Trip to North-eastern China

[maximus]

Hello everyone.

Went to China to celebrate Chinese New Year for the first time in the motherland and also with all the other relatives that are still there. Also decided since my brother and his wife were also on holiday at that time in China, I decided I should go back for a visit and for the 3 of us to head to North-Eastern China, specifically Harbin to see the world famous snow and ice sculptures.

Left on the 16th of January onboard SAA flight 288 (I think) to Beijing. The whole plane was full of Chinese going back home to celebrate Chinese New Year (like 92% were Chinese , so I blended in nicely). FYI, SAA offers direct flights from OR Tambo to Beijing Int on a weekly basis.

Sat next to a Durban chap, who's going back to Beijing for work after his annual leave, had a few interesting conversations, I also felt more relaxed because I had someone to talk English to haha.

So let's begin with the pics...oh! forgot to tell you, the flight time was about 12 hours but remember this is directly from Jozi to Beijing so no stopovers.

Stayed in Beijing for 2 days just to rest, most of my extended family stays in Beijing, so I stayed with my ouma. Did a little walk around in Bejing as its really easy to navigate and how should I say 'foreigner/tourist-friendly'.

Took a walk down Chaoyang District because I'm very familiar with that suburb/area.

No exploding car

Tianmen Square and Forbidden City

Then I took an overnight train to Hohhot (Inner Mongolia) to see my brother and his wife whom teaches English at a university there. Now in winter it is quite dry in the North of China, but OMF it's so dry in Hohhot that after a day of walking around outside, and you can home to blow your nose, it's all black and with a few specks of blood because its so dry and also due to the air pollution (I may want to add that Beijing's air pollution is still quite bad, but luckily I was there when it was clear skies and only one night it was quite smoggy).

Yes we don't like the Japs...

Spotted Bumblebee

Frozened pond at the University...average temperature is about min: -16 and max: -5'ish

Just many examples of how shitty their translation is

Eating Shao Mai (form of dumpling you can say)

Couldn't survive without this

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A train from Beijing to Pyongyang (DPRK)

Masser

Was so chuffed to see this

 

[abharoochi]

Looks like fun!!:thumbs:

 

[maximus]

And then it was time to leave Hohhot and begin our tour to the North-East of China, stopping at Chang Chun 长春 (which I believe is a waste of time) and then finally to Harbin.

Me rolling down a hill

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Now onwards to Harbin where its flipping COLD anytime of the day compared to Hohhot and Beijing (when we arrived in Bejing after Harbin, we were like jeez its soo warm in Bejing hahaha)

Saint Sophia square and cathedral:

Now we get to the highlights of the trip...snow and ice sculptures..

Then Sun Island to see the snow sculptures..

Icicles on the branches

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-28 degrees outside at night! walking around seeing all the ice and snow sculptures.

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And then it was time to head back to Beijing (oh and I was also part of the world's largest human migration) and celebrate Chinese new year.

Armed with our fireworks (and we love our fireworks) proceeded to blow shit up on New Years Eve...Bejing in the past few years have started restricting the use of fireworks due to health and environment concerns but it was fun and I had my excuse.

Your average day in Harbin

 

[ChefDJ]

Wow. Just wow. Looks amazing raise:

 

[maximus]

All in all it was a good trip, got to see my cousins, aunts, uncles that I usually would not see for a year or two.

What I did not like:
- The AMOUNT of people travelling during the Chinese New Year period is insaaaaaaaaaaaaane!!!!!
- The cold...
- The air quality
- The dryness

 

[Divio]

Thanks for Sharing Max!, raise:
Now I have an idea how that side of the world looks...

did you whip out the Nikon towards the end there?
:rollsmile:

 

[RAArmstrong]

Awesome write up dude! raise:raise:

Fascinating! :thumbs:

 

[maximus]

Thanks for Sharing Max!, raise:
Now I have an idea how that side of the world looks...

did you whip out the Nikon towards the end there?
:rollsmile:

Used my Sony Xperia for most of the time due to it being more convenient. Only took out the DSLR when we arrived in Chang Chun and Harbin.

 

[WyKiD]

Great pics bud...still on my list of places to visit....:thumbs:

 

[Dippies]

Thanks for sharing. :thumbs: what a experience.

 

[MikeR]

:bravo::bravo: fantastic

 

[Loom]

I was excitement explodes when look onto frost statues :rollsmile:

Those ice and snow sculptures are amazing! I once met a Chinese guy on a trip in Scotland he invited me visit China one day (actually his mom did) but we have since lost contact.

What's causing the air pollution in Beijing?

 

[Scouse]

Wow those pics bring back such memories, a few of them are right by my old office in Beijing
That street next to the frozen canal is Liang ma ge nan lu, my old office was in that street
And that old car next to the Ferrari has been there ever since I used to live there, so since 2005

I loved it there and would go back to work there tomorrow if my company asked me to
I was there for almost 5 years :rollsmile:

 

[Johnny135i]

absolutely fantasically amazingly beautiful:thumbs::inlove:

def on my to bucketlist to do one day...

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

:thumbs:
That's epic!

So what was the most impressive part of your trip bud?

Thanks for sharing, some amazing scenes right there.

 

[sunnyj]

Looks fantastic :thumbs:. Awesome write up :bravo:

 

[tcal69]

awesome trip, thanks for sharing:thumbs:

 

[maximus]

What's causing the air pollution in Beijing?

Well first there's the amount of people driving and owning cars is up to more than about 5 million, then there's the burning of coals for the heating systems in almost every home, office buildings and buildings in general in the city during winter. There's also the lack of wind in dispersing the haze/smog and also neighbouring cities and factories' pollution being blown into Beijing, rapid industralization and lack of green 'areas' that helps soak up some of the pollution i.e. parks etc.

But now we're seeing changing and reforms in their environmental laws.

Fundamental reasons:
-Reliance on fossil fuel
-Tooooo much people owning cars
-Rapid industralization

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Wow those pics bring back such memories, a few of them are right by my old office in Beijing
That street next to the frozen canal is Liang ma ge nan lu, my old office was in that street
And that old car next to the Ferrari has been there ever since I used to live there, so since 2005

I loved it there and would go back to work there tomorrow if my company asked me to
I was there for almost 5 years :rollsmile:

Ah wow! Yeah, we have an apartment just on the right of the canal, next to that sort of big intersection Xin Yuan Li Xi Lu/ Dong Lu. I basically grew up seeing the Capital Mansion and will always feel at home once I see that building.

Lots of foreign diplomatics officials etc. working around there + lots of embassy.

Hahaha yeah seen that old car when I went back in 2005/06. Don't think it has ever moved haha (maybe just a wash now and then)!

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:thumbs:
That's epic!

So what was the most impressive part of your trip bud?

Hmmm well lots but I guess if I were to narrow it down it would be:
-Either rolling down a snow hill and almost cracking my head open with a tree or;
-Seeing those huuuge ice & snow sculptures and wondering how much time and effort goes into it;
-Oh! and maybe the yellow snow cone and frozen pee :fencelook: :rollsmile:

 

[sash]

nice pics, need to start planning my next holiday...

 

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Amazing sculptures