Seizing the Tail of 2020, Ending with the Pure White of Harbin
My last trip of 2020, I was in Harbin~
Harbin Accommodation: I chose to stay near Central Street, on the shopping street. It’s convenient to buy whatever supplies you need, and transportation is easy, but the price is a bit high.
Harbin Transportation: You can scan a QR code on Alipay to pay for buses and subways. Just bind it in advance, and taxis aren't expensive either. One thing to note: traffic in Harbin is really congested! If you need to catch a train or flight, leave early, and consider avoiding rush hours, or you'll get stuck and feel frustrated...
Harbin Temperature: I arrived on the evening of November 28 and left around noon on December 9. The temperature during this period was generally between -5°C and -20°C. During the day, it's relatively warm when the sun is out, but daylight hours are short, and your ears and nose can get frostbitten. Keeping warm is really important! Be careful not to get frostbite! Wear a hat that covers your ears. If you're sensitive to cold, bring a cotton mask. As a typical southerner, I brought a quarter of my suitcase (30-inch) filled with hand warmers and heated insoles. At first, I was worried I brought too many, but I used them all up within a week and kept restocking...
Note: The Ice and Snow World doesn't open until after December 25. If you go too early, you won’t see it! Also, in the northeast, the sun sets early; scenic spots usually close at 4:00 or 4:30 PM. Make sure to manage your time.
DAY1: Guangzhou - Harbin
I chose a flight at 3 PM, so I didn't need to get up early or stay up late—perfect for someone with an old person's sleep schedule like me~ Since there was a one-hour stopover at Wutai Mountain Airport, I arrived in Harbin at 9 PM. There’s an airport bus that goes directly to Central Street for 20 yuan. You can also take a taxi for about 80 or 90 yuan.
I have to say, people from the Northeast are really warm-hearted! (Or maybe I just looked confused and needed help?) I was just looking at a map when a security guard proactively asked if I needed directions. I didn’t expect such warm care right after leaving the airport. The weather was cold, but my heart was warm. Hearts, hearts~
DAY2: Saint Sophia Cathedral - Zhonghua Bar Street - Central Street (Modier Ice Pops)
I woke up naturally in the morning. Looking at the snowy world outside the window, I felt a sense of peaceful tranquility~ Great for daydreaming~
My first stop was lunch. I chose a Korean BBQ restaurant—it was pretty good, and the service was responsible. After eating, I went to Saint Sophia Cathedral. Since it was already past 2 PM, and the cathedral was having a concert inside, it was only open for visits from 9:00-11:00 AM, so I couldn't go inside—just took photos outside. The area around has many distinctive buildings, so it's nice to wander around. But if you stay outside for too long, you'll get really cold, so I had to find a mall every now and then to warm up.
After taking enough photos at the cathedral, I headed to Bar Street. Maybe it's the off-season, plus the special situation this year, the whole street was deserted. Few people around, most shops closed, with only a few stalls selling sweet potatoes and sugar-coated hawthorns. Because of the cold, the roasted sweet potatoes were even more tempting—I couldn't resist and had one right away. Delicious~
Daylight hours are short; it gets dark around 4 or 5 PM. I went back to Central Street for dinner. The night view was quite nice, but it was too cold at night~ Still, the Modier Ice Pops were really tasty~
DAY3: Saint Sophia Cathedral - Sun Island Scenic Area (Russian Style Town, Songhua River) - Central Street - Train Station
Because I really wanted to go inside the cathedral, I woke up early this day (actually not that early—I left at 9:30 AM haha). But I forgot it was Monday, and the cathedral is closed on Mondays. Disappointed~ My second attempt also failed.
I found a restaurant nearby for lunch, then went to Sun Island. I didn't realize that the Ice and Snow World, Harbin Polarland, Sun Island, Songhua River, and Siberian Tiger Park are all close to each other—perfect for visiting together~
The Ice and Snow World wasn't open yet, so I just took a photo at the entrance and left.
On the way into Sun Island, I passed by the Polarland. If you're interested, you can go in and have a look. Since I've been to Zhuhai Hengqin Ocean Kingdom several times, I skipped it.
At Sun Island, I hired a driver to take me on a loop around the island. It took about 30 minutes and cost 30 yuan. If you have time and don't mind the cold, you could walk—it might take about 2 hours to circle around.
The driver told me that if you come to Harbin before New Year's Day, all the scenic spots that charge entrance fees are not worth visiting. In reality, that seems to be true. But who knows when I'll come again, so it's okay~
Inside Sun Island, there's a Russian style town, which is a bit small. It was mostly full of tour groups, so it was crowded. Next to the town, there's a piano sculpture. In the dappled shadows and pure environment, it looked particularly artistic. The driver told me its story and meaning—interesting~
A bit further from the sculpture is the Songhua River cable car.
The buildings in the scenic area are all imitation Russian-style. The driver said these buildings are used as vacation villas, not easy for ordinary people to rent. In the past, they demolished all the Russian-style buildings, thinking they could erase all traces of Russia. But now they're rebuilding them madly, replicating the Tsarist era. It's kind of funny. Maybe it's not appropriate to discuss this here, haha, skip~
DAY4: Shanhetun Iron Pot Stew - Laowei BBQ
This day was all about food. I went with friends I met in Mohe~
Shanhetun Iron Pot Stew is ranked number one on DZDP (Dianping). The portions are huge! Four of us ordered two portions, and we were stuffed—couldn't finish it. Northeastern cuisine is really generous..
After eating, we wandered around nearby. Around 8 PM, we went to Laowei BBQ, also ranked number one on DZDP. It was really delicious and reasonably priced. Four of us spent over 200 yuan, still couldn't finish.. Kind of guilty hmm..
DAY5: Saint Sophia Cathedral - Heilongjiang Provincial Museum - Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army Site + Evidence Exhibition Hall - Harbin Normal University Night Market
Being persistent, I still wasn't giving up. On my third attempt early, I was determined to get inside for a quick look. Hehe, this time I finally made it! No regrets~
The inside of the cathedral was much smaller than I imagined. The murals were scarce, with only a few remaining. The dilapidation and decay are records of history. Seeing cultural relics and understanding their history and significance is far more important than admiring fancy decorations. When visiting historical sites, it's better to do some homework first—it leaves a deeper impression and you gain more~
The Heilongjiang Provincial Museum has fewer artifacts than other provincial museums. It took about an hour to go through. But to truly understand a place, you have to start with the museum, so it's worth a visit.
The main goal of the day was: the Site of Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army.
This is where the infamous Unit 731 committed their atrocities, a hell on earth just like Auschwitz. It represents a very painful history, yet it is gradually fading from public view. I was heartbroken that it isn't even on the list of Harbin's tourist attractions.
I'm not trying to incite hatred or preach. I just think that some things, some history, as Chinese people, we cannot afford to forget. Harbin isn't just about ice and snow; it also has history. I hope more people will pay attention to this place—a place that isn't a "scenic spot" in the usual sense, but far surpasses any scenic spot in importance. This is my main motivation for writing this Harbin travelogue. Remember history, never forget national humiliation.
I choked up multiple times in the Evidence Exhibition Hall, but I didn't expect that when I reached the sixth section and saw a video accusing the Japanese of taking away a father, tears just fell on their own—completely unexpected. I stayed in the hall for over three hours, reading every word and looking at every picture carefully, until the staff told me they were about to close. I still had a small part to finish. If I hadn't bought tickets for the next day's departure, I would have stayed to finish. One visit is worth more than reading many history books and reports.
Finally, I used food to soothe my somewhat heavy heart (hey, melodramatic!)—I went to the Harbin Normal University Night Market, known only to locals.
Where students gather, there's lots of good food! I tried the top-rated items, hehe~
Oh, and opposite the night market, there's a Qiulin Company. Their red sausages are the most authentic! So don't be fooled into buying them on Central Street haha~ And I accidentally bought some dark kvass; it tasted pretty good~
DAY6: Central Street - Harbin West Station
After lunch, I headed to Harbin West Station. Goodbye, Harbin~ Hope to meet again someday~
Harbin is over~ 2020 is also over. Wishing myself and everyone a good 2021~
Writing and organizing takes effort—please give a like before you go~
Travelogue Table of Contents: 1. Overview 2. Itinerary (for reference only) 3. Conclusion
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