The Ice and Snow Festival Travel Tips

The city of Harbin, formerly colonised by the Russians, lies in the North-Eastern tip of China – at this time of year, frozen at temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius.

But wrapped up in layer upon layer of clothing, thousands of visitors flock here each year to see the spectacular the Ice and Snow Harbin festival, where ice and snow is exquisitely carved into elaborate sculptures.

Ice and Snow World and the Ice Lantern Festival opens every December with a dramatic fireworks display over the crystalized sculptures.  On January 5, it’s formally open to the public.

In recent years sculptures have included such diverse subjects as Disney fairy-tale palaces, traditional pagodas, a giant Harbin (own-brand) beer bottle and the face of Mao Zedong. The festival is beautiful during the day with the sun’s reflections, but fabulous at night when little lights, frozen inside blocks of ice, are switched on. My favourite were the sculptures which had ice slides – probably intended for children, people of all ages climb up ice steps or ladders, then whizz down them very quickly!

One rather unusual attraction is the Siberian Tiger Park, home to several of these endangered and majestic creatures. Visitors are kept safely in caged vehicles or walkways whilst the Siberian tigers and other wild beasts (including white tigers and ligers) are given live animals to eat at feeding time. The lunch-time feeding slot is not for the faint hearted as a live-lunch of chickens and calves is often on the menu.

Harbin’s Russian past is still evident in places – in the architecture of Central Street (Zhongyang Dajie), with its cobbles and onion-domed buildings, in its leafy boulevards, and reportedly in the drinking habits of the locals! Perhaps the most lovely building in the city (at least among those made of stone and mortar) is St Sophia’s Cathedral. This Russian Orthodox cathedral is in the middle of a square not far from the festival, and in the midst of all the festivities provides a feeling of something permanent and ancient.

Tips:

• Wear two of everything but make sure the outer layers are not white. With the amount of snow in the city there is a good possibility you won’t be seen.
• If you are short of any clothes you can buy at the local supermarkets and at very low price.
• Wear warm shoes with a good grip
• Wrap up you camera as it freezes. Take spare battery with you.
• Do sightseeing between 11am and 2 pm ( it’s the warmest time of the day)
• During visit to the Ice Festival please don’t stand close to the sculpture. The ice blocks can fall down, especially if the weather is warmer.
• Carry a flask with hot tea
• When in the warm room do not touch radiators – they are boiling hot.

Getting there:

China Holidays’ Harbin Ice Festival 2016 tour visits not only Harbin and all its sights introduced above, but also the capital city, Beijing. Please check The Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin 2016  or phone China Holidays on 020 7487 2999 for details. Alternatively email us on sales@chinaholidays.co.uk

Our Colleague Hua Jiang is volunteering at the London Olympic Games!

This is her story as published in Guardian on the 17th Jul 2012. We at China Holidays wish Hua all the best at the London Olympic Games.

 


For Hua Jiang, being an Olympics volunteer at the Aquatic Centre will be in its own way a case of taking the plunge.

Hua, who works in a central London travel agency, has never done anything like it before. Her annual holidays are usually a trip to Tianjin, a city 70 miles south-east of Beijing. This summer she has signed up for Stratford, London E15.

Early starts – some duties begin at 6.15am – are not enticing, but everything else is. "Everyone says the Aquatic Centre is the most beautiful venue at the London Games," says Hua. "I think it will be second only to the Olympic Stadium in attracting the most attention.

"I'm not a fan of celebrity culture but if I get to see Michael Phelps [winner of eight gold medals in Beijing] I will be very happy. Also, the diver Tom Daley." Hua adds with a grin: "The Chinese have some very good divers too – they're known as the Dream Team.

"I was so pleased to be allocated to the Aquatic Centre. The wave-shaped roof is really beautiful. But people will be astonished by the inside, how big it is; the spectators have a brilliant view. It's a shame that I haven't had a chance to see the Water Cube which was the swimming venue in Beijing. I'd like to compare them."

Her fluency in Mandarin and English will be useful with China competitors and visitors – something the Olympic organisers are no doubt aware of.

The Games will be hard work for all the volunteers. Some shifts will last six hours – others around 10 – and all unpaid, of course. Hua has attended three days' of training on Saturdays. "I've been given my uniform, a T-shirt, jacket, trousers and trainers, plus a travel card for the Olympics, a watch, and an umbrella – a red umbrella," she says.

"Of course, I don't know exactly what to expect – except that it will be hard work – but I have no complaints and I've spent the last six months looking forward to this."

Hua has been encouraged along the way by her employers and staff at China Holidays Ltd. "I'm very grateful for that. Somehow, I feel there is this connection and that I'm part of the Olympic family."

What stirred her enthusiasm? She watches big football games, and rugby union internationals, but is not a sporty person. It was probably the opening ceremony at the 2008 Beijing Games. She bought a DVD of the ceremony and has watched in several times. "It was so spectacular. On such a big scale. I was so impressed.


"In fact, I had considered volunteering for Beijing 2008, and going back there for my holidays, but there may have been accommodation problems for me in Beijing, so I dropped the idea.

"In fact I suppose I was becoming more and more interested the very moment that London won the 2012 bid in Singapore in 2005. I was cheering for London back then, but I would never imagined I would be in the Aquatic Centre as a volunteer. Working in a travel company, all I thought was that Britain has been handed a huge opportunity.

"When the volunteering chance came round for London I registered as soon as they started recruiting. I waited a long time to hear back. I knew someone else who got their invitation to an interview quite quickly but it was several months before I got mine. I had my interview in February and received the offer in early March. It was all starting up, I was pleased.

"Some people are saying it will be excellent experience for us volunteers, gaining experience of how big events are organised and run. That's true but my main thought is that it's great to know I'll be part of it all. And one thing I want to do after all this is to learn to swim. It's something I've never really tried hard to do. If I don't after working at the Aquatic Centre, I never will.

"I attended venue training recently. Since then, I've been to training at Hackney Community College, who taught us some of the skills and knowledge I will need to carry out my duties. There was also a workbook for us to get familiar with all aspects of the Games. I will be cheering for the British and Chinese competitors at the Olympics."

Celebrate Hong Kong ∙ Live in London

Celebrate Hong Kong - Live in London

Ever wanted to see Sichuan Face Changing opera performances in the UK? Or acrobats doing a Back Somersault in London? Maybe you wanted to try the best of Hong Kong cuisine from the renowned Michelin starred Chef Tsang in the City?   

Do you want to experience the real Hong Kong in the UK?

Head to the South Molton Street, just behind Bond Street Tube station for a week-long street Festival “Celebrate Hong Kong ∙ Live in London”.

Celebrate Hong Kong - Live in London

The Hong Kong Tourist Board will host live entertainment with Face Changers, dancers, musicians, acrobats, plus lots more and a chance to win a holiday to Hong Kong every day!  

Last night's opening ceremony was scheduled for Moon Cake Day when families gather to celebrate their good fortune. The Hong Kong Tourist Board gathered people from Hong Kong and London in a unique display of the city's diversity and culture.  

Performance Schedule:

Tuesday 13th September

13:00 – City Contemporary Dance Company performance and Dragon Dance

15:00 – Face-changing performance

17:00 – Face-changing performance

Wednesday 14th September

13:00 – Face-changing performance

15:00 – Live music performance by Melody East

17:00 – Face-changing performance

Thursday 15th September

13:00 – Live music performance by Melody East

15:00 – Face-changing performance

19:00 – Chinese Acrobatics

Friday 16th September

13:00 – Chinese Acrobatics

15:00 – Live music performance by Melody East

17:00 – Face-changing performance

Saturday 17th September

13:00 – Live music performance by Melody East

15:00 – Face-changing performance

17:00 – Chinese Acrobatics

Sunday 18th September

13:00 – Face-changing performance

15:00 – Chinese Acrobatics

19:00 – Live music performance by Melody East

For more information please call Julia on 0207 487 299 or email Sales@ChinaHolidays.com

Everything about Hong Kong could be found on following website http://www.discoverhongkong.com/uk/index.jsp

Celebrate Hong Kong - Live in London

High Speed Train Beijing Shanghai

The Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway is complete with its new 200mph high-speed rail line that links two of Chinas most important cities, Beijing and Shanghai. The first passenger train will run from the 1^st Jul 2011.

The high speed train, also known as the Jinghu High-Speed Railway, began on April 18, 2008 and the final laying of the track was on November 15, 2010. This rail line is the world’s longest high-speed line ever constructed in a single phase. Racing along at over 200 miles per hour this service, making one stop in Nanjing South, takes just under 5 hours to make a full trip. This has taken a whopping 7 hours off the original train journey of 819 miles.

There are two type of high speed train: the 300km/hr train will take 4hrs 48 mins from Beijing to Shanghai  and the 250km/hr train takes 7hrs 56 mins from Beijing to Shanghai.

This service will mean that travellers are able to have a competitive alternative to flying – which takes 2 hours and 10 minutes, but when you including check-in and the all too often flight delays this can take up to 4 hours. 

Specifications

This service is estimated to be used by 220,000 passengers each day – double the current capacity. They hope to achieve this by running trains almost every 5 minutes during peak times. The line is crosses 244 bridges, including the longest and second longest bridges in the world - the 102 mile long Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge and the Viaduct Bridge between Langfang and Qingxian at 71 miles respectively. It also passes through 22 tunnels totaling 10 miles.

For booking a high speed train between Beijing and Shanghai please call Julia on 020 7487299 or email sales@chinaholidays.com

Garden Tour of China with visit to the World Horticultural Expo in Xian

The World Horticultural Expo will be held in Xian, China from April 28^th, 2011 to October 22^nd, 2011. That is a six month window of opportunity for any keen gardeners or horticulturalists who would like to see amazing displays of the latest plants. The 2011 World Horticultural Expo is themed as “Eternal Pease & Harmony between Nature & Mankind, Nurturing the Future Earth” It will be held on a new site in Chanba District, between the airport and the downtown.

 

The one of the landmark of the World Horticultural Expo is Changhan tower. Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an.  Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. The exterior styling of the Chang’an Tower has the characteristics of traditional timber-structure pagodas of the Tang Dynasty: every layer of roof overhang has a layer of supporting pedestals with a patterned layer-by-layer structure.

The second landmark of the World Horticultural Expo is The Greenhouse located at the Splendid Lake. Displayed in the house would mainly be rare plants and eco-landscapes from different regions of various climates in the world.

 

The Theme Pavilion, the third landmark of the World Horticultural Expo is centrally located and was designed to be integrated with the surrounding water and land terrains. Its architectural layout is in the shape of the Chinese character “王” consisting of irregular tri-wing geometrical objects.

The Guangyun Entrance, fourth landmark of the World Horticultural Expo 2011 Xi’an is the main entrance made up of water features and square flowers gardens, with horticulture features paving the way and well-integrating with the Chang’an Flower Valley.

The World Horticultural EXPO will feature three service zones to display the terrific architectural complexes mixed with vast and beautifully arranged landscapes.

1)       “The Romance by the Ba River” Service Zone displays a village environment full of fields and gardens as well as fun. After appreciating the varied expo landscapes, the visitors will feel calm and relaxed when they come to this zone.

2)      “The Southeast Asian Park” symbolizes the essence of nature, health and recreation. Coconut trees, palm trees and other various tropical plants decorated by abundant bushes make a vigorous world of tropical gardens.

3)      “The European Street” service zone design is based on the extraction of traditional European royal horticultural styles (such as geometrical-pattern landscape planning) with the combination of typical planning characteristics (the combination of axes, square, obelisk, oblique and linear blocks; typical urban texture like foundation and inside courtyard) of European urban residences as well as countries and towns.

There are three Featured Parks showing achievements of Chinese architecture and the latest developments in landscape gardening.

1)   Poetic Landscape in Chang’an Park - reproduce the beauty of the plants described in The Book of Songs and certain techniques were adopted in the design to evoke a traditional Chinese cultural ambience. The scenery reflects the profound and ancient Oriental culture, show the vicissitudes of the Qin Dynasty and reveal the challenges posed by the ecological crisis of our day.

       2)  Qinling Park Aiming at displaying the bio-diversity of Qinling Mountain the Xi’an Horticultural Expo introduces to the exhibition the “Four Treasures of Qinling”: panda, takin, crested ibis and golden monkey. In order to show the harmony between human and nature, the design of animal cages and exercise yards in the Qinling The Park is skilfully done according to the actual land shape, following tightly the principle of merging into the environment. Visitors can go to the Panda Valley to see the charmingly naïve pandas or go to the Lack of Crested Ibis to see the dance of the “Oriental Ruby”. They can also sit in the mountain and watch golden monkeys playing around.

3)   Chang’an Park has a design theme as “interpretation of new concepts of green, ecology and Chinese style”. It has Space Plants & Space Science Education Exhibition Zone, Bamboo Culture Exhibition Zone, Herb Culture Exhibition Zone, Cultural Water Front Exhibition Zone, and Peonies Exhibition Zone.

China Holidays, leading China Specialist organises Garden tour of China with two days visit to the World Horticultural Expo in Xian. The unique tour departs on the 9^th Septembers and includes visits to Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Yangshuo, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai. The tour includes visit to the Botanical gardens of Beijing and Guilin with local horticultural expert. For more information please check China Holidays website, email us at Sales@ChinaHolidays.com or call us at 020 74872999.

Etiquette How to Eat Chinese Food

It's fine to use a fork instead of chopsticks; to transfer food from a serving dish to your bowl with a spoon; to shovel rice into your mouth with a ladle. Just don't use your hands on the food. "People will think you are Mongolian," said my guide, as I pushed rice on to my chopsticks with a finger.

If you finish everything on your plate (or every last sip of tea), it's a sign that you want more and the host/waiter/waitress will top you up. If you want to be very cool, knock gently on the table with your knuckles to say thanks for the refill.

Never leave your chopsticks standing upright in food. It's a death omen.

The closer to the tips you hold chopsticks, the more open and honest you are.

Never leave your chopsticks pointing at anyone - it's considered very rude. For the same reason, always point the spout of a teapot away from people.

When drinking tea or eating noodles, slurp as loudly as you can (very hard for a polite English person). If you don't, it's a sign that you're not enjoying it.

Don't be afraid to dig into shared dishes with your chopsticks - but take your cue from Chinese hosts. Since Sars, some people have been more reluctant.

Alcohol is not taboo; though tea will be served automatically, and in abundance, it's fine to order a beer or a glass of wine with your meal as well.

There is no "correct" order in which to eat food: cold hors d'oeuvres usually come first, hot foods such as soup often last. Rice is sometimes offered only at the end of the meal, a cheap way to fill up if you're still hungry. In reality, all courses come at the same time, and it's stressful - but stay calm.

The Chinese don't mind eating sweet cakes, then salty soup; or fruit and savoury food on the same plate. It's easy to feel intimidated, but the Chinese are less bound by convention than we are.

For more information about China please email sales@ChinaHolidays.com or call 020 74872999