Day 128 – Lions, and Tigers and Snow! Oh NO!

We met in the lobby of the hotel at 9 a.m. and drove to the East North Siberian Tiger Park.  They had a bus that was specially equipped with bars on the windows so that we could drive around the tiger preserve and see all the tigers that were there.  In this preserve, they have over 800 tigers, lions, ligers and three jaguars. 

As we drove around the preserve, it was divided into different sections.  There was a gate that would open as we approached it and close immediately as soon as we were through.  Toward the end of the tour, we were going through a gate and one lion looked like he was going to go through it.  He did, and the driver immediately drove us very quickly in a circle and started honking her horn and chased the lion back through to where he was supposed to be.  We all applauded her, but I am sure that is probably not the first time she has had to do that. 

Sitting in the mouth of the tiger! 

This one was carved out of wood!  Oh, not David...  (he,he)

Big Kitties!

Relaxing.

Sleeping.

There was a covered walkway that would take you through the rest of the preserve where they had the young tigers that are kept in warming houses because they are not able to take the cold yet.  We also saw white tigers, a white lion and the liger.  There was one place where you could buy food for them to feed the tigers.  For 20 RMB, you could throw some pellet food out to them.  For 60 RMB, you could have the lady throw a bone with some meat on it into the pen.  For 160 RMB, you could buy a chicken that they would release into the pen for the tigers to eat.  No one took her up on her offer.  She didn’t seem too happy about it either. 

Some of the lions.  The one had a stubby tail.   

Someone had paid for a chicken and this guy got it!

A white tiger 

They said this one was very rare to be so white.

This was the liger.  Not a terribly good picture, but all he wanted to do was lay down there...

Jaguars.

We found this and had our pictures taken in it.  After I was done with my photo, some Chinese started climbing into the cart before I could get out.  They wanted their picture taken with ME and the cart.  Always happy to oblige!

After the Tiger Park, we were taken to see the Snow and Ice Sculpture Park.  In this park, they have an international snow sculpture contest.  It was interesting to see what people’s imaginations come up with!  We rode in little trolley type cars to the center and got out and walked around.  We had about an hour to walk around and then we were to meet at one of the warming houses to take a “train” ride back to the beginning.  At the warming house, we decided to get a cup of hot chocolate.  It was pretty expensive, and totally not worth it because it was more like hot water with a slight chocolate flavor to it.  Pretty sad…

 

One of the huge snow sculptures at the center of the park.  If the sky had been bluer, it would have really stood out.  Alas, the sun decided to hide in the clouds. 

This was a hobbit village.

David and the paper flowers they put on the trees in this area.

An apple sculpture in the process of being carved.  Not sure how they get in and out of it.

One of the snow carving competition areas.

Anyone want to go for a dog sled ride?

This one was called "Lotus Blossom."

Another one with a hobbit theme.

The horses!

Castle.   All the snow for the sculptures is man-made snow.

We rode the open air train (basically a tractor pulling some trailers with seats but dressed up as a train) back to the beginning.  Peter said he was taking us to a restaurant for lunch that had the best dumplings in Harbin.  We are pretty well versed in dumplings by now and thought they were okay until they brought out the pan fried dumplings (goutie – pronounced: goo-tee’- uh).  They were good and there were NONE of those left when we were done. 

 

The St. Sophia Church. 

The St. Sophia Church was the last sight to see this afternoon.  The church was built in 1907 by the Russians who occupied the area at the time for their soldiers to attend church.  It has now been turned into a museum with pictures telling the story of Harbin.  Harbin was just a small farming and fishing village at first, but it started to grow after the Russians came to the area.  After we were done looking at the church, we had free time until dinner.

At first, we went around with the Pace’s and looked at a high end shopping mall.  We tried to compare some prices to what we had in Ji’nan.  My feet started to hurt because the boots I had been wearing that day for warmth were starting to bother me.  David and I went back to the hotel and napped and read. 

For dinner, we met at the lobby at 6:30 and Peter escorted us to a Russian restaurant near Center Street.  We each ordered a dinner and had a nice conversation.  At 8, we all left to go discover some part of the city that we hadn’t seen yet.  David and I took a stroll down Center Street (an area that is off limits to cars and boasts a lot of shops and restaurants).  We looked at different ice sculptures and saw a slab of ice that people were trying to skate in their shoes on and also an area that people were dancing in.  We joined in the dancing for a few minutes and then went back to the hotel.  

Russian restaurant.

Center Street in Harbin at night.