Zhengming Jinjiang

Don't be a tight arse

by SLM73

This is my least favourite thing but I felt it was very important to write i and I didn't know where else to put it.

I have seen a whole host of men and women who have spent this winter outside plying their goods and services in minus 25 degree celcius weather. You should see their faces when you stop at their stall to buy something, they feel lucky that you have deigned to buy something from them. Straight away they are going to try and get what they can out of you but for goodness sake don't quibble over 1 or 2Y. These people have a monthly salary of 500Y if they are lucky. It is probably what you spend on one night at a hotel. Don't see it as being ripped off, we are rich foreigners to them and 1 or 2Y can buy them a meal. Try to put yourselves in their shoes.

Have a look at the things they are selling and see if there are a couple of other things you can buy from them. Everyone needs cotton buds.

The Dragon Tower - Part 1

by mke1963

Arguably the most spectacular view of Harbin can be found at the Dragon Tower, modern Harbin's architectural pride and joy. It is the transmitting tower of the TV and radio station, so heavily policed by stern-faced policemen. It is also not a particularly friendly place, rigidly enforcing the 1.2 metre height rule for children, which is an absurd way of deciding whether a child is a child. Western children are usually substantially taller than Chinese children, and it is a form of continued discrimination that is usually just mildly irritating, but extremely annoying when entry fees are high. We were keen to eat at the Dragon Tower in the restaurant at the top, but they were unable or unwilling to show us a menu until we had paid the full cost. We were being expected to pay for a meal without seeing the menu, and to pay full cost for two children. This iniquitous behaviour was just absurd, but in true danwei fashion, they saw nothing wrong with this. US$57 for a meal without knowing what we were getting and the children being charged an adult cost because of genetics. Forget it!
The RMB65 per head trip up to the top of the tower involves walking up to the third floor, through a temporary exhibition about the monkeys (this just 24 hours before it became the Year of the Rooster). The high speed elevator whisks the visitor up to the revolving restaurant, which was utterly deserted. Why can't you decide to eat when you get up to it? Ah, China cadres at their best!

[continued in Part 2]

Bone

by THLIN about Wang Ji--now rename:Zheng Yang

The restaurant has been chosen one of the top 50 restaurants is HeiLongJiang Province. Here you can taste real north-east China food. And this restaurant is also quite well-kwon in Harbin, you can simply tell the taxi driver the name of it. Of course the pork bone. Using a straw to suck the juice inside the bone. Yammy!! Originally I tought it might be fleshy, but it really is a nice dish.
There is one little incident before I had my supper -- I arrived at the restaurant a quarter earilier than my companies. So I ask what to eat at this restaurant?! The waitress answered immediately," pork bone."

Harbin Ice and Snow World (9th)

by John195123

We trudged across the Songhua river, with a faint hope that the odd shapes in the distance resolved into something related to ice sculpting. Harbin's Ice and Snow World cost an astounding 150RMB to get into. Once inside, it was a nifty place to visit, cold, of course, but an interesting way to spend an evening.

What impressed me most was the sheer quantity and size of the piles of feces that sat freezing behind (and in) some of the ice buildings. Human, no less. I'm not sure what's worse... that people couldn't use the bathrooms (which were probably filthy with no toilet paper or soap- which really makes me wonder why China hasn't had an enormous epidemic... or if it's due for one...) or that no one cleaned it up. Anyway, that about summed up the place for us: cold crap with colored lights.

Ha ha! It wasn't that bad, really. The Parthenon was really neat, and they have slides which aren't that great to slide on, I hear... but if you plan to go, buy some crampons or those little things that fit over the soles of your shoes to help walk on ice... the place is slippery and in China if you fall and hurt yourself, you're on your own... welcome to the real world, I guess.

They turn the lights on around dusk, which can be around 4:30pm!

It's bright, colorful and famous... why not?

Five images here, many more in the travelogue, "9th Harbin Snow and Ice World".

Harbin, Chinese New Years 2006

by BobandHua

"A very very cold place"

HarBin is an especially cold, A very very cold place. Minus 40 degrees C or F at that point it doesn't matter any more!
After visiting many sites plus skiing and the like I didn't dress properly on the last day because it got up to an absolutely steamy minus 10! So, of course I got sick. The worst cold I've ever had. Took six weeks to get my voice back!

"Things to do"

Harbin is famous for it's Ice Lantern exhibits. I don't impress easily and I was very impressed by this. Absolutely fantastic (and cold).
They carve blocks of Ice out of the river every year and build a little city out of them. Amazing & beautiful at night because they light everything from inside.

"Peculiar tourist attractions"

These people will do anything to make a buck. A German Shepherd Dog Sled??