the entrance of the village. At this temperature, I am simple not dressed enough.
Yvonne with her new overcoat is well protected. The boys with the layering and hood is okay but chill is still penetrating.
Inside every wooden structure are actually souvenir shops.
Old records of CCCP. CCCP is USSR spelt in Cyrillc. The Union Soviet Socialist Republic was a nation that existed from 1922 until it broke up in 1991 and was the main antagonist to USA during the Cold War.
Such buildings may not be found very much in Russia today.
It is great to see a clusters of all these old designed Soviet buildings in one place, even though it is a replica just for tourist.
The pavilion stands out by itself in the snow covered grounds.
The snow enhance the landscape of the village. We always identified Russia as cold and desolate.
I could just stand outside for about 10 minutes before going into one of the buildings to protect from the cold.
The Chinese character is a giveaway that this is actually China.
Cold but enjoying the atmosphere.
Even the entry pass is an old Soviet passport design. Good souvenir.
Looks cool, but really under dressed.
The trees makes it looks village like.
I like the pavilion.
Yvonne likes the arch.
There is even a Santa Clause from Russia!
View from outside just before the sun set.
The scene is not as vibrant yet.
When the sun sets and the lights are out.
It's difficult to take photos on phone cameras with so much glare from the lights everywhere.
View from the upper floor of one of the ice structure.
View of another section of the ice city.
A panaromic view.
By now we were already feeling numbed in the hands and feet.
I could not even move my finger to snap pictures.
The temperature is at -29. We could feel the harsh cold when the face and ears were almost felt like being bitten the moment we step out from the car. The face and ear have to be fully protected.
After half an hour, my iphone simply shut down due to the extreme cold.
The cute furry fox.
It's how long you can sit there.
You don't feel the cold at the butt because you are already shivering all over.
Callum is wrapped up like a Michelin tyre.
The jacket bought over here has the right fabric to keep the body warm.
Sherman who is used to cold weather also feels the numbness.
Valen and Callum at the ice puzzle.
Yvonne feeling good with the new jacket.
The ear muff was also bought at the site.
We un,asked ourselves when taking the picture.
Colour matches the surrounding !
Sherman is also padded up a few layers within.
So is Valen who has a few layers of winter clothes within !
The Michelin man.
The group photo is taken by the professional photographer on site.
Yes, this' the place to come to.
Seems to be bigger size than Sherman !
The nose is fast lighting up like Rudolph.
The fruit sticks glazed with honey had gilded ice around it form by the natural coldness.
The site is all outdoors. Save for a small tent that is packed with people sipping tea, you are exposed to the bitter cold outside. We were there for about an hour and half and is glad to be in the car and back to our cozy hotel.
The Saint Sophia Cathedral.
The Saint Sophia Cathedral is the largest Eastern Orthodox Church in the Far East. Built in 1907, it has undergone various stages of reconstruction over the years by the Russians. By the time the Russians left in 1960s, the building was already in ruins. By 1997, the local government undertook to restore the building to it's former splendour. It is now a must see site for tourist to Harbin.
That's were we went on our 3rd day at Harbin.
The square is located at the Central District.
Again, I was under dressed and the cold is getting into me.
Yvonne is always fully prepared.
It's late morning and there are not so many tourist yet.
Sherman buying the ticket to get inside the building.
Directly facing is is a large mural of the Last Supper.
High ceilings with dome shape rings.
It's a gallery that display photos of Harbin in the 60s.
A must do ....selfie.
Everybody now.
Outside again and this time trying out the fruit stalls.
Strolling around.
That's the fruit stick, long, sweet, juicy and icy cold.
Chill out.
Valen solo picture at the cathedral.
Time to go.
Walking pass the underground train station.
This tricycle stall is selling hot sweet potatoes.
Harbin's architecture is uniquely different from the rest of China. The Russian influence is evident.
We are heading towards the designated pick up point where our driver awaits.
There is no parking around the square.
It is already noon and we asked the driver to recommend a popular restaurant. She says since we are headed for the Siberian Tiger village, there is a restaurant called LongSheng Yewei Fishing Village near there. We thought it is ideal and like the sound village, it means local to us.
Here we are, inside the restaurant.
Seating is divided into sections.
It's a hotpot style where the fish that you chose is thrown inside big wok filled with soup.
The fire is traditional wood burning.
We had ordered a sturgeon.
And some side dishes. It does looks "country", the way it is served.
The fire stove.
If we know that the fish is to cook this way, we would have ordered the cheapest fish. Anyway, the only thing to crow about in this restaurant is that the fish are all fresh from the Songbei River. But if every fish is to be thrown into the wok with soup, it does not matter what type of fish, all the flavour is the same. Overall, there is no "oomph" in the food here. The price is anything but country. We paid Y800.00 plus for that simple meal ! Not a place I would recommend.
The Siberian Tiger Park.
One of the must see activity in Harbin is undoubtly the Siberian Tiger Park
.Valen playfully climb into the tiger's mouth for a pose.
The park occupy a huge area of 1.5 m square meters at the north bank of Songhua River.
It is the largest natural park for wild Siberian tigers in the world.
Because of the deteriorating natural environment, many Siberian tigers have died and are becoming endangered.
The park was built in 1996 and is divided into 10 sections.
There are over 500 pure breed Siberian tigers here, but only about 100 are visible to visitors.
Tourist are taken into these habitats in wire mesh protected bus.
The tigers are segregated according to their age, type, and unruly species are clustered together.
It is listed as a first class sanctuary for Siberian tigers in China.
In addition, there are leopards, pumas, and Bengali tigers in the mix.
Lions are seen here as well.
The Siberian tigers are the largest cat in the world weighing commonly at 500 lbs.
The Siberian tigers used to roam in Rusiia and North Asia.
It is thought that the western Siberian tiger is now extinct.
They are close to extinction in Eastern Asia and Russia.
The park also has a breeding program.
Selective breeding is practiced but is a heavy strain on finance. They eat a lot.
They are breeding at a rate of 100 cubs per year.
Tourist are allowed to feed the tigers to bring in some revenue. Such practice have been criticised.
There are white tigers in the mix as well.
Guess what we have here ?
It's a Liger !
Ligers are product of Male Lion and Female Tiger ! Such cross breeding are also being heavily criticised as going against mother nature.
Tourist can also stroll in the protected walkway to view the tigers.
Outside the tigers cage.
The unmistakable statue.
First thing that caught our sight is the three wheeler car.
They operate as cheaper version of taxi service within town and suburbs.
This is uniquely Harbin as I've never seen it anywhere.
The main entrance to the huge mall which incorperate a brand outlet.
Even though it's after Christmas, the pine tree decoration still stood.
We like to see what local product they have at the supermart. As you can see, there are plentiful local candies.
The apples are bigger and looks juicy.
Yes, the capsicom is huge as well.
We've been enjoying our hotel and tend to spend more time than normal because of the harsh cold outside. The warm cosy room makes us laze longer in bed and the heated bath room floor is heaven sent.
The mini ice sculpture at the hotel compound.
Christmas decor is still there at the lobby.
And so is the large Christmas tree.
We decided today, we should take a stroll in the city.
After bearing with the cold, I have no choice but the cover up my head and face. The headgear and face mask are bought from the street here and even though cheap stuff, it does keep my face and ear protected.
We are at Central Street, that's de place to go for all tourist.
The street had it's beginning in 1920s when it was opened up to transport railway supplies.
Since then, it has evolved over time into a tourist street.
The square stones flooring and and architecture are more European rather than Chinese. It was built during the foreign occupation of China.
Fir the carver, it's another day at work.
Taking a stroll with Valen doing a crossed legged walk.
The ice sculptures are used more for commercial advertisement.
That doesn't stop us from posing for pictures.
In the cold, anything hot is good.
The cafe opposite is full of people.
This stall sells sausages.
It is certainly popular with the tourist.
Nice and beefy.
See the architecture of this building, it has the Russian design build in the early days.
Christmas feel is still eveident.
Valen hoping on the ice for a photo shoot.
Sherman enjoying his sausgae.
Yummylicious.
2017 is the year of the rooster.
And that's me, the Rooster.
The 3 Musketeers.
Another ice carving on the street.
This is at one end of the street, Zongyang Dajie.
The sausage is so good that the boys can't resist another one.
Ya, nice and hot.
Callum at one section of the street.
What ! Ice cream in this weather ? Selling like 'hot' cakes too.
Archway to a stall.
Stall complete with ice stool and round table.
AT the side alley.
Back to the main street again.
Sun is about to set anytime soon.
Just bought another winter jacket from the mall along the street.
We could see tiny flakes in the sky.
The snow flakes soon starts dropping momentarily.
Both starts feeling the cold after long exposure.
The snow flakes falls only for about 20 minutes.
Inside is warmth and a welcome shelter from the cold.
We could take down our protective gears.
The face tells you that this is a good place to take a break.
Soon the sun begins to set.
The lights are out.
The shop begins to glow.
The journey there takes us about an hour.
The road was snow covered most of the way.
It gets thicker as it nears the resort.
Tjhe scenery is simply beautiful even with it's barren trees.
We finally arrive and the simple unassuming structure greets us. This is the restaurant that only serves local food.
In front, some of the motorised snow mobile for rent.
Right ahead is the ski field.
A few cars were parked there and there wasn't much crowd, which is what we want.
Some p[hoto shoot first because everything is white !
Callum and his peace sign.
I had my new jacket that was bought at Central Street yesterday. It make such a big difference to have the right winter wear.
Yvonne wanted every backdrop.
And playing the snow too.
Thumbs up ? Too much influence from the corporate photo shoot.
Yeah, play some snow.
Sherman and Valen at the snow field with the coaches.
They practice without the ski sticks to learn the slide and balance first.
A simple way to go up the slope.
Just hang on to the hanger and let it pull you up the slope.
And ski down slope again.
Well, it was fun but tiring and many falls too.
At the end of the skiing lesson.
Decided to take a rest.
Yes, we came, we saw, we ski.
More photo shoot with the boys now.
"Mummy and the Boys" band.
Another one with me.
Soon the sun is setting.
A picture with the big orange sun behind.
It's time to leave.
The snow seems to have thicken.
The orange glow provide a beautiful backdrop. It's such a beautiful scene out in the countryside.
It was like this all the way out from the forest park. Cannot have enough of this vista.
That evening, we decided to have our dinner at the Mongolian BBQ restaurant near our hotel.
The interior was well decorated, clean and tidy.
The waiteress helping us with the BBQ beef and goat meat.
The process is the same as any Korean BBQ outlet.
It was all tender and juicy cuts and we enjoyed it enough to order another round of goat meat.
It was just next to the Russian Village where our driver drop us off.
From there, it was just a 500 meter walk to the river..
The river as we step on it.
It is frozen solid.
We get somebody to take a group photo of us. It is freezing cold.
Sherman trying to free skate.
Yvonne too tried to follow suit but more like posing.
It's nice just to stand on the biggest river in town.
At the background is Harbin city.
Walking towards the centre of the river.
Sherman tightening the gloves.
Valen and Callum brushing off the snow.
And then the snow bomb each other again.
Nice view with the Russian village at the background.
Sherman and Valen doing the jump on the river.
One more time. Valen looks like he is levitating.
The boys doing it together on less slippery ground.
How did the car ended up down there ?
Volga Manor.
The first impression is all snow covered place.
This is an island on the lake that is all frozen.
For a few dollars, you could have a ride on the sleigh.
The boys at the front of the restaurant.
This is just like Solvang near Santa Barbara, California.
Solvang is a town with all the charming traditional Danish houses in that small town.
While Solvang is a living town, Volga Manor is a tourist resort, just like Colmar Tropical.
Many of the buildings here existed in Harbin before it disappeared like the St Nicholas Church.
The original church was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
The reconstruction of St Sophia at Central District lead to more reconstructions of old Russian buildings.
The park that is 600,000 square meters big.
Even if you go to Russia, it would be hard to see all the old style buildings all in one place.
Another piece of Russian architecture.
It is not Gorky Park, but it certainly feels like a park in Russia.
The snow covered ground evokes the cold Russian landscape.
Not sure if this is Russian swing, but certainly countryside comfort.
Another nice piece of structure with Russian design.
It's a big park.
The castle at the far end of the park.
Just can't missed the snow in the woods.
Yes, it's soft and fluffy.
It would be nice to come back here in summer to see how the landscape is like.
All castle looks the same, be it Russian or iotherwise.
Towards the end of our walk.
The building at the background is a play park. It closed for winter.
Callum walking over the bridge over frozen river.
The boys have another picture together.
The must do thing, jump at an iconic place.
This building is actually a chalet for tourist who wish to stay.
The stroll around the park took us about two hours, including pic stop.
It's getting cold as the sun is setting.
Passing by a fountain.
Callum wrapped up like a Michelin tyre.
Sherman can take the cold better than his siblings.
It would be nice to have Russian dances and shows during our visit.
Because of different timing, we missed the shows.
But it still is well worth the visit.
I would consider Volga Manor as a Jewel in Crown for Harbin.
Harbin's Polarland.
Sherman have always been interested in marine life.
Since there is a Polar Land Aquarium in Harbin, we decided to visit it at the end of our stay.
The aquarium is big structure, but once inside, it feels tight and small.
It showcases all the pole animals and mammals and various type of fishes.
The initial display thet greets you are the many type of fishes.
If you are interested, you would be captivated.
I have selective interest and would pass by those that are common.
But this thing of beuty catch my interest.
And so does this.
The polar mammals, Seals.
Penguins in glass cage with paintings of the pole landscape as background.
It does create a certain feel but at the same time artificial.
We saw this poor fox walking back and forth in a glass cage that is definitely too small.
The mangament can do better than this. It should not be confine indoors, should be out like the Siberian Tigers.
The real polar bear also in a glass cage with artificial background.
The highlight of the aquarium, the Beluga show.
The audience only have a small standing space for the half hour show.
I must say, it is a fantastic show of how trainer and mammal interact intimately. If not for this show, there is really not much to see other than some pole animals that should not be kept indoors like this.
Yvonne saw this creative heart sign.
The heart is created with corals inside the aquarium with fishes. It is meant for photo opportunity.
More fishes before we end the visit. The price is too high for too little to see. Perhaps, it is the high cost needed to maintain this showpiece.
Celebrating New Year Eve at Central Street.
On our last day at Harbin, we decided to check out how Harbin celebrate the last day of the year. The place to be for the celebration is Central Street.
When we arrive Central Street, iot was already packed with people.
The street is beautifully lighted, as it has always been every night.
While there are no sign of special celebration, the large crowd gathering here adds a bit of festive spirit.
After walking the long stretch of Central Street, it becomes evident that there is no organised street party.
The crowd had gathered in anticipation of a countdown.
We too was looking forward to any countdown.
The crowd here are mostly tourists.
The little love sign carved on ice.
At a plaza, there is a performance, but it is telecast from some other location.
The huge thermometer in the middle of the side street.
A lot of people taking photographs.
That seems to be the most popular thing to do.
The delicious sausae which the boys crave for.
Have sausage will do.
Happy after devouring the sausage.
Another contented face.
View of the crowd in the street.
At the end of Central Street.
We pre-arranged to meet up with my cousin, Show Kee and family here as they just got into Harbin today to start their holiday in Harbin.
It was nice to get into a warm restaurant for some hot food and a lot of catch up. We end our holiday tonight at Harbin while theirs starts today. They had earlier spend a few days in Beijing before coming to Harbin for their second leg of their vacation.
A last look at Central Street before we depart. There was no organised celebration, just people gathering there wanting to party that never happened.
The weather that evening.
Nevertheless, I start sending New Year greetings to all my friends from Harbin.
A rocky start to the New Year, 2017.
Today is 1.1.17, a fresh year and we are heading for home after spending our vacation in Harbin.
Our driver during our stay at Harbin. She is a bubbly lady always cheerful.
Our driver had told us that there is a thick smog all over Harbin and the highway to the airport is closed. She have to use the alternative trunk road which takes a bit longer time. We had planned to be at the airport 4 hours ahead of departure time and weren't overly concerned by a 20 minutes delay.
We arrived way ahead of time and proceeded to check in as the counter was already opened. Afetr 10 minutes queuing up, I had my first problem at the check in counter, two of the passport did not match the number reflected in the system. The same problem we had at Beijing on the way here. The staff would not allow any check in until this was straightened out with the airline. I had to call Air China in Beijing, explained my predicament and request her to rectify in the system the correct number. I must say, the lady on the other line was most helpful and spend at least 25 minutes on the phone, she hung on for me to check the system in the airport to make sure it is in order before ending the call. After what seems like eternity, we managed to check in our luggage only to be confronted by another major problem, the thick smog engulfing the entire north China.
All the flights were affected resulting in cancellation or delay.
Ours which was supposed to depart by 1150 hours was delayed by two hours to 1350 hours
The large crowd stranded at our departure gate.
The smog outside as seen from the glass windows.
I don't remember hearing any announcement, but instead a simple small signage was displayed at the boarding counter desk. What a classic way of informing the travelers.
The signage at our gate 7.
Finally, we are boarding.
A quick check on my handphone reveals the actual delayed time being displayed.
The other information shown from my handphone reveals that my connecting flight CA 871 from Beijing to KL is not delayed. That means, I will miss my connecting flight because by the time we land, CA 871 would have taken off.
True enough, our connecting flight had taken off by the time we landed.
Another hassle at Beijing airport. We were told that the next earliest flight they could get us is 2 days later, ie on 3.1.17. Shocked, anger and then resigned to fate. I told my family let's make the most of it. They call their employers and took emergency leave for one more day. We were provided a hotel by Air China for two nights with three meals.
The hotel is near the airport.
The new flight itinerary for the same flight two days later.
By the time we reached our hotel, it was about 8.00 pm and we were tired. After a quick dinner, I had contacted my cousin, Show Kee about my delay. She had helped me get an MPV through her contact to do some sightseeing the next day. We decided that it is actually a blessing in disguise because we had actually wanted to stop over Beijing for a couple of days en-route to Harbin. Because it would cost us about RM 5,000.00, we decided against it. Now we are having and enforce holiday with lodging and meals provided. And the family have never been to Beijing before, I am keen to take them to the Great Wall. and the Forbidden City. We went to bed feeling much happier after realising that this is our New Year gift from Air China.
The Great Wall at Mutianyu.
We had only a full day at Beijing and I am trying to cover the most important historical sights. The Great Wall is priority, but it takes about 2 hours to get there with the traffic. Nevertheless, we started off early at 8.00 am from our hotel and headed straight for Mutianyu.
The driver was law abiding and following the traffic speed limit, just when we expected him to hurry.
We reached Mutianyu after 2 hours and headed straight for the wall.
We took a chair lift up and from there started strolling the wall.
It was early and being winter time, the wall was devoid of crowd.
The boys had seen the wall in pictures and movies, but this is the first time they walked on it.
Even though they are not that passionate about history, the wall is something that did not dissappoint them.
Just to view it from afar is awesome.
But to walk on it is stepping onto the most important part of history.
Sherman wants a piece of it for memory.
Hard to please Callum must have feel the greatness of the wall.
Valen too wants a photo all by himself.
Yvonne have pictures almost at any angle.
WE climbed up to one of the tower and could see a commanding view from here.
The endless wall snakes all over the mountains.
Yes, another picture for Yvonne.
And another one from the side of the wall.
Guards on the wall ?
A fantastic family photo with clear blue sky !
The god must be with us.
We were stranded because of the smog, yet, the picture defies it all. It is rare to see blue skies anywhere in China.
This is an iconic structure. The boys had to jump !
Sherman and Valen doing it together.
Yvonne wanted to try this too.
The boys gave it another go.
"Old man" not to be outdone.
Enjoying the walk on the wall.
What a way to descend from the wall.
We toboggan all the way down, which is all fun.
When we were in the van heading towards the Great Wall, we saw what looked like a frozen ice on a hill at a village just before the wall. We had asked the driver to stop by to have a look on the way out.
And boy, we were in for another surprise.
There right in front of us was an entire waterfall in it's frozen state!
I have never seen anything like it.
The lake itself is frozen solid.
This is not your usual tourist stop. It is not in any tourist brochure in China! And the people that came here to enjoy the sights are locals.
The ice forms like a mushroom over some bushes at the bottom of the fall.
Nature's creation for the fortunate few. to enjoy.
To think that we are supposed to be back home already.
A friend who stayed in Beijing for several years never heard about this place.
The plaything is rudimentary, the stuff villages create.
Callum trying to prick the ice. It is frozen probably 5 feet deep.
No, you won't break the ice with the stone age tools!
Another lucky outing and a great start to the Year of the Cockeral.
A normal trip to the Great Wall would take up an entire day. But we rushed the driver to go downtown just to at least get into Tian'anmen Square.
The driver oblige reluctantly as he says all these would be close by the time we reach there.
True enough, one of the world's biggest square is closed to public from 4.30 pm onwards! We had to content ourselves with a picture from outside the barricade.
Adjacent to the square is the Great Hall of the People, a legislative and ceremonial activities where the Communist carried out their National Congress of the Communist Party and all other important meeting.
At the background is the mausoleum of the great Mao.
Notice that the smog is all around the city. Not sure if it is only in the city or the haze returns in the evening!
After seeing the important landmark, the boys did some clowning around.
At 5.00 pm, the lights are out as the sun began to set.
It's time for us to leave.
The haze is evident as we headed back to our van.
This is the hotel that Air China checked us in.
It is a 3 Star hotel located just 10 minutes from the airport.
The van sent by Air China arrived on scheduile to transfer us to the airport.
We always wrap our check in luggages.
Knowing the rough handling by the bag handlers at the airport, we do not want to take any risk.
Callum and Shermandoing the checking in at the airport counter.
Home sweet home. At the KLIA terminal conveyor belt.
See what I mean! The bags was damaged when we pick it up from the belt!
Nevertheless, we enjoyed our year end family holiday thoroughly despite all the unexpected events. It's because of this I learnt that all travel destination have secret places that we are unaware of. Unexpected things can surface in any travel that can make you feel lost. Unless we are lost, we will never know ourselves. As Mark Twain said brilliantly, " Twenty years from now, you will be disappointed by the things you didn't not do than by those you did."
So I'm going to keep on travelling far and near to see what man and nature have created for this world.
The flight from Beijing to Harbin took us only 2 hours and the first thing that hit us upon arrival was the cold. It was not so bad whilst in the building, but once outside we have our first taste of freezing cold weather. Harbin airport do not have a coupon system and the cab are all lined outside to take you to your destination. They have meter, but very often chose not to use them.
Today being the first day, we did not plan any activity other than rest and try to adjust to the cold. After all, we have spent the last 12 hours in 3 airports and in the plane and badly needed that rest.
The day temperature was -6 and there were some snow flakes falling for a brief half hour.
Even though the it is about a kilometer to our hotel and well within walking distance, we took the cab back as the weather is biting cold.
Braving the cold.
We woke up the next morning to an even more chilling weather.
In the middle of the night, the temperature had drop drastically to below 24. We did not really feel it in our nice cosy room, but when we step out for our day of sightseeing, it was bitter cold.
WE started out late morning and it was already lunch time. We asked the driver to recommend us any eatery with local food and she promptly took us to a village just slightly out of town.
The price was reasonable at around 200 yuan. We left the restaurant feeling very full.
At the roundabout, there is a nice decoration of huge flower pot.
Our first sightseeing place is the Russian Village.
A picture with the boys.
We left the village after an hour there. If our first taste Harbin's winter is simply shivering cold, we have not really felt the extreme cold yet. By the time we reach our next destination, The Snow and Ice World, it is almost 4.00 pm and the sun sets at this hour. This Ice extravaganza was set up by the Harbin's Muncipal Government in 1999 and today is the site of the largest ice carving festival internationally. Ice sculptors from all over the world would converge here during winter and put their artistic skill in full display. The festival officially opens on 5th January every year, but during the last week of December, the site is already open for all visitors.
The site is all outdoors. Save for a small tent that is packed with people sipping tea, you are exposed to the bitter cold outside. We were there for about an hour and half and is glad to be in the car and back to our cozy hotel.
The Saint Sophia Cathedral.
It is already noon and we asked the driver to recommend a popular restaurant. She says since we are headed for the Siberian Tiger village, there is a restaurant called LongSheng Yewei Fishing Village near there. We thought it is ideal and like the sound village, it means local to us.
If we know that the fish is to cook this way, we would have ordered the cheapest fish. Anyway, the only thing to crow about in this restaurant is that the fish are all fresh from the Songbei River. But if every fish is to be thrown into the wok with soup, it does not matter what type of fish, all the flavour is the same. Overall, there is no "oomph" in the food here. The price is anything but country. We paid Y800.00 plus for that simple meal ! Not a place I would recommend.
The Siberian Tiger Park.
The coldness is still a factor although we were totally engrossed with the tigers.
At 100 Yuan, it's value for money to visit this place which is a must see.
When we left the park, we asked the driver to take us to a nearby mall.
This is where she took us, some half hour drive from the tiger's park.
Yes, it's much bigger than we have back home.
Surprise, surprise ! Durians in far away Harbin selling at Y23.00 per kg. Must be the Thai species.
A day in the city.
All along the 1.5 km street are ice sculptures.
We have to check this out.
It's all dumplings, hot soup with dumplings. It's the type of peasant food that is good for cold weather. We like it.
It's dark but it's not even 5.00 pm. Nevertheless, we've been here the whole day and it's time we go back to our nice hotel to rest our weary legs.
Yuquan Weihushan Forest Park Ski Resort.
Harbin have many ski fields. It's not like skiing is some sport we do regularly, but coming to a snow clad country, one justy have to try it out to have a feel. It's more for the boys and they had ski before a and had a lot of fun with it. The driver recommend us Yuquan Weihushan Ski Resort as it is more secluded and more popular with the locals. It suits us fine as all we wanted was a bunny ski field jus to have some fun in the snow.
It's one of the top ten ski resort in Harbin. We are glad we came here as it is devoid of crowd.
The decorative toothpick holder.
The Songhua River.
Our hotel is situated on the newly developed side of Songhua River. Harbin's central business district is at the other side and we criss cross this river everyday. The river is frozen solid from November to March and we could see activities on the river, people walking on it and ice blocks being sawn off from the river. It was then transported to any place where it is sculptured into various artform, be it life size buildings, statues etc.. The Ice and Snow World is one of them. We had to go see the river ourselves.
Volga Manor.
About an hour drive from Harbin, there is a beautiful place called Volga Manor. The name would tell you that it has something to do with Russians. Just like Colmar Topicale in Malaysia which is a replica of a chic French Village, Volga Manor is a forest garden with many traditional Russian buildings. In one place, you can see many lovely Russian architecture set in Russian like garden. You feel that you are in Russia without being there.
The ravages of heavy snow, yet the white makes it all soothing.
The St Nicholas church was built tio it's former glory.
Harbin's Polarland.
Celebrating New Year Eve at Central Street.
A rocky start to the New Year, 2017.
Our driver had told us that there is a thick smog all over Harbin and the highway to the airport is closed. She have to use the alternative trunk road which takes a bit longer time. We had planned to be at the airport 4 hours ahead of departure time and weren't overly concerned by a 20 minutes delay.
By the time we reached our hotel, it was about 8.00 pm and we were tired. After a quick dinner, I had contacted my cousin, Show Kee about my delay. She had helped me get an MPV through her contact to do some sightseeing the next day. We decided that it is actually a blessing in disguise because we had actually wanted to stop over Beijing for a couple of days en-route to Harbin. Because it would cost us about RM 5,000.00, we decided against it. Now we are having and enforce holiday with lodging and meals provided. And the family have never been to Beijing before, I am keen to take them to the Great Wall. and the Forbidden City. We went to bed feeling much happier after realising that this is our New Year gift from Air China.
The Great Wall at Mutianyu.
We had only a full day at Beijing and I am trying to cover the most important historical sights. The Great Wall is priority, but it takes about 2 hours to get there with the traffic. Nevertheless, we started off early at 8.00 am from our hotel and headed straight for Mutianyu.
Passing by the souvenir stalls on the way out.
I've been to China on numerous occasions and had travel extensively from the Eastern side to the West, stretching to the interior East into Shangri La, and hardly can I ever see anything but polluted skies on each of this trip. It is indeed a surprised for us to be enjoying clear blue skies today. Ironically, we were actually stranded here because of the thick smog enveloping North East of China!
Notice that the smog is all around the city. Not sure if it is only in the city or the haze returns in the evening!
Nevertheless, we enjoyed our year end family holiday thoroughly despite all the unexpected events. It's because of this I learnt that all travel destination have secret places that we are unaware of. Unexpected things can surface in any travel that can make you feel lost. Unless we are lost, we will never know ourselves. As Mark Twain said brilliantly, " Twenty years from now, you will be disappointed by the things you didn't not do than by those you did."
So I'm going to keep on travelling far and near to see what man and nature have created for this world.
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