Back4 part 1=)

I just read the news today- Johor MIC deputy chief shot!! ...... First political assassination of Dr. Chua and now this! (At least these are the only 2 I know about) Maybe it's just me... but somehow things do seem to get a little heated up before GE comes. At least one good thing's happening- KLCI's reaching an all-time high! Which, of course, should make many voters pretty happy... haha... But I'm just talking shop, don't mind me. My remarks are purely random and none of my fingers are pointing anywhere at anyone. =)

Okay, back to the China trip. Hopefully I'll be able to finish the whole thing this time- I seriously dread a Back5=) post!

On the 28th of December after lunch, FINALLY, we travelled to Harbin- the main destination of this trip. Harbin has this really picturesque nickname- the Pearl around the Neck of a Swan, which lends wings to any imagination I'm sure, but doesn't tell you anything about the place at all. Harbin also has another name- Ice City. A bit boring perhaps, but you have to admit it, it does serve its purpose.

-Upon arrival, we were brought to a ginseng shop and offered some ginseng tea. In exchange, we had to listen and listen to a talk on how ginseng is good for your body... yada yada... Funny how every time you go on one of these China tours, you're bound to be brought to some jewellery shops or some Chinese medicine shops- have you noticed how the time the tour guide keeps you in the shop is almost inversely proportional to the amount and cost of the things you buy (if any)? But I have to hand it to the salesgirls- they are SO persistent!! If you show even the slightest interest in their goods, they'll hound you until you buy it.

A sales girl found a victim in my poor darling grandma, and followed her all the way from the 1st floor to the ground floor of the shop to the exit, just to sell her 5 stalks of 冬虫夏草 which literally translated means Winter Worm Summer Grass, each of roughly the length of 6cm for 300RMB!! These herbs (for lack of a better term) are supposed to be good for the lungs and aunt says it's proven, so in the end my Grandma did buy it. In case you're wondering how those little things look like, here's a photo of them from www.cncn.gov.cn (we were too lazy to take photos of the actual thing):

And 5 of them cost roughly RM150! And if I'm not mistaken, you can only use them once!

Now, to the highlight of the day and one of main aims of the whole trip- ICE CARVINGS!! We entered this park, where even the entrance itself is carved from ice, and there are lights embedded inside. I have no idea how they do it, but if you're trying to imagine how it looks like, let me help. Imagine a block of ice the size and shape of a shoe box, with a fluorescent light bulb inside(half the length of the long type we see all the time) in any colour you want- pink, yellow, green, blue... Then imagine tons of blocks of ice stacked together to form whatever buildings you want. The ice sculptures are different though- I think they're carved from one single huge block of ice.

OH... and it snowed as we were entering the park that night! As well as for the rest of the night!! So so so incredibly romantic... *fantasizes* =p Anyway, I'll let the photos do the talking:

Always always remember that the photos are really no match for the real thing, and when it's snowing, the photo quality is just 10% of the original beauty! (I know I know... will work on photographing ability =) )

See the building behind us? That's an example of what I was talking about =)

I love the effect here (although the photo itself isn't good)! If you can't see what I'm talking about I think you have to enlarge the photo.

Mickey made from ice!

I like doorways like this =)

I saw the lamp post and just had to pose with it XD
Think of how they carved the round ball atop the post from ice!!
Unless they cheated and froze the water while it was in a sphere mould =(

In case you're wondering- that's supposed to be a tiger. That's the bad thing about ice. Can't really tell unless you see it in person.

Another sculpture... don't ask me what it is. I can't tell either... paiseh =P
Posing time!! ARGH even the poses don't come out nice! Click if you want a closer look!
And yes we were standing on ice. SLIPPERY!

This... is a HUGE steep, curving slide made from ice. Bro and I went on it. We hit the sides so many times! I still have one visible bruise on my side >.<

We all just had to take another photo with it =)

Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall~

A reindeer!

My bro on a dog sleigh.
By the way, the bright shiny blob on the top left isn't the moon...
...it's the result of light+drop of snow.

If only you were there to see the real thing...
I cannot describe to you how this made me feel...
山穷水尽疑无路，柳暗花明又一村~

I admit... We were really getting a bit too much XD
Ah well at least you don't have to see it clearly... unless you click~

Finally a photo in which you can see what the carving is!
But you can't see the people's faces clearly... haha... but notice something!! There's not a speck of snow to be seen in this photo! Wonder how my dad managed that

Hmm... all these photos actually look alright in my comp, so I'm guessing it's because the photo's small here that you can't see us properly... which is good =)
Don't think my grandma wants people to recognise her when she walks on the streets haha...
See the castle behind? That's the playground built purely from ice! Isn't it pretty? =D

I like this scene- although only the bases are made from ice. It was like walking under a canopy of lights!

More photos~

Frozen flowers and butterflies!

Another pose~

PRESENTING...
...something...
I can't tell what it is from here...

OH... it was a boat XD

En Hui and I *trying* to act cute~ Don't think we succeeded... LOL

Did I mention how COLD it was???

The boys trying to act cool

Can you see the snow gathered on my dad's shoulders and head??

The two guys in the photo with my parents are two bachelor guys whom we were tourmates with, who have the most amazing sense of humour. They're seriously like brothers I tell you! They do everything together and they care for each other so much! (No they aren't partners) They're genuinely, honestly best of friends. I can't imagine what'll happen if one suddenly decides to get married.

Ban Lim and I

And one big happy family!
Our heads are all laden with snow!

So that's it for the visit to the ice carving park, which has a history of >50 years and counting. But honestly, if you ask me, I still think that nature has so much more beauty to offer compared to anything man can make with his hands. Granted, ice carvings are pretty, but give me real botak trees any day! =)

-Dinner wasn't great at all. But the weather was so cold that Grandma decided to take some Harbin local beer! Which, I think tastes better than any of the China beer we had so far.

And hmmm... I know I said there wasn't going to be a part 5, but... I need to have dinner now and I'm a bit tired... so...
there won't be a part 5!

There'll just be Back4 part2!! =)