Harbin: Day 2

Harbin, Day 2.

It's amazing I'm even still awake at this point. After something like a 15 hour day, I'm sitting in my hotel room with everyone, still laughing and savoring the last of what has to have been one of my best travel days ever.

We started out the morning at 6:45 (or at least I did.) Side note: never in my life did I think I would be an early riser, but in college, I get up at least an hour before anyone else. After a shower and breakfast of a powerbar, apple and coffee (again, thank GOD for Starbucks VIA packets!!) Katy, Luke and myself met the group down in the lobby for an 8:30 pickup. Our rented bus was waiting, and off we went to meet Chris and Cory VanVeltzer, our program director and amazing wife. We're lucky enough to be traveling with the VanVeltzers, who along with being our program directors are just fantastic people.

First stop: Saint Sophia church in downtown Harbin and the Jewish Museum

Driving through Harbin, I wouldn't necessarily think I'm in China. The town is more Russian than anything else: the architecture is very western and much of the layout is European in feel (long, organized streets versus the Chinese tendency for crossing shorter streets.) The Chinese tell is the character signs, which cover just about every corner. We arrived at Saint Sophia around 9:20. The church was not even a little bit Chinese. The Russian orthodox style combined with the icy cold wind would make just about anyone think they're standing somewhere outside Moscow. After the church, we made our way over the Jewish Museum. This museum is dedicated to the large jewish population in Harbin. During WWII, while the Jews were fleeing Germany and parts of Russia, a small migration made it's way over to Harbin, China. China at the time had no antisemitism, making Harbin an ideal settlement for those jews brave enough to make the Siberian trek over here. The museum reminded me of how much I really enjoy museums and somewhat-education experiences. I like traveling and relaxing as much as any other person, but my parents have certainly instilled a thirst for cultural knowledge in me.

Second Stop: Main Street Harbin and the Frozen River.

I guess when I was planning this trip, I realized it would be cold... I even planned ahead for it. However, California has done me absolutely NO favors in terms of retaining any of my Midwestern cold tolerance. At about 10:30, I realized my fake thinsulate gloves (courtesy of the fake market on Nanjing Xi Lu) were not going to cut it against the -3 degree windchill. The bright sunlight did just about nothing, except illuminate the beautiful ice throughout the town. We strolled up and down the main street, admiring the eclectic cultural buildings and shops. We even found a Walmart super store ( Note: In the states I despise going to Walmart because of the claustrophobic crowds and inevitable inability to find what I'm looking for, but in China, Walmart is like a beacon of familiar light.) We went on first of what turned out to be many slides of the day on the Frozen river on the end of the Main street. The river completely freezes in the winters here, so crowds of eager tourists spend hours simply slipping around on this great frozen lake. After a cold but great time, we all headed back down the street for lunch. We stopped at a recommended Russian restaurant. I tried some borscht and an assortment of Russian-esque items, which was fun but definitely not my favorite cuisine. All and all, downtown Harbin was great. Then, back to the bus and onward to the afternoon activities.

Stop Three: The Tiger Park

I remember being a child and going to the zoo to see the tigers. Back then, the tigers were so big yet so far away. Today, the tigers were still big, but they were right next to me... or in my lap.

Upon our arrival at the Tiger Park, we purchased our tickets. With these tickets, we had the options of purchasing various small animals: chickens, pheasants, goats, or steaks. We learned we would be going out in a Jurassic Park style vehicle and driving up next to the tigers. The animals were to feed the tigers as we watched. Despite my more liberal inclination to shout animal cruelty, I figured this is an experience I would never get to witness in the US, so why not. I bought a chicken. Before jumping into our vehicle, I went over to a corner of our waiting area where there was a baby tiger in caged area. I decided I would pay the 7 dollars and get to hold the tiger, because hey, when else in my life am I going to hold a baby tiger! The handler sat me down and then put the tiger in my lap. The first two seconds were fine, until the tiger processed that (he?) was being held by some nice smelling foreigner. At this, the tiger started to growl and swatted my hair. I figured this was relatively harmless, so I smiled and waited for my friend luke to start taking pictures. However, the tiger was not as amused. After failing to get my attention from the swat, the baby tiger turned around and took a big bite right into my pashmina (around my neck... thank you overpriced fashion statement.) At this, I was done holding the tiger. In an effort to stay calm and hopefully save my jugular, I started to bounce the tiger and yelling at the handler to get this thing off me. After one more attempt at a bite, the baby tiger was promptly removed. I got some great, terrified looking pictures out if it... but I think my career as a Tiger handler will be going nowhere for now.

After the incident with the baby tiger, the group jumped in our van and headed out into the tundra. This preserve has something like 720 tigers, along with a few other assorted large felines. As we approached the feeding area, our animals were thrown out of a van across the pavilion. I watched in part horror, part fascination, as these HUGE tigers jumped, pinned, and cornered various pheasants and chickens. It was very cool, watching predators do what they do best: kill.

Warning: Next part is Graphic and awful. Be warned.

After getting off the bus, we went through a walkway where there were various tigers, lions, Ligars (Lion-Tiger mix, there are only 10 in the world and three of them happen to be in Harbin) Jaguars, and leopards. Every couple minutes a woman selling more chickens would come by and offer us a good price to literally throw a chicken over the side to a Tiger. A group ahead of ours agreed and purchased one of these poor birds. Then came the worst display of feline cruelty I've ever seen. It's true what they say about cats being mean creatures: they play with their food before they eat it. I won't go into specific detail, but this tiger spent about twenty minutes ripping apart a live chicken before eventually killing it. Needless to say, it was gruesome.

After that lovely display of the "circle of life," we headed back to the van. At this point, we were getting cold and tired. For anyone traveling in China: rent a van or driver. The easy pickup and lack of navigating made the whole day 100 percent easier.

Stop Four: The Ice Park

Harbin is famous for it's annual ice and snow festival. Every year, people and teams from around the world come to Harbin to carve various sculptures out of ice blocks and enormous snow piles. The creations were fantastic, ranging from cityscapes to portraits of various religious deities ( Jesus in snow, anyone?)

After a few more slides and ice sculptures, I could no longer feel my toes, hands, or nose. I am generally a good sport, and I try not complain. However, it was 4:30, and the sun was starting to do down in this vast park of ice and snow. I was cold, hungry (borscht only lasts so long...) and I'd been moving for almost 10 hours. I was ready to be done, or at least get some dinner. The rest of the group decided to go and see one last thing at the park, while I opted to wait for them back near the slide. Sitting outside in the cold was numbing, but I was happy just to sit and let myself mentally breathe for a few minutes. Luckily, it wasn't long before everyone came back and we headed out, once again, into the cold night.

Stop Five: Hot Pot

There are few things better in the world than a hot meal in the freezing cold. We all went out to a Hot Pot dinner. Hot Pot consists of a big pot of flavored, boiling broth, that cooks whatever you choose to put in it. It's almost like Chinese Fondue. As a group, we ordered various meats, vegetables, noodles and sides to boil in our own personal pots, flavored to our liking. Nothing beats spicy Hot Pot after a day in the icy cold tundra of Harbin. After an interesting game of two truths and a lie with Chris and Cory, we all headed back out into the night for one last stop.

Stop six: The Disney Ice Park

Like any good Dillon Daughter, I pass up no good Disney attraction. Our last stop of the night (around 10pm) was the ice park in central Harbin. This park is Disney themed, with huge ice sculptures carved into palaces, princesses, and fantastic slides. Endlessly tube sliding in the middle of Agraba (Aladdin) and Sleeping Beauty's palace was more fun than I've had in a long time. Innocent, good fun, taking me all the way back to the days of sledding in Cleveland or playing make believe. I'm a sucker for Disney, and amidst the sledding and lights and ice sculptures, the cold no longer mattered. I was just being a kid :)

So now I'm back here, in my little hotel room, while Luke and Katy get ready to pass out to which I will surely follow. It's approaching 19 hours, but today was worth it. Something about snow just brings me back to being eight years old again (in spirit, not in total practice) and makes everything a little more magical. Being here with these amazing people, my friends and mentors, roommates and true pengyoumen, I am reminded how lucky I am. Here, in Siberian China, I have no doubt I'm one of the luckiest girls in the world. Now I need to sleep before I get even more sentimental. What a great day :)