Harbin

Is so ridiculously cold I don't know how I made it back alive without missing a ear or anything like that. 

It's the notoriously cold city that anyone in China knows of because, well, it's so cold. That and the snow and ice sculptures it's extremely famous for.

Despite wearing 2 layers of socks, 3 layers of pants and 5 tops (1 heat tech from Uniqlo, 2 thick wool sweaters, 1 puffy vest and 1 ski jacket), I was still cold. It was pretty interesting though, pushing our limits to see under what temperature it would take for us to lose a toe to frostbite. Plus, with the cold, Sean and I had perpetually frozen eyelashes. Well that's one thing off the "Must do before I'm 50" list.

The frozen eyelashes led to freezing the viewfinder in the DSLR when we tried to take photos. One night, Sean was rolling around in the snow and somehow magically got snow on the screen and lens. Do not, and I repeat, do not try exhaling onto it because it all just instantly freezes and that camera is also instantly useless. At least until you give it an hour or so in a really warm place for it to warm up and defrost.

Anyways we did a whole ton in subzero temperature (it was -30ish most of the time. But really, it felt like -9999999), like see the famous Saint Sophia Cathedral.

Drank at an ice bar,

Saw the Siberian tigers,

Went to a polar aquarium,

Okay it looks fake. But it isn't. It's just dripping from its dip thanks. 

We saw the ice sculptures which although were pretty grand wasn't something you could stand around and admire for more than 10 minutes each time. Unless you have frostbite- proof toes and hands.

Loved the blue skies, white snow and bare naked trees,

And visited the snow sculptures too,

 

 

We were there for 3 days, which although is incredibly short for a holiday was just enough for Harbin. I found it really funny though that the attractions were the same few. Ask anyone who went and they'd say the same:

"Oh yeah the tigers, snow and ice sculptures, polar aquarium and yeah yeah that church too"
"Me too! Oo what about the ice bar?"
"Of course!"

I'm never going back there though. Don't get me wrong. It's real beautiful, and with it being completely dark at 4.30pm, you get beautiful sunsets when its close to 4. That with the snow and blue sky, just makes you go "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" or "Ooooooooooooh". Whatever you're used to saying. But I'm Singaporean and my body was not made for such unearthly temperatures.