#90 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College- Ice and Snow in Haerbin- Around Town

Asia » China » Heilongjiang » Harbin
May 2nd 2008

Published: May 2nd 2008

Have you ever been somewhere sooooo cold that your eyelashes temporarily froze together? This was one of the more unusual experiences I had on a visit to Haerbin/Harbin in the North East of China this past January! Part of the joy of travelling is in setting personal challenges in order to stretch your boundaries of comfort. This is how, I, as a woman from the sub-tropics of Queensland, Australia... Read Full Entry

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Susan Storr

Sue Treadie

This blog was started in 2006 when I embarked on a new life adventure teaching English in China. It was a wonderful, enriching and enlightening experience. Many of you came on this journey with me. For those of you who are searching for more meaning and satisfaction in your life and feel that teaching languages overseas might fit the bill, I enthusiastically encourage you to take up the challenge as I did nine years ago. You will never regret it. In fact you will probably say "Why didn't I do this years ago?" I then began a journal of my journey home to Australia- the long way round! U... full info

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More Russian Architecture

Shops and hotel on Zhongyang Dajie lovingly restored and protected as a cultural relic. At least the fascia is. I wonder if the hotel has maintained the original layout upstairs?

Night view of Russian architecture along historic Zhongyang Dajie

Charming atmosphere despite the near -30 degrees C temperature!

Flood Control Monument under lights

More impressive at night?

View back through monorail

Continuing the night view theme......

View to Gloria Inn

Gloria Inn is located at the far northern (river) end of Zhongyang Dajie. It is a well-known local landmark and popular place to stay in Harbin, not only for its unenviable location but also for it's distinctive architectural style.

Gloria Inn under lights

A closer look reveals the charms of this well-known hotel. Although a bit above my budget, I was surprised by the reasonable tariffs for many of the rooms- even during this peak season.

Sue at Flood Control Monument

Most Chinese people just don't seem to understand that I don't necessarily want to be in the centre of every photo! Here's a good example of why not! If I had realized I might have joined in the fun and spread my arms and pretended to balance the Flood Monument on my head!

Persistent vendors

Every manner of "gew gaw" was available from these "enthusiastic" salespeople. They were rather perplexed by my constant "Wo you yi ge, xie xie"- My version of "I have one , thank you." Several times I was challenged to "show proof". On doing so, they finally gave up- with a wry grin! After all, it's all a game! I did feel for them, though, working such long hours in the cold for only a few RMB.

Sue overlooking the Songhua River

It took me a while and a bit of gesticulating to convince an old man to take my photo. I think he thought I wanted a photo of him ( I did) but he was very self-conscious about his terrible teeth! Then he was a bit worried as I don't think he'd ever used a camera before. He grinned like a Cheshire cat when I showed him the photo, thanked him profusely and told him he'd done a good job. It's times like this I wished I had a better handle on the language.

Winter Fun on the Songhua River

The Songhua River is the scene of many recreational activities during both summer and winter. Here you can see how enterprising "entrepreneurs" set up business on the frozen waters to offer such winter activities as ice-sliding/skating, ice-sailing and dog-sled rides.

Waiting for customers

Business is a bit slow at the moment.

May as well have lunch!

Well-earned lunch for these hard-working dogs.

Finally, I get to go for a run!

The dogs seem to really enjoy their work.

Fishy Ice Sculpture

This sculpture is representative of Harbin's humble past as a small fishing village. Harbin is originally a Manchu word meaning a place for drying fishing nets.

Audi Trade Show in ice

Wandering along the parklands lining the southern banks of the Songhua River, I discovered this ice showroom and hospitality facility erected solely from blocks of ice cut from the Songhua river.. Apparently it was part of a big international car dealership conference taking place in conjunction with the Snow & Ice Festival.

Mini Audi sports coupe

Couldn't resist this photo! Wouldn't mind the real thing!

Ice sculpture in progress

This man was very shy about his art work.

Have a try

In front of the ice showroom, Audi had set up a race track where people could, for a fee, of course, try their luck with a powerful Audi sports machine. I was amused to see all the cars were black in colour. Black cars are a symbol of having "made it" in China. They are owned by all significant government officials.

Dock area

Not much movement for boats iced in over the winter!

Deserted Jiuzhan Park

No takers today! This is part of a strip of parkland stretching west for 1.75km from east of the Flood Control Monument where it is known as Stalin Park. The park is part of a 42km enbankment built to curb flooding from the Songhua River.

... well, not quite deserted.

These hardy grandparents braved the cold to share some fun with their grandchildren.

3rd May 2008

Hans
non-member comment

It WAS a cold winter in all of China.
Thank you Sue for your insightful adventure to Harbin. When you were in the North of China during the coldest winter in 50 years, my visit to the tropical Province of Hainan in the South of China also experienced frigid temperatures, though not on the scale you have described. I appreciate your photos, look forward to your second part of your journal entry, and hope to visit Harbin in the coming winter. How lucky we are, that we now have direct rail connections from Taizhou to Harbin. Thanks for your wonderful photos. How much I will miss you when you depart China this summer!

3rd May 2008

Kuntfoo
non-member comment

Hey you are travellin' the world!....
Hey Treadmill Unless Eskimo Nell was a relative ...you will have ta 'get more gear on '....to survive around Harbin in the frozen North of Zhong Guo!... I thought that minus ten was good enough for me and my Tasmanian 'brass monkeys ' (on the Great Wall earlier on in January 2008!....) Perhaps wearing many more lower strung necklaces will help your nipples from icing up!... Do keep up the news and updated pictures to to your many adoring friends.... Kuntfoo

4th May 2008

Lesley Ritchie
non-member comment

Brings back many great memories
Hi Sue....your photos brings back so many wonderful memories of our trip to Harbin in 2005...nothing can quite prepare you for how absolutely, bone 'chillingly', freezing cold it gets over there. Sorry that we won't be able to catch up with you in China, we won't be there til mid 2009.

6th May 2008

Soggy
non-member comment

Brrrrrr!!!
Very interesting Treadie - gets colder in Birmingham!! :-)) LOL Nice work - see you soon. Norco is over there somewhere right now - so keep an eye out, you never know who is just around the corner. On ON SOGGY

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#90 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College- Ice and Snow in Haerbin- Around Town

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