#111 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China ( HARBIN: Part 2, World of Ice & Snow, Stalin Park, Buddhist Temples and Confucian Temple!)

Asia » China » Heilongjiang » Harbin
January 14th 2009

Published: January 14th 2009

THIS IS PART "TWO" OF MY 2009 WINTER-VISIT TO HARBIN, THE "FROZEN" CAPITAL OF HEILONGJIANG, THE NORTHERN MOST PROVINCE OF CHINA: MY PRIMARY REASON FOR BRAVING THIS 24 HOUR TRAIN-JOURNEY FROM TAIZHOU TO SUB-ARCTIC HARBIN IS THE ANNUAL "ICE AND SNOW FESTIVAL", WHICH INVITES VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, DURING THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY, TO ONE OF THE GREATEST SNOW- AND ICE-CARVIN... 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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The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #6

The ice-sculptures along the mall in Harbin will be admired by visitors throughout the arctic winter-months.

The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #7

My friend, Ludwig von Beethoven, offers to pose with me.

The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #8

Wonderful and imaginative bronze sculptures will continue to delight visitors along the mall even during the warmer months.

The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #9

Standing in front of a bronze sculpture, highlighting Chinese musicians and their instruments, stands a piano carved from ice. Within the piano is a keyboard that will produce appropriate sounds when touching the "ebony and ivory".

The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #10

The colonial achitecture is being renovated and restored and protected. The imperial structures will continue to delight both the locals and Harbin's visitors.

The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #11

One of my stops was a coffee-break in this cofee bar, named "America-bucks"??? It has a logo and plaque that resembles one of America's famous coffee-houses?? The stuffed deer and sleigh did cause me consternation.

The Pedestrian Mall in Harbin is the longest in China. Photo #12

... And the Church of St. Sofia, Harbins most famous landmark, is only a short walk beyond the pedestrian mall, the "Zhongyang Dajie".

For Lunch? The famous pancakes of Harbin!

The cold walk along the pedestrian mall encourages the appetite. One of the great treats in Harbin are the famous pancakes. Plates of vegetables and a selection of various meats help to fill flat, thin pancakes. These are then rolled by hand, and make a delicious lunch.

"Food for Thought" in Harbin.

Food in Harbin is wonderful. The lunch and dinner pancakes are memorable. My favorites are a great selection of restaurants, serving the best "Fried Dumplings", with every imaginable filling, I have ever tasted. Comfort foods, such as stews, are famous and in great demand in Harbin. BBQ restaurants, where you cook everything fresh right on the grill of the table, are also wonderful alternatives. Restaurants are also always crowded. .... And now on to the Stalin Park. Before we continue, I better visit the out-door WC.

A good lunch deserves serious "relief".

The visit to an outdoor "relief-station" can by a trying experience and a freezing adventure. But such pit-stops are necessary in order to continue the day's stroll in reasonable comfort.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #1

Now, that my body has been fortified with food and satisfied with relief, I continue the exploration of Harbin along the Songhua River. It is also the location of "Stalin Park", which stretches along the river-bank for many miles. This ice castle and the water memorial mark the center of the Stalin Park. From here, the park will extend as a narrow stretch of land in both directions along the Songhua River of Harbin.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #2

Mostly older citizens frequent Stalin Park and use it as a recreational facility to keep in shape or to keep warm. I think this lady is frozen to the tree???

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #3

Stalin Park is a narrow stretch of land adjacent to the river. Two paved walks extend the length of the park, providing easy strolling, for many miles if you wish.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #4-A

You may remember this young vendor from my previous Blog. He seems rather unhappy now, that I did not buy one of the sticks of candied fruit, a common sweet-treat in Harbin. In these deep-freeze temperatures, I was sure that one bite would break my teeth!

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #4-B

Various fresh fruits on a stick: pineapples, grapes, bananas etc., are covered by a sugar-glace and wait for a customer with very strong teeth.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #5

Typical "Russian" handicrafts are available to the visitors everywhere. The vendors must endure freezing days and arctic nights, hoping for a sale and another Yuan. This is not an easy way to make a living.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #6

Other stands offer hats and gloves and scarfs to keep the body from going stiff. I was so sad to see fur and these skins of beautiful animals as part of this attempt.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #7

This vendor offers steamed, hot, sweet-potatoes for a simple and quick snack. Some will gather around his humble cart just to catch a little warmth.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #8

Walking along Stalin Park, the eyes are always on the frozen Songhua River. Here, the boats, that ferry the summer visitors, are frozen into the river-ice.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #9

The deeply frozen Songhua River of Harbin becomes an extension of Stalin Park during the arctic winters. Pedestrians and bikes enjoy the flat surface for comfortable traversing.

Surrounding Stalin Park, Photo #10

The modes of transportation on the frozen river-surface vary.

14th January 2009

yunyan
non-member comment

wow
Harbin...ice world...fantasyland...thanks show those pic from Harbin,,,, ;)

14th January 2009

karon
non-member comment

It's so cool.

14th January 2009

Correction.
non-member comment

Chairman Mao, in anticipation of war with Russia, dismanteled the huge and wonderful imperial wall and fortifications which surrounded Beijing in the 1950's. --------------------------------------- The leaders decided to demolish the Beijing City wall, because they wanted to build a "NEW" Beijing. This was a vast mistake. Otherwise, Beijing would have its own wonderful citywall like Xi'an. In 1950s, the relations between China and USSR was good. But from aboud 1960, it became worse and worse. At 1969, it reached the worst. Small military confrontations happened in both Northeast and Northwest. USSR put great pressure to the Chinese leaders, bacause USSR had more than 1million army in China-Mongolia border and the China-Mongolia border is only 4-hour away from Beijing. So I guess most Chinese are happy to see the collapse of USSR, just like US.

14th January 2009

About Manchu/Man
non-member comment

Your history knowledge is amazing. But there are some mistakes. Long story, so I just provide some links. There were several key persons creating the earlier history of Manchu. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurhaci http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huang_Taiji http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunzhi_Emperor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chongzhen_Emperor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Zicheng http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Sangui

14th January 2009

Hans
Hans J. Schneider

Of course it is a long story for the Manchus!
It is not possible to entertain all of the detailed history of thousands of years, and so I appreciate the links. It would take books, as there have been written, to entertain all of these much earlier details. But in fact, the general idea as I have presented them are what has been written in my blog. For further reading, history books will offer year by year accounts of the Manchus. Thank you for the observations and links.

14th January 2009

Hans
Hans J. Schneider

Bricks diverted for both, above- and below ground construction!
It is true, that much of the wall has been used to build a new Beijing by Chairman Mao, and that included a whole underground city for the safety of the citizens of Beijing, and for the leaders, against the expected attack by Stalin. Small battles were already taking place between Russia and China on the northern borders, as the two countries drifted apart from earlier co-operation. And so, believing an attack by the Russians on Beijing would take place, and having little time to lose, Chairman Mao constructed, with millions of the bricks diverted from the ancient city wall, a whole underground city that stretches for miles, that has not yet been fully explored. Visitors are able to take underground tours to visit some of this enormous complex and amazing facilities. Along with thousands of others, I have been one of these visitors.

15th January 2009

Sue
non-member comment

Happy Holidays!
Heh Hans, great blog as usual. Trust that you will thaw out adequately during your annual trip back to Florida! Starting post grad studies next week and have my name down for casual teaching at the major Language Institutes here, and have a place to stay rent free until my place becomes available, so everything going well. Also hunting for good places for my Mum to relocate to on the Gold Coast, so no rest even for the not-so-wicked! Miss you all. Hope Stef gets things sorted for herself. Suexx

15th January 2009

Your reply
non-member comment

It is true, that much of the wall has been used to build a new Beijing by Chairman Mao, and that included a whole underground city for the safety of the citizens of Beijing, and for the leaders, against the expected attack by Stalin. ----------------------------------------- Against Leonid Brezhnev not Stalin(Otherwize do you think the Stalin Park could be named after Stalin?). Actually Mao and Stalin had a good relationship. The relationship between Mao and Nikita Khrushchev was not good, but also not that bad.

16th January 2009

June
non-member comment

An amazing display of ice sculpture show! What takes my breath away is the creators' passion of devotion and the long-lasting solid frieze of that unique environment. What a wonderful dazzling world!

16th January 2009

June
non-member comment

According to memory, there were students' exchange programmes kept going on since the 50s until the early 60s. Photos of beautiful blond Udssr students were even displayed in the windows at the Taizhou Middleschool. How about that? But, people were later told that government of the Udssr had become either terribly corrupted or betrayal against communism: difficult to comprehent!

7th November 2010

Jeans Ping
non-member comment

A happy man
Whenever I see you,you always wear a happy smile, look so kind.I am afriad of talking with foreigners.but when I see you, I always cannot help to talk with you.which is exciting. You make me more confident,and I want to say:Thank you !

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#111 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China ( HARBIN: Part 2, World of Ice & Snow, Stalin Park, Buddhist Temples and Confucian Temple!)

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