If You LIke Christmas Lights and Ice You Have To See Harbin's Ice Festival

There are Christmas lights and there are ice sculptures, and then there are sculpture festivals.  None have the grandiose size and scale as that of the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

Imagine an entire city carved of ice and the ice sculptures are lit up.  Some of these sculptures are over 5 stories high.  There are ice buildings you can walk up.

The Harbin ice city is entirely man made and carved each winter.  They are decorated with colored lights.

Where is it and how to get there
Harbin is a major city in Norther China, north of Beijing, and the capital of the Heilongjian province, China's northern most province.  It is on the edge of Siberia.

It is exceptionally cold but thrilling.  You get to visit the edge of Siberia during the day time and evening and then return to the luxury of a warm five star hotel at a great price afterwards.  We are not kidding.  Based on the strength of the U.S. Dollar and Euro, plus the abundance of high end hotels in China, you can get great pricing that is often 30% to 50% cheaper for the same class hotel you would pay in the U.S. or Europe.

Types of Ice Displays
There are three main kinds of sculptures in this festival.

Outdoor Lighted Sculptures
The first and most popular kind are the lighted sculptures in the great outdoors.  Grand castles and entire skylines are erected.  Some are set on blocks of ice where you have to climb ice stairs to get close such as the skyline pictured below.

Try a horse drawn carriage to see the entire ice sculpture city in style.

Pure Ice Sculptures
The second kind of sculptures are the pure ice sculptures. These are best viewed in the daytime as they are not lighted.  For example, check out the winged dragon ice sculpture below.  It is distinctly a western dragon as it has wings.  Chinese dragons and eastern dragons are longer with no wings.  The attention to detail is astounding.  There is even an

Here is an angel with a dual serpent tail.  The aesthetics and creativity are quite remarkable.

Take a ride down an two story tall ice slide.  Be sure to have thick pants!

Indoor Ice Sculpture Displays
The third kind of sculptures are ones you can view indoors.  These come in both non lighted and lighted kinds and they are great way to see many of them all at once.

Food in Harbin
Check out the food in Harbin.

Northern China is famous for their lamb skewers slow roasted over coal and seasoned with Chinese red pepper.  These lamb skewers and other barbecue meats can often be found at the side of the road by street vendors.  However, be wary how clean they and where the keep the uncooked meats.  It is best to eat these at restaurant establishments that have running water.  If you and your stomach feel adventurous then by all means try some from street vendors.

Another favorite that is usually safer to eat from street vendors are candied fruits.  It is popular amongst Chinese and tourists as compared with chocolates and western candies.  The fruits are local fruits indigenous to China.

Keeping Warm With Clothing
It is extra cold as your are heading to the edge of Siberia in the dead of winter.  So bring extra clothes, wear gloves and have a hat and scarf.  It is best to have thick boots instead of running shoes that many tourists travel in as your are going to step in a lot snow and ice.

Visit The City of Harbin
Harbin the city has a lot of attractions for individuals, couples, and families.  Check out the Harbin Music Park where you can take nice photos and then also check out music festivals year round.

The city itself has a variety of cosmopolitan restaurants, karyoke clubs, and museums to visit.  There are some nice parks to stroll through along with a picturesque bike paths along the river.

Summary
The Harbin Ice Festival is a great place to visit in your lifetime.  It is a must see and is especially enchanting for those who fans of Christmas lights and ice art.  Best of all, you can tell all your family and friends about the time you visited Siberia in the middle of winter.