Submitted by:
Lyndsey Biddle
Kolkata, India
Harbin, China is the fourth largest Winter Wonderland in the world. That being so, you may ask yourself, why not visit one of the other three larger ones instead? One very good reason for choosing Harbin is that you also get two countries in one, as Harbin is also referred to as “Oriental Russia”.
There is a story in Harbin that far exceeds its touristy attractions. That story involves a piece of Russian history that keenly illustrates the despair of some Russian soldiers who took refuge there; and of Russian and German Jews who endured “Ice City” (for its long and excruciatingly cold winters) and made it their home—the largest Jewish population in the Far East. Harbin was once an international metropolis.
Ice Bar
But first, let’s get to the fun. This 10th largest city in Northeastern China’s Heilongjiang Province has been holding a yearly Snow and Ice Festival or Bing Xue Jie since 1985.
The piece de resistance is the ice park, which formerly displayed enormous reproductions of different themes like Buddhas, grand buildings, Red Square and the like. In 2009 Disney took over and Harbin had a family friendly Disneyland theme with gigantic ice sculptures of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, etc. Who knows what the theme will be for this year?
Ice sculptures by night
At any rate, whatever the ice show may be, it is best to view these amazing sculptures at night, when the gigantic sculpted ice blocks are lit up with light emitting diodes (LED) and fluorescent bulbs. Stand back and enjoy, as the experience is breathtaking.
By day, it is best to visit the snow sculpture park. You will see massive and breathtaking snow sculpture that will leave you awed and amazed. Some past snow sculptures in previous years included life size replications of children playing, a replica of Helsinki’s Lutheran Cathedral, a full sized snow village of Finnish design, a Santa Park theme, and many others. Who knows what it will be this year?
Third prize goes to Japan
This snow wonderland is a major event in China and the Chinese travel in hoards to be a witness to it, as do people from all over the world. A trip here is expensive, but talk about value for money – you will get more than your money’s worth.
In the 1900s Russia built a railroad connecting the two countries – the Chinese Eastern Railway. In 1905 some 16 consulates were set up here, and trade flourished. In the 1920s Harbin was a fashion capital with the latest designs of Paris and Moscow landing here before getting to Shanghai.
There is so much Russian influence in Harbin. The bread and the sausages reek with European flavor. There are purely Russian restaurants, and Russian souvenir shops. There is a Chinese-Russian market, and St. Sofia Orthodox Church in Byzantine Russian architecture.
St. Sofia Orthodox Church
If you don’t want anything Russian, there are a lot of other choices. Harbin has many shopping malls and restaurants to choose from, and amid the freezing cold outside, you will be thankful that they are well heated.
A word of advice — if you plan to go to Harbin, it is worth your money to go with high quality winter clothing. You don’t want to layer so many clothes and the weather is sub zero, so prepare for the worst. Expect frozen fingers and feet at times, and when you buy your warmest winter clothing plan with that in mind.
If you partake of this wonderful experience, be sure to book in advance and do your online research thoroughly. Budget hotels are not plentiful, and things here can be costly. However, you will certainly be glad that you invested your money in this experience.
Lyndsey writes for briefcases, a website that offers luxury briefcases direct from the manufacturer. Lyndsey is an avid traveler and has lived in the US, France, China, and India. She currently resides in Kolkata, India where she is studying the Bengali language.
Related links:
Wikipedia – Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
TravelChinaGuide – Harbin Ice and Snow World
View Atlas Parasite in a larger map
