Monthly Archives: January 2016

Solitude

Posted on January 7, 2016 by d4vid

Amazing how all these structures grew out of Superman throwing a crystal in the snow.

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Chrysalis

Posted on January 6, 2016 by d4vid

I’ve eaten some strange things in China — a chicken head, grilled scorpion, grilled cicadas, cubes of coagulated pigs’ blood — but this might be the most Chinese: Fried silkworm chrysalises.

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Hubris

Posted on January 6, 2016 by d4vid

 I got cocky today.  Instead of wearing thermal underwear, jeans, wool socks, hiking boots, undershirt, sweater, winter jacket, scarf, and gloves like I did on my first night, I foolheartedly decided to visit St. Sofia Cathedral and Zhongyang Rd. wearing … Continue reading →

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Lego

Posted on January 6, 2016 by d4vid

Liquid Lego bricks, frozen in place.

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Carvings

Posted on January 6, 2016 by d4vid

Zhangyang Street is another major focus of the Harbin Ice Festival. I tried to get a terrier to pose next to this ice sculpture of a gramophone, but he was having none of it. This one is a reminder of … Continue reading →

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Sofia

Posted on January 6, 2016 by d4vid

Remember our discussion about Angela Lansbury?  Well, here’s St. Sofia’s Cathedral in Harbin.  Clearly heavily indebted to Russian architecture. Not sure how to say “tuppence” in Russian…Tiny, but majestic.  (Feel free to use your favorite dick joke here.)  Apologies for the … Continue reading →

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Rome

Posted on January 5, 2016 by d4vid

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

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Wonderland

Posted on January 5, 2016 by d4vid

So, this is the deal.  Every year, they hue blocks of ice from the Songhua River, stack them into amazing structures, and light them up. Snow covering the ice — and sometimes blowing along the ground in gelid flurries — … Continue reading →

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Ice

Posted on January 4, 2016 by d4vid

This is a photo taken out my window at the Shangri-La Hotel overlooking the frozen Songhua River with the sun setting over the city skyline in the distance. I’m here in Harbin for their famous annual Ice Festival.  The place is a sleepy … Continue reading →

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Terminus XIII

Posted on January 2, 2016 by d4vid

The southwest end of Line 3 is at the massive alien spaceship known as the Shanghai South Railway Station. The underground labyrinths of poured concrete connecting the train station, Line 3, and Line 1 had a real THX-1138 vibe.Previous terminus … Continue reading →

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Terminus XII

Posted on January 2, 2016 by d4vid

This terminus adventure took me to  the end of the new Line 12 which just opened a week or two ago. Yet again, I pop up out of the ground to find another aspirational district.  This one is in the … Continue reading →

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Wūrǎn

Posted on January 2, 2016 by d4vid

Subway stations here are running this ad campaign against pollution.  In the corner of this one, it says 污染猛于虎 (wūrǎn měng yú hǔ or “pollution is fiercer than a tiger.”)  This one says 污染毒于蛇 (wūrǎn dú yú shé or “pollution is more … Continue reading →

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Rum

Posted on January 2, 2016 by d4vid

In late 18th century British slang the word “rum” meant “odd” or “peculiar”.  I know this because I make it my business to know such things. 2015 was a rum year. By far the strangest year of my life to … Continue reading →

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Terminus XI

Posted on January 2, 2016 by d4vid

After Thames Town, I took a cab back to a nearby Line 9 station.  Several stops north — and closer to civilization — I walked to a nearby Line 10 station and visited both of its westernmost points. Then I … Continue reading →

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Terminus X

Posted on January 2, 2016 by d4vid

On Christmas Day, I took Line 9 all the way south to the Songjiang Railway Station. Then I took a thirty minute cab ride back north to a place I’ve heard about for a long time and have long wished … Continue reading →

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