Lakeshore Advance, 2013-01-30, Page 11Wednesday, January 30, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 11
For winter lovers, Harbin is hard to beat
Winter travellers, Teresa -Marie
Jeromkin, Janet Baird -Jackson, Peter
Phillips, Julian and Heidi Bayley
Photos by Julian Bayley
Big snow. Big ice. Everything during
wintertime in 1 larbin, China is big and
this city of more than 10.5 million peo-
ple located close to the Russian border
is a destination anyont' interested in
winter activities should have on their
travel wish -list.
In addition to the famous, month-
long Snow L Ice Festival which covers
�i huge parks comprising a total of
,000 square meters, there is the
Siberian 'Tiger Park where 1000 -
yes, 1000 of these powerful cats - roam
free. And the tigers themselves fit the
big mold, too - healthy looking white
with black stripes and the more com-
mon orange and black, with a few
Tigers (lion and tiger cross bred ani-
mals) thrown in for good pleasure.
Endangered specie's don't seeps to be
an issue in Harbin.
More than 40 ski resorts catering to
beginners, intermediate and advanced
skill levels in skiing and snowboarding
surround the city.
Then, on the Songhua River which
delivers thousands of tonnes of ice for
the festival there are sports for every-
one. Skiing, slides, tube slides, snow-
mobiles, ice yachts, horse and cutter
rides, dog sleds, top spinning - even
swimming is a popular attraction. We
1
watched a number of enthusiastic Rus
sian swimmers put on a show in tem-
peratures between minus 20 and
minus :33 degrees C !
I larbin's Snow & Ice Festival, now in
its 1.1th year was the biggest ever, and
it takes at least two days to take in all
the massive snow and ice sculptures.
'rhe festival itself is older than 1.1, hut
there was a break for several year's until
it was reintroduced at the start of the
Cultural Revolution. Now, the festival
is back and growing every year.
In comparison, I lachin's snow and
•
• t;.!'
ice show Is like lapan's Sapporo
festival, Canada's Winterlude in
Ottawa, Quebec City's (:arnivale and
the Norwegian Ski festival rolled into
one - and on steroids!
Downtown features ice sculptures
00 every corner and along the main
shopping streets. A drive around the
city is an amazing sight in itself.
10 North America, a 500 high ice
sculpture of Scutt of Ice Age fame is
shown as the tallest ice sculpture in the
Guinness Book of \Vorld Records, but
the 1luhlishelate obviously not invitte
of the 1 Lubin festival where several ice
sculptures topped 1'20 ft, 01 more.
1 ate in the artist noon, the lights are
turned 00 systel11aticaliv until every
sculpttll1' leveals the detail that the
111000 skilled carvers 1vI10 built the ice
City have Ached 11110 then work. Anil
1111' impact is simply spectaculati.
An1lhrr park is set aside for the
international ice calving contp1'lition
where ca1 vers ft0111 all (ver 11e world
show 011 thei1 skills. 'this is mote in line
with the sculpture competitions held
throughout Canada and the IIS.
A 10 day wt11tel 1011 package which
includes all Harbin and 0 week in Bei
ling with a visit to the Great \\';111,
hotels, most meals anti direct flights
host 'Toronto t0 Beijing and an inter
nal flight t0 and fru111 !Lubin colors in
ut under 51000 per heats. A short terns
visit is needed to enter (:11110. For
value -far money, the itinerary for this
trip is hard t0 brat.
Ibis January, Ihr temperature in Bei
jing was similar to 'Toronto the cold
really comes into piny as Vou Ilt'ad
110111 to 1 larhin. ;\nil 10nu01v is it good
time to ser the sights of Beijing and
Hat hill 05 the crowds are smaller, \Vali
until the spring and summer and you'll
face hordes of visitors that you can
only imagine.
'travelling in groups of six 01' right
with it driver and tout guide is 1111 ideal
way to visit the attractions around Bei
ling ants 1 Iarhin. A small passenger van
with windows all round is a comforts
hie way to travel around the cities and
conversation with the guide is easy for
everyom'.
'Ihr driver and tour guide work as a
team. On Tong sit rets, you are dropped
off at (111e end and l)\' 1111` ti1111` volt Ili1Vt'
walked to the other end, the van is
waiting for you, Anti hr prepared to do
a lot of walking comfortable hiking
boots are essential with a pair of luso
lated hoots for the tours of the snow
and ice parks.
'fake adva1111I(c of our pricing t'or
Includes: Ilirthday s, Annh ersaries
11'cddings, Engagements, Graduations etc.
(Name Person)
(Date)
Actual Size: Pre -Payment is Required
.Just trip! i11 Votll photo & Wtlta-up and WO'II do the) lest
Othni Silos K Poco, ilvaililhlo upon Inquest