#110 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China ( HARBIN, Part 1: Ice & Snow Extravaganza, and St. Sofia Cathedral )

Asia » China » Heilongjiang » Harbin
January 8th 2009

Published: January 8th 2009

The crowded and long train left my home, cold Taizhou, Jiangsu, at 6:02pm and 24 hours later arrived in what is known as the "coldest" city of China, bone-chilling HARBIN, the capital of China's most northern province of Hailongjiang. The province of Hailongjiang has its borders with arctic Russian-Siberia, and HARBIN looks more like an Eastern-European or Russian city than a Chinese city. What... Read Full Entry

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Hans J. Schneider

Hans

After 38 years as a Foreign Language Teacher and Foreign Language Dept. Chair at Coral Gables Sr. H.S., and A.J. Professor of German at the University of Miami, I have left Florida in June of 2006, where my home is in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. I have just signed another year's teaching-contract (my 8th year now) with Taizhou University in the city of Taizhou, located about 3hrs north of Shanghai, in Jiangsu Province, CHINA. I thought it would be informative for others and rewarding for me personally, to log the progress of my efforts from beginning to end, as a Travel and Photo Jo... full info

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Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #3

The visitors to the Disney Ice Festival in Harbin are overwhelmed by colorful fantasy ice sculptures.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #4

It will be shame to see it all melt in the spring.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #5

A cartoon ice ship

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #6

Along my stroll through the park, I pass one of several Disney Castles.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #7

The castles reach to the freezing night sky.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #8

Fireworks light up the night sky to the delight of the children.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #9

Visitors along the castle ramparts can help you judge the size of these ice-structures.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #10

The most fabulous of the Disney castles in the park has its own ice slides to the bottom.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #11

Medieval Towers are guarded by the lion of ice in the center.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #12

A smaller park within the Disney Ice Park is dedicated to every child's favorite Disney character, Mickey.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #13

Within Mikey's mini-park, his face has been carved in snow, and is illuminated in colored lights.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #14

Colorful ice-carving continue to show the way through a Disney World created from ice.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #15

Will it ever set sail? It too boasts its own ice-slides for the children.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #16

Aladin's castle of ice stirs the imagination of both, the children and the adults.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #17

Aladin's castle is a marvel of color and ice.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #18

Hmmmm?? I saw many people just pass and smile.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #19

Every corner of the Disney Ice Park is filled with new surprises created with blocks of ice and colored lights.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #20

Within the Disney Ice Park stands a Ferris Wheel, that takes excited visitors for a view from the top.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #21

...And this is the colorful view from atop of the Ferris Wheel into the park below.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #22

The Disney Ice-Fantasy-Castle looks even more dream-like from atop the Ferris Wheel.

Harbin Disney Ice Festival, 2009, Photo #23

It was a fantasy evening in the beautifully created Disney Park of Ice. I leave, taking one last look through the Mickey Mouse-shaped ice-window. These shaped-windows have been carved along the length of the ice-wall surrounding the park, and there are hundreds of them.

8th January 2009

Sue Treadie
Susan Storr

Hi from Oz!
Hi Hans I am so pleased that you decided to travel to Haerbin for the Snow and Ice Festival as I did in 2008! I still can't believe you went without a hat! Aaaargh! Had a wonderful call from Stef the other day. Seems like she is in limbo a bit. Are you travelling home to the States this winter? Job-hunting is in full swing here- I'll let you know how I go. Miss you! Suexx Sue

8th January 2009

Ella
non-member comment

I think it's beautiful!! Thanks for sharing~

8th January 2009

Sandra Cordoba
non-member comment

Oh wow! I did not know that existed in China lol

9th January 2009

Sam Xu
non-member comment

Hello Hans
You travelled a lot , hans, you are good!!! I think you can not remember me . you old freind.

9th January 2009

June
non-member comment

The sculptures are really overwhelming and sensational! It's been a local tradition over, God knows, how many years. Thank you, Hans, for having brought us so many detailed photos to look at. I could never have imagined the size, the scale and the beauty of the famous ice show, unless witnessed these colossal products, even only through their photos. Harbin is a place much colder than Berlin averagely in winter, despite the lower latitude, though both cities have a continental climate. The amount of labour and cost of creating such fantastic artistries must be huge, but, it worth the effort.

10th January 2009

anonymous
non-member comment

hi
are you cold there? take care of yourself.

10th January 2009

anonymous
non-member comment

take care ! miss you , hugh

13th January 2009

Otto Zequeira
non-member comment

Beautiful photos
Beautiful city.

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#110 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China ( HARBIN, Part 1: Ice & Snow Extravaganza, and St. Sofia Cathedral )

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