In general my clothing is more than adequate, my new boots are doing the job of keeping my tootsies warm (to quote my mum who bought them for me) and my black ski mask which makes me look like I am about to eat the locals with a nice Chianti is saving my face from permanent frost bite. Its my fingers that are suffering. In order to operate my camera I need fingers that are free from gloves (well at least some of them). 20 seconds is the exposure limit before they begin to slowly die. But the real problem is when you put them back into the gloves and the feeling returns, I am instantly taken back to childhood and the pain of post snowball fights.
When out and about I have had to operate the camera on program mode as I need to be able to keep it warm in the bag, quickly take it out take a few shots (while not breathing as it ices up the view finder and LCD screen) and cover it again. That said, I have witnessed many people wondering around nothing on their hands at all, smoking a fag with a giant Nikon SLR hanging off their necks, maybe I am just a wimp. Also, you may be surprised that I am sitting writing this my underwear, no not my long johns, my actual underwear. At a rough guess, inside the temperature is around 25-27 degrees. We have to open the window in order to cool down (currently -23 outside). My skin is drying out it looks like paper and I'm drinking so much water but not peeing...
I thought that by wrapping myself up outside with only my eyes exposed would do two jobs, keep me warm and stop the staring; it hasn't worked for the staring bit.
For a place that is so cold, I expected a frostier reception; I am pleasantly surprised by the willingness of people to interact with me. Once they stop laughing, they are quite helpful and we can sort of communicate by waving our arms around wildly and pointing. Luckily I am with someone that is learning Chinese and so ordering food has not been as boring as it would have been because I know the sign for beef noodles...
Anyway, this is supposed to be a photo blog, so here goes.
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| Frozen fruit lolly lady
The most popular treat on the street is by far the frozen fruit lolly. At first I was convinced that the clear shards hanging off them were icicles (due to the fact that it is rather cold outside). But it isn't. We bought one and discovered that it is in fact syrup. Its like a toffee apple but really cold.
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| Taking Grandad shopping
The next time you consider whether to take out the bike because its looking like it might rain... Just go for it. The owner of this tricycle left it parked on a busy main road and popped into Walmart for some spring festival shopping. My attention was drawn by the flowers in the basket and the bright colour against the snow. It was not until I got closer with my camera that I spotted the old man peering out at me smiling away.
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| Fishing, Harbin style |
The frozen Songhua river. As we were wondering around the river bank daring each other to walk across to frozen expanse (apparently it is safe to do so until the beginning of February) we could see a few figures out on the ice digging holes. We decided that if they were there then it was safe for us and went to have a look. I made the international sign for fishing (you know what it is) and got a nod and a growl back.
They were digging little holes and pacing back and forth as if listening for the fish under the ice. We were there for a while and concluded that this was going to be a long wait and left.
Not before realizing that the ice was now only about 50 cm deep...
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