Quick Journey to Haerbin: The Oriental Moscow

哈尔滨; Харбин; Hā'ěrbīn. is the largest city at the northernmost side of China and the most bitterly cold at -30 degrees Celsius during winter. Despite being a Chinese city, its Russian flare remains clearly visible through its building structures and cuisine.

How we got there? We flew to Beijing and took a domestic flight directly to Harbin for couple of hours. There are other ports of entry and means to get there. Go to Elong.net for flight schedules and booking and if you get lucky, some wonderful deals.

Accommodation. China is known to affordable (at least $30/night) hostels widely available at your fingertips. Agoda, Booking.com, hotels.com, travelchinaguide, etc. Two basic rules to consider. First would be, someone from the hotel must understand and speaks English (for non-Chinese like us). At some very few hotels, they have signage if they got one. Second, it should be located where the action is (I guess this is a general rule anywhere) - near shops and accessible to public transportation. These 2 criteria may seem easy but when in China, most of the time you'll end up charging it to experience.

Food. Traditional Chinese food and an accent of Russian flavors. Sausages are popular too. No worries, food are safe and clean on this side of the country. But then again KFC, Mcdonalds, Burger King are the widely visible in the metro. And these chains are definitely your savior when you start to crave for comfort food. They always are to me.

Transportation. Airport to city or hotel, cab will do for about Y100, bus is cheaper and fine if you're ready to hunt down your hotel in a freezing dry air. Make sure your hotel's name is written in Chinese characters or wherever your destinations maybe. In getting around, cab would still be the go-to option. If it gets too complicated for the taxi driver to understand where you are going, ask your hotel for car rental with driver or a tour would be the best-est. That's one reason why someone in the hotel should know English otherwise, your discussion will take up much of your already-limited time. It may cost little bit more but hell worth the pennies.

Clothing. On a winter, a 5-layer clothing is just so appropriate to protect your core from freezing. 
1. inner shirt 

2. long-sleeves 

3. Wool sweater 

4. Jacket 

5. Coat. 

3 layers would do for bottom 

1. warmer/leggings 

2. cotton pants 

3. another pants/ski or winter pants. 

Wool socks (2-3 layers), a stable winter face mask, scarf, head and ear covers, trekking winter boots and warm gloves are very much your essentials. 

If extremities get numb still, heat patches can be bought at nearby local grocery stores/stalls. The patches can keep your hands and feet warm for 2 hours or more. Stalls can be deceiving from outside so ask from your hotel receptionist.

Highlights. We wouldn't be in Harbin, on a winter, if not for the Ice and Snow Festival. That's it. It's an amazing display of humongous ice sculptures turned into a small city. The area is not reachable by foot and taxis would not agree (at least in our case) for a one-way trip. We arranged one from our hotel. 

Sun Island, a park located a little outside the city as well, heavily engulfed in snow, also showcases sculptures made from hardened snow. It features a mountain turned into a huge work of art, exquisite arts of ice and snow, Russian huts, some performances and more.

There are refreshment houses in both locations to warm up and eat.

Top: Sun Island White Mountain Lady. Bottom: The City of Ice & Snow 

Other things to expect. The temperature outside establishments and buildings are intolerably cold that if you expose your face without the mask, your nose will start to clog (and get runny afterwards) and your cheeks would start to harden. You will catch thin ice-shaves up your eyebrows and eye lashes if you stayed more than 5-10 minutes strolling around. Your hands will feel nothing by getting too many shots without the gloves. 

Batteries drain quickly and lenses should be taken care of from moist with the sudden change of temperature from outside and into the buildings. 

Google map would be the most reliable source of direction rather than asking locals, and when getting a cab is becoming close to impossible, walking is the next best thing, just make sure you are in the right track. 

And again, since you are in China, the only place you can change to local currency (Yuan) aside from the airport is at Bank Of China which is open on weekends. Hotels always ask for deposit so make sure you have enough Yuan when checking in.

We've been through the famous cities of China and we have started to drift away to the unknown. Every destination is a unique and diverse experience. It's been our third yet we are kept surprised and amazed. Despite all the limitations there are, I think we will never get tired of this huge country and will keep coming back. It is a nation of widely interesting culture, people, sites and most of all life. 

So, heard of Zhangjiajie? *wink...

Til the next journey. Xiexie

Here is a few glimpse of the city. 

St Sophia. A Russian cathedral now serves as simple museum

There are more Russian souvenir shops than Chinese on this side of town

Our Hotel. Very rustic but very good authentic Chinese buffet breakfast

Haerbin Airport

Visited: January 2014

Getting a Tourist Visa - China

There has quite some changes with the current tourist visa requirements from the time I applied 3 years ago. It has gotten stricter.  I can't blame the Chinese government when  the number of Filipinos who previously entered China as tourists and never came back home has risen tremendously. I couldn't blame our fellas as well. China has a lot to offer that this country just continuously failed to provide. Well, I could continue with those 'frustrations'  but hey, this is about how to visit mainland China, legally. 

To easily sum it off, once the following documentations are complete, that Great Wall sticker visa is within reach.

I was given 30 days on my second, I had only 7 days on my first

How We Made It: China, again

Our day-by-day journal with the China trip that we took, how we were able to go around and survived surprisingly despite being Chinese-language illiterates. Our itinerary maybe touristy but it was already difficult especially communicating nevertheless, it was a damn good and fun experience. It was our second time in China and we are still looking at part 3 or 4 or more.

Route: Manila-Beijing-Xian-Wudangshan-Xian-Shanghai-Manila

Period: October 18-27, 2012 (late Fall)
Travelling Party: 2

Day 0: Manila-Beijing via Cebu Pacific.

Day 1:  BEIJING
Midnight - Arrived Beijing. Rest. Stayed at cousin's place at Hairun International Compound in Chaoyang District. Beijing is huge and divided into several districts so make sure you are somewhere near public transport (train stations, bus stops).

Morning - Depart to Mutianyu Great Wall, another section of the Great Wall relatively newer than the famous Badaling. Not that easy but was able to arrange a cab for 550yuan for return trip. Arrived Mutianyu after 2.5 hours. Check out http://www.mutianyugreatwall.net/ for information and details. We paid 80yuan/head for the cable (return) and 45yuan for the entrance fee per adult. There are other features and activities in Mutianyu had we had time I would try it out. Back in the house late afternoon and met old colleague at night.

Beijing in My Perspective

A birthday treat for myself and my best friend last 2010 was a quick trip to the mainland Beijing, China. But first, we had to run for visa at the Chinese Embassy and as first timers, there are quite a handful of papers to produce that I had to resort an agency's help to get me out of the hassle of queuing as time's ticking fast. Fortunately, I got it just in time.

Olympic Logo outside a building within the Olympic City

Bird's Nest - Olympic Stadium.
Converted into skating rink during winter  and indoor pool in summer

The Cube - Indoor pools inside
made of rubber walls reflecting the color of water from the outside

Olympic Torch fired up in 2008 Olympic Games

Beijing is now becoming a combination of the modern and traditional city inspired after its sister Shanghai. Having hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics paved way to remodeling what just used to be swirling roofs and dragon paintings into tangled fiber steels stadium and a water cube indoor pool. The event gave birth to a city within the city, a representation of what it is capable and what it can eventually turn into anytime they wanted to. Also because of the historic sporting affair, English road signs and directions became visible, a very helpful tool for non-Chinese readers like us and the rest of millions of tourists flocking the city every year. 

the unsinkable marble ship floating on a pond
inside the gigantic summer palace

the Summer Palace Tower gleaming above
the whole wide wondrous Garden

Yet the structural marvels were not the key treasures of Beijing. The classic Summer Palace, the mirage-like Forbidden city, the seemingly empty but symbolic Tiananmen Square and of course the one and only Great Wall are the main stars here. These sites will forever epitomize how Chinese customs were born and transformed, their struggles and triumphs, who they were and why they are at this present time.

At the main gate of the Forbidden city sits the huge image of Mao
fronting this on the other side of a 6-lane hiway is the Tiananmen Square

Great Wall at Badaling section - the most famous thus touristy area

The Chinese people in the mainland are maybe one of the most intricate individuals to comprehend by having to mingle with them in just two days but they are definitely one of the hardcore 'traditionals' with utmost veneration to what they believe in. We exist and co-exist so we have to give it to them, anyhow they allowed themselves by opening their doors to the rest of the world and share with us what they have and maybe what they intend to achieve in the future.

PS
Applying for Chinese Visa for the first time? Please click this link. Thanks to Pinay Travel Junkie for the comprehensive and updated info. I have also created another version of that page here. Click on here.