Harbin in China is well known for its Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival but the city has many other amazing attractions as well, writes Lam Lin Shi
TOURISTS flock to Harbin every January for its famous Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
However, the city of 9.5 million people in Heilongjiang province, northeast China, is enchanting in other seasons as well.
Heilongjiang is China's northernmost province and shares a border with Russia.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Harbin has a rich history of European influences as it was once inhabited by a large number of Russians and other Europeans in the early 20th century.
The Russian legacy lives on in the Byzantine-inspired architecture that dot Harbin as well as in its flourishing performing arts.
HERITAGE WALK
My friends and I begin our journey at the Lao Daowai Chinese Baroque Historical and Cultural District.
Constructed a century ago, these buildings were given a facelift in 2007. The area is now a juxtaposition of old residences, refurbished souvenir stores and bustling restaurants.
We walk along alleys lined with Baroque-style stone buildings and traditional Chinese courtyards as snack shops and tea houses open for business in the morning.
A woman sits patiently while a street artist bends over his canvas to paint her portrait. A loudspeaker from a food joint blares out its specialty — donkey meat. Don't cringe. Donkey meat is considered a prized protein in northern China. Think donkey burgers and donkey sandwiches.
Our next stop is the St Sophia Cathedral, which must be the most-photographed landmark in Harbin. The former Russian Orthodox church was built in 1907 and boasts a magnificent dome.
The local authorities had taken great pains to restore the cathedral in 1997 when the structure fell close to ruins.
I picture Europeans in horse-drawn carriages alighting at the church compound and entering the building for mass in its heyday. Today, it no longer functions as a house of God. The interior is presently closed for renovation and will reopen as an architectural art gallery.
NOT WINTER? NO PROBLEM
Curiosity leads us to the indoor ice and snow world theme park, where we get to experience Harbin's winter wonderland on a much smaller scale.
I am not sure if the jacket I have is enough to ward off the sub-zero temperature in the 5,000-square-metre building, so I am so thankful that the counter provides thick overcoats for visitors.
As I enter the little "ice town", I feel a blast of frigid air, and it's like being in a giant refrigerator. The theme park features all manners of ice sculptures, big and small, made alive by colourful LED lights.
We go "tobogganing" through ice tunnels and ride on whimsical bicycles, looking like oversized penguins and feeling like kids all over again. After an hour, the teeth-chattering cold gets to me and I can't wait to leave.
I am told that we can also ski and skate to our heart's content the whole year round at the Sunac Snow Park in a city mall, reportedly the largest indoor ski resort in the world. Who needs winter to go skiing?
VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE
We are feeling adventurous and decide to visit Wudalianchi Global Geopark, about 400km from Harbin.
The staggering 720 sq km park is made up of 14 young and old dormant volcanoes, cold mineral springs and five interconnected lakes created by volcanic eruptions several centuries ago. For the serious explorer, it will take more than a couple of days to see all the natural wonders.
At the entrance, we head for the Laohei scenic area on a minibus operated by the park. Once the vehicle stops, we follow the boardwalk trail where we spot a variety of volcanic landforms.
A huge swathe of the area is filled with black pumice that stretch as far as the eye can see. It is known as the Stone Sea.
We continue along the trail to climb the steep Laohei mountain, where its crater lies. The Laohei volcano last erupted between 1720 and 1721.
I exchange pleasantries with a few elderly uncles from Guangdong province who are going on the same uphill trek. They have come with a tour group and are keen to know more about Malaysia.
The mountain air is crisp and cool. A black squirrel boldly appears, grabs some nuts thrown by visitors and dashes off into the forest. At the last leg, the stone steps seem to go on forever. I am so glad when we finally reach the top.
Tempers flare as tourists jostle for the best spot to take pictures of the crater. It's pretty common to hear people yelling in China. Giving up the selfie idea, I sit down to rest my weary feet and enjoy the view of mountains and lakes.
Before the sun sets, we make our way down to the North Spring, one of the three most famous cold mineral springs in the world, which many claim to have curative effects.
Its waters contain iron, strontium and silicon. A sip of the metallic-tasting water is enough to put me off, but I see locals filling up bottles to take home. I am told the bottled water will turn brown after 30 minutes and I wonder how anyone could stomach such murky, funny-tasting liquid.
PARKS AND WETLANDS
What I like most about Harbin is its sprawling public parks and wetlands. One of them is Stalin Park beside the scenic Songhua River.
At the main square where the flood control monument stands tall and proud, musicians perform daily, lending the popular tourist spot a festive air. Named after Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, the park was built in 1953 to mark the friendship between China and the Soviet Union.
Strolling along the promenade under bright blue skies and a cool autumn breeze is a pleasure. I see city folk swimming, fishing and chilling out along the riverbank.
A woman stands on the stone steps of the embankment with a basket of freshly-caught prawns. Passers-by gasp as a turtle wriggles out of her pail. She deftly nets in the poor creature before it can make its escape, and I hear that it is going into a cooking pot of herbal soup this very night.
Further along the river is the old Binzhou railway bridge built by the Russians in 1901. It is now a national cultural relic and functions as a modern pedestrian bridge across the Songhua River.
MUSIC CITY
Harbin reportedly earned recognition from the United Nations as a music city in 2010.
This is not surprising as the city had early exposure to classical music and performing arts. Today, international ballet, opera and theatre troupes stage performances at the Harbin Grand Theatre.
"Grand" is an understatement. Even if you don't intend to watch any show, the architectural marvel that is surrounded by wetlands is still worth a visit. We tour the concert halls and vast lobby fitted with skylights, glass walls and rich timber.
We huff and puff our way up the stairs to the rooftop to enjoy a better view of the city fringed by wetlands.
Outside the building, a woman peddles snacks as couples pose for wedding photoshoots with the undulating shape of the theatre as a backdrop.
We continue to a more intimate setting at the Old Synagogue Concert Hall in downtown Harbin where we watch a string quartet perform a repertoire of classical and folk music.
For 100 yuan (RM59) each, we get front-row seats on wooden pews. The synagogue was built by the city's Jewish community in 1921 and converted into a concert hall in 2014.
THE MUSIC CONTINUES
The music does not stop at the concert hall. Not far away, jazz musicians and street performers liven up the packed Zhongyang Pedestrian Street.
The cobblestoned thoroughfare used to be a business hub of the European community more than a century ago. Then, there were foreign shops, hotels and bars. Now, it has evolved and is a must-go for first-time visitors to Harbin.
I queue up for the "best ice cream in town" that costs five yuan as my friends wander into a souvenir store. While enjoying the creamy vanilla stick, I stumble upon the oldest hotel in Harbin (Modern Hotel).
The hotel opened in 1914 and was THE meeting point for the European elite. I take a peek at some memorabilia and old photographs of Russian ballet dancers and opera performers displayed at the hotel lobby.
After exploring shops that sell everything from Russian chocolates to cosmetics, I am famished. There are so many choices that I have no idea what to eat.
Cheap street food or cosy dining? Skewered meat or exotic fried insects? McDonald's burger or beef stroganoff? Chinese dumplings or durians? Yes, there are durian stalls selling presumably the Thai variety at exorbitant prices. I snuff out my craving for the thorny fruit and finally settle for spicy grilled sausages.
Our short trip makes me hunger for more of Harbin. Perhaps my next trip will be to see the gigantic ice and snow sculptures that make Harbin so famous.
TRAVEL FILE
HOW TO GET THERE
There are no direct flights to Harbin from Malaysia. China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airline offer layover flights to Harbin from Kuala Lumpur that take up more than 10 hours of travel.
WHERE TO STAY Websites such as Trip.com, TripAdvisor and Airbnb offers dozens of sleep options.
WHAT TO EAT Handmade stuffed dumplings cooked in various styles areamust-try. And don't forget the local buns, Russian bread, spring rolls and ice cream, too. For Muslim travellers, there are at least three halal restaurants in Harbin.
PICTURES BY LAM LIN SHI
Discover exotic food at lower costs by using GrabFood Voucher.