Non-Dave
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Try Not! Do - or Do Not... There Is No Try!
Posts: 701
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Post by Non-Dave on Jan 14, 2006 10:36:11 GMT 7
I've heard lots about the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival but it wasn't till I actually saw it that I really understood how amazing it is! I hope you enjoy the pictures... The size of these buildings is awesome, and the colours are dazzling! It is a slippery, icy climb up to the fairytale castle... But the view is worth it! Yes! It is cold! Colder than cold... Buddha is not the only one smiling!
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Post by George61 on Jan 14, 2006 10:40:10 GMT 7
Thanks, ND. You have reinforced my faith in Tropical islands. Great pics, but!
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Post by con's fly is open on Jan 14, 2006 11:40:00 GMT 7
Oh, that does it: I'm going up next winter. Spectacular!
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Post by cheekygal on Jan 15, 2006 20:05:24 GMT 7
I lived in Harbin for a year. But I didnt go to the Island itself to see the sculptures: I was on and off sick with cold for 2 months and it was too cold for me. But around the city the sculptures were amazing
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Post by Raoul Duke on Jan 16, 2006 0:29:34 GMT 7
Oh, you jammy thing you. I've been wanting to do this for years, and this year's Russia theme looks even better than average. Glad you, at least, could make this one!
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Ruth
SuperDuperMegaBarfly
God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
Posts: 3,915
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Post by Ruth on Jan 16, 2006 3:37:00 GMT 7
Thanks for sharing the photos, Non-Dave. Makes me want to go back. I love the blue building in your first picture. And I know what you mean about a slippery climb to the top. Two years ago the big building was a replica of the Three Gorges Dam. 105 ice steps to the top. Parts of the climb had a rope handrail. There was a rug runner on the stairs, I guess in an attempt to make it safer, but it actually added to the treachery as it slipped. I followed an old grandmother down. She was being helped by her family members. I certainly didn't want to go any faster than she was going.
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Newbs
SuperDuperBarfly!
If you don't have your parents permission to be on this site, naughty, naughty. But Krusty forgives
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Post by Newbs on Jan 16, 2006 7:40:08 GMT 7
Thanks non-Dave. I'll get there one day and maybe have a beer whole lotta beers with you. You seem to have found ways of keeping the cold out.
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Non-Dave
Barfly
Try Not! Do - or Do Not... There Is No Try!
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Post by Non-Dave on Jan 16, 2006 9:45:42 GMT 7
Getting warm afterwards was fun! Found ourselves in a bar full of Russians and lot's of cheap vodka. I'm told it was a good night but I don't remember all of it. Chinese girls are great, but... blonde, tall Russian girls in miniskirts that know how to drink and dance? What cold?
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Quint
Up And Coming
How do I know this is true? By looking in myself.
Posts: 16
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Post by Quint on Mar 15, 2006 22:36:01 GMT 7
wow amazing work~~~
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Post by Jollyjunklass on Mar 16, 2006 4:47:27 GMT 7
Pretty cool pics, I didn't realize they took the ice festival to that degree. I thought it would be a few sculptures here and there. It looks beautiful.
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Non-Dave
Barfly
Try Not! Do - or Do Not... There Is No Try!
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Post by Non-Dave on Mar 16, 2006 9:26:16 GMT 7
The scale of it can't be well described, just experienced. I think it sits there and melts until about July.
A tip for those that attend at some time in the future - take lots of camera batteries and keep your camera as warm as you can. The cold sucks the juice out very quickly and I got a very dissappointingly small collection of pictures as a result. Memory just isn't as good as heaps of pictures.
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Ruth
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God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Mar 17, 2006 13:49:10 GMT 7
Good advice on the camera batteries, Non-Dave. I lost a few photo ops for that very reason. Who would ever think of it? Kept the camera inside my coat when not in use and even that wasn't enough.
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Post by uberzilla on Apr 9, 2006 4:19:15 GMT 7
Damn this was mentioned in the job email I got last year when I was not ready. WOW Chinese girls are great, but... "blonde, tall Russian girls in miniskirts" Yes but do they like dwaves? (Ok by comparison anyway as I am just under the Chinese adult avg height at 5'5") Maybe a T-Shirt (or heavy winter parka) that says once you go short you never go back would help Well, if I make it there, I will try to find 9" platform shoes just in case ;D The scale of it can't be well described, just experienced. I think it sits there and melts until about July. A tip for those that attend at some time in the future - take lots of camera batteries and keep your camera as warm as you can. The cold sucks the juice out very quickly and I got a very dissappointingly small collection of pictures as a result. Memory just isn't as good as heaps of pictures. If you had an average digital cam capable of say 280 pic on a full charge; how much of was that output reduced?
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Non-Dave
Barfly
Try Not! Do - or Do Not... There Is No Try!
Posts: 701
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Post by Non-Dave on Apr 9, 2006 12:35:54 GMT 7
Hey Uber-dude - 5'5" might be just right!
I reckon the cold would reduce the capacity of a camera like that to about 20-50 shots. I was using a video camera - 2 batteries, normally 2 hrs each - I got about 10 minutes of shooting time total. It was brutal - but breathtaking!
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