The 2nd favourite part of the trip was Harbin’s Ice Sculpture Festival. It’s THE #1 attraction in Harbin and not hard to see why. It’s phenomenal! Even more impressive than the Snow Sculptures, in my opinion, as these were GIGANTIC. They were the size of actual, full-sized buildings – made entirely out of blocks of ice. A totally insane sight.. especially because they burrow neon lights through the ice cubes so it is magical at dusk when the sun is setting and all the lights glitter.

There are many, many, many full-on buildings and massive sculptures made from the ice. And best of all….. ice slides!! There was a MASSIVE one that delighted us to no end. After climbing up the (ice) steps in the (ice) building and waiting on the (ice) balcony, we go whizzing down the (ice) slide at top-speed. NOT for the faint hearted 😉 Especially the ending – you know how you stop yourself after flying down the slide? INTO A WALL OF SNOW. You slam into it at full speed, and all the snow comes crashing down and burying you. Hahahhaha!!! Toooooo fun!!!

An absolutely brilliant experience, and it’s mind-boggling to think that the people here work 24/7, building a whole city of these life-size buildings in just a few weeks. It’s a total feat – because let’s not forget the freezing, bitterly cold weather and the fact they’re working with ice the whole time. I can’t comprehend how they can survive doing that.

My camera ran out of batteries (argh) so I didn’t really take photos. However, check out this link of the Ice Festival – identical one but way better photos than mine 🙂

The beautiful, awe-inspiring Ice Sculpture Festival

On the (ice) steps leading up to the (ice) building

Hoo boy it was cold! And no, that’s not drool on the clothin covering
my mouth… it was ICE that formed on it. Brrrr….

Standing up in one of the buildings, about to toboggan down a HUGE ice slide 😀

Another building made entirely out of ice behind us

Afterwards, comfort food at KFC 😛