HARBIN: ONE EXPENSIVE MEAL.. 4 February 2010 in Harbin, HOLIDAYS, Uncategorized

One of the famous dishes in Harbin is the river fish, caught straight out of the river and plonked into a MASSIVE cauldron in the middle of the table. That cauldron sits on top of a fire and the fish bubbles in the spicy...

HARBIN: POLARLAND AQUARIUM in Harbin, HOLIDAYS, Uncategorized

Usually we’re not a huge fan of aquariums, since they’re all largely the same. But Harbin’s Polarland is different because it features all these Arctic animals – many of which I’d never seen in real life before. Despite being an arctic aquarium, it was...

HARBIN: SNOW SCULPTURES 3 February 2010 in Harbin, HOLIDAYS, Uncategorized

Harbin’s Snow Sculpture Festival has been around since 1985, and I’d wager that it gets better and better every year. It’s also home to a Guinness Record of the largest snow sculpture: 250 metres long, 28 feet (8.5 m) high, using over 13,000 cubic...

HARBIN: GOING ACROSS THE FROZEN RIVER in Harbin, HOLIDAYS, Uncategorized

One thing about Harbin – despite being a place that seems to rely solely on tourism during the winter months, we found it quite unfriendly/difficult to be a tourist. Sure, by researching and speaking to friends, we knew where to go and what to...

HARBIN: FREEZING, MUCH? 2 February 2010 in Harbin, HOLIDAYS, Uncategorized

Harbin is often referred to as “Little Moscow”, as it’s China’s northernmost major city, bordering Russia. We were actually surprised at just how Russian-influenced it was – lots of Russian architecture, food, shops, and even many locals spoke Russian or had inter-race marriages with...