Harbin, Disney in ice (ii)

From the city, there are several ways to get to the festival. If you are trying to do everything in a day, start with lunch and a stroll along Zhongyang Dajie. This pedestrian-only street is the heart of the city's Russian legacy, with interesting shops and food.

About three blocks to the east is the Church of St Sophia, a lovely red-brick Russian Orthodox landmark with a distinctive green "onion" dome. The inside is now an architecture museum.

While there is still daylight left, take a quick taxi ride across the Songhua River to Sun Island Park. Go to the snow sculpture park first (admission 150 yuan, about $21.9) and see the huge and amazingly life-like reproductions of folk musicians, heroes of China, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, temples, gates, archways and other structures big enough to step through and explore. Worth noting: Public toilets inside the park are closed for winter; there are working toilets at the park entrance.

Then at twilight, head for the ice venue (another quick cab ride or a 20-minute walk, depending on how cold your feet are at that point). At night the ice park (admission 200 yuan) glitters in colored lights like a kaleidoscope, and visitors can skate, play hockey or watch a figure-skating show as well as gawk at the huge ice city.

When snow birds flock to warmer climes in Hainan, bolder travelers head to the spectacular Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, in northeastern Heilongjiang province.

Think Beijing is cold? Think again. There is a place where not blinking fast enough can make your eyelashes seal together with frost. Here, people don ski masks not to rob a bank, but to keep the tips of their noses and the apples of their cheeks warm.

Travelers arriving by plane (a mere 90-minute flight from Beijing) or by the comfortable "Z" overnight train can start acclimating themselves to the cold with a daytime stroll down Zhongyang Dajie (Central Street). East meets West along these cobblestone pedestrian walks where shoppers can browse through a vast array of trendy goods housed in century-old buildings. Harbin's residents are known as much for their exuberant hospitality as for their excessive drinking and liberal fashion sense.

The Ren He underground mall and Sophia Golden Sun shopping center offer an extensive choice of clothing and accessories, from basement bargain prices to upscale Korean-import ones.

A trip to the Central Street area is incomplete without a stop at the Modern Ice Creamery. Locals pack the narrow dining hall and can't seem to get enough of its secret ice cream recipe, regardless of the season. For a more substantial (and warmer) meal, go for chun bing - vegetable and meat dishes wrapped in pancakes - at Lao Chang Chun Bing.

When night falls, a winter wonderland comes to life. The main attraction this time of the year is the Ice and Snow World, where ice sculptures are set across a large park area just north of the Songhua River. Giant blocks of ice are farmed from the river, hauled to the site, and built into world landmarks familiar to the frequent traveler.

When you have tired of gaping at the sculptures with awe, or of rubbing your hands and stomping feet to stay warm, head to the many igloo tea shops scattered around the park. Other attractions include ice slides several stories tall, dance and music shows, and cheesy photo ops with snow foxes.

An hour in the Ice and Snow World leaves most travelers chilled to the bone. A dinner of hot pot can never seem more welcome. Cai Zhen Ji hot pot restaurant serves up the style and selections of Beijing's Ding Ding Xiang, but at second-tier city prices. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. So, when in Harbin, remember to order plenty of Harbin Beer and baijiu for endless rounds of toasts with friends.


Related links:
Harbin, Disney in ice (i)
Yoyoor Travel Express: Harbin Ice Festival 2010

Posted at 05:02PM Feb 23, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]