The DeSmet Family Worldwide: The Harbin Snow Festival

This weekend we made a trip up to the frozen Tundra of Harbin, China. Famous for their Snow and Ice Festivals. It is almost in Siberia it is so far North! The temperatures were a balmy -24 degrees Fahrenheit. We went up there with Kelly's co-worker (who also lives across the street from us) the Cheung family. We jetted out early Saturday morning and were bundled up and ready to make like a new baby and head out by 1:30pm.
With so many layers on, that we could hardly bend, we made our way to the first stop, the Snow festival. It was absolutely amazing what these people can do with a pile of snow. The artistry of it all was just out of this world. I watched as men chiseled the snow with tools to get every inch of the sculptures as smooth and as detailed as can be! All of the snow there was so white and beautiful...(not all yellow and dirty like in my yard). We were there for a couple of hours and left just at sundown. You could feel the temperatures start to plummet with each passing minute!
From there we made our way to the Ice Festival. It literally is a winter wonderland made out of snow and ice. It's an ice city complete with castles, bars, stores, slides and sculptures all carved from ice and to add to it they put beautiful glowing lights inside of them. We looked around, slid down the slides and took as many pictures as I could. I had to keep my camera in my coat, so that the battery wouldn't run out from the frigid temps, and I had to take my mittens off to take pictures. After several dozen pics my fingers were protesting! As a matter of fact, our last hour there was pretty miserable. I felt as though I could lose some toes over the deal so it was definitely time to go!
Ella had really wanted this fruit on a stick that was coated in a clear sugar coating so we were going to grab that and run like a herd of turtles in a wind storm. Out of nowhere this very nice Chinese lady came up to Ella and handed her these sugared apples on a stick and said, "here this for you beautiful American girl." Ella replies, "No thank you.....how much is it?" The Chinese lady says, "NO, NO you no pay. I am just giving it to you. You are beautiful." I jump in and whisper to Ella, "just take the darn thing and say thank you!" Ella (in her chipmunk voice) says, "thank you". The lady walks away happy and Ella turns to me and says, "MOM! There is a nibble taken out of this." Yep, there sure was! Ella.." I am not eating this when someones nasty teeth have been on them." She is my germaphobe mind you. I guess I can't blame her......I wouldn't have eaten it either. We threw it out and promptly found the fruit vendor and made Ella a very happy girl with a stick of sugared strawberries. (Which she asked for in perfect Mandarin).
The car ride back to the hotel was painful, as our digits started to thaw and burn like we were sticking them in hot coals. Once we were in our room our whole family sat on the edge of the tub and soaked our hands and feet! It was so good to be inside!!! I am soooo glad to say that we have been there and done that, but I for one am totally over it!