Harbin Ice Festival 4

Part 4 – Getting the train

Just  notes today, but heaps of photos.

First stop today was at the Chemist for blister supplies. Very helpful and patient staff translated our pointing. No more painful ankle

Starbuck bucks again for  coffee breakfast. Then Potato palace for second breakfast in a local ally mall type thing.

Tea and cake along the river, watching hover crafts go by on the ice.

Finally found the metro, after Many hours of walking, head to our first ice festival event.

Police man helped us find ticket office.

Ice sculptures, see photos. Snacks, More snacks and Tea and ice cream in a box.

The wife got her hot pot after a long nap.

We had a walk to what we thought was an old Russian church from ages ago. Turns outs it an architecture display, fashion parade, rave, ballet concert and just super interesting people watching.

Harbin Ice Festival 3

Part 3 – Exploring over the River.

Our day in dot points:-

  • Late start, pretty much getting used to the 3 hour time difference, also you can’t stay out side in -20 all day.
  • Star bucks with two coffees, it’s just easy quiet time to plan the day.
  • Walked over the bridge, the bridge was the original rail bridge from 1900s,now setup as a foot bridge.
  • Walked to the through the park, on a mission to get the cable car off in the distance
  • A local lunch nice lady next to us helped with ordering. Best lunch so far.
  • Through the chocolate castle to get to the cable car, a funny moment in the elevator wife lots of short ewoks looking up at me.
  • walked back home, nap time.
  • Back out for dinner, ate to much of wife’s dumplings.
  • False alarm of loosing phone and passport, one in her pocket other in his floordrobe.
  • Ice cream and back to the hotel.

Leave a comment if anyone is reading these???

Harbin Ice Festival 2

Part 2 Seeing Stuff and Staying Warm

After a very late arrival, Mr Orange the chauffer dropped us of our central Ibis hotel that will be home for the next week.

We had a long sleep in and a session on figuring out if internet works like normal behind the great fire wall of china.

First outing, we found the main pedestrian street and star bucks for coffee and break fast like a good Tassie tourist.

Lunch wasn’t our best choice but learnt how to pay for stuff with Ali Pay.

Second outing we headed down to the river and ate saugagues on a stick and found more dumplings on the way home.

Who knew it was a thing to eat ice cream in -10 degrees.

Harbin Ice Festival 1

Part 1 – Getting Here

We used China Eastern, was a pretty smooth trip. Out of Sydney and transitting through Shanghai. Make sure you make the most of your wife’s air mile points in the first class lounge.

Remember to pack some warm clothes you leave southern hemisphere summer +35degs and arrive in northern hemisphere winter -20deg. It’s all ok until you get off the plan and shuffled in to shuttles rather than and aero bridge.

Badgers Beach

We visited for an afternoon walk and explore.  At the Western end is a small shack town. There is a nice BBQ and picnic area. The Coastal Traverse track starts here, apparently 4hrs. There is an area set up for beach boat launches. Best of all is the kilometres of untouched beach to walk along.  Next visit it would be interesting to have a look at the head land on the eastern end.