One busy day in Harbin

Our first morning in China we got up and our group, now we were more, jumped into our cheufeur driven car with our friend from the night before. We had a big day ahead of us.

First stop, the launch of the Harbin Cold Zone Festival. We were treated like VIP's and Marmot Moose got a part time job working for China TV

 It was fantastic. Complete with speeches from delegates from other countries in other coolish areas, and confetti.

If you look closely you might see Mayor Mandel from Edmonton up there.

After the opening ceremonies, we walked around the Conference Center where there were various exhibits for people who live in 'the cold zone'. We showed off Jasper, and also got to meet Santa from Yakutz in Russia. Along with so many other things there was a fashion show, and of course how can you live in the cold without Polish Vodka worth over $100 per bottle... we didn't buy any. 

Next part of the day was even more exciting.

 

Harbin China

We got into China on China Airlines. Our flight landed in the dark and deserted airport in Harbin, The Harbin, Taiping International Airport. Outside a snowy windstorm only allowed us passing glances at the new world before us. We were now with people who knew the drill and had been there a number of times before. We were going to stick to them like glue if we wanted to survive. They were in the First Class cabin, while we were in Coach class (didn't need the first class on the shorter legs of our journey). We quickly discovered one of the more obvious cultural differences between China and Canada. The need to get ahead at any cost. Before the plane had even stopped, most of the cabin we were in had already unbuckled, gotten up and were pushing to get out. The plane was still taxiing. We needed to be close to our friends.
The plane stopped nowhere near the terminal..... just kinda in the middle of nowhere. We got out and saw our new friends going to a VIP little bus while the rest of the flight was loading up on a couple of big buses waiting beside the airplane. We followed our friends. We were then driven to the building, passing en route dilapidated buildings very much reminding me of my childhood homeland of Bulgaria. I was actually looking forward to seeing something that will remind me of Communist Bulgaria. Once inside the terminal we were amongst the planeload of people waiting to go through customs. Although very polite and somewhat efficient, there was nary a smile to be found either amongst staff or passengers. I remember this from Bulgaria too. Once through we got our baggage and found a very nice young man waiting for us on the other side. He was our volunteer guide and had a couple of cars waiting to take us to our hotel in Harbin. We stuffed ourselves inside and our drive began... very very slowly. It was a ways to the city and we were going exceptionally slow (which we later found out was because the roads were very icy and they don't sand the roads there, so there was no traction whatsoever. Once at the hotel, we were pleasantly surprised and off to bed for our first night in China.

We had a busy day ahead of us the next day for the Grand Opening of the Cold Zone Exhibition in Harbin, China.

First Tastes of Asia

As we landed at Incheon International Airport in Seul, South Korea, I wasn't sure what to expect. What we experienced was nothing at all like what I imagined. The airport was huge (as should have been expected after seeing the inexplicable amount of infrastructure of the city as we flew over.) It was very clean and modern. I am a huge fan of little thoughtful details, and Incheon didn't disappoint. As we were making our way from one gate to another with our new found friends from the Edmonton contingent of the trip (not all of them but three fantastic people) we passed a classical instrumental troupe playing in the airport. It was the first of many times I got shivers from one of those special moments. I thought this was fantastic. The music was a great way to give the soul peace in Seul as you are stuck in an airport waiting between flights. It was a light, gentle piece they were playing that rose the positive energy and subdued any negative anxiety that might be associated with traveling. We made our way to the Executive Lounge where we hung out and waited for our next flight.

Up until this point we had been flying along with the sun. We had flown into the future and time was starting to catch up. We stayed in the lounge into the darkness and boarded our flight to Harbin, China after sunset.
The Cream of Potato soup in the lounge was great. A few in our party took showers to freshen up and we had a little catchup on our various electronic devices with the goings on at home.

How the Other Half Live

For the next part of our journey we had no idea what to expect. We talked about it before the flight but had never experienced such luxury or pampering. The flight was a long one and flew up North towards Alaska and then over the longish looking archipelago, over the Northern part of the Pacific Ocean and then down into Asia, dropping in from above on the map like the  rain from a thundercloud. The flight was over 11 hours but that didn't matter because.... we were about to fly First Class baby.

Along with the great seats, that turn into your own private bed, and the immediate service from the moment you sit down, do you know what you get in First Class? Great food. A choice of it, and an ongoing supply of it.

After dinner and a couple of movies Moose started to get anxious and wondering where he was exactly in the world.

Outside the terrain looked like nothing he had seen before. Barren, frozen land with old looking rivers (very very windy) and snow and ice as far as the eye could see. It was over Alaska... the far little bit of Alaska. Moose looked out and imagined how those first people coming to the New World from Asia must have felt all those thousands of years ago... navigating this frozen abyss, not knowing where it will lead them. Amazing, that human spirit, thought Moose.

Flying over Frozen Ocean

Where we are in the big scheme of things.

 Finally we were over land, once again. I found the mountain ranges in Russia's Eastern perimeter very intriguing.

We were still a ways from our destination, but we were sort of over land again, so that sphincter contracting feeling Moose and I get over water was no longer an issue.

 

 

All we could think was thank goodness we're not in coach class for this flight.

Watching out the window as we saw the land of South Korea touch the water.

The first moment I experienced the jaw dropping effect. It lasted for the next 11 days.

Finally we were about to step on Asian soil for the first time in our lives. We were all very excited.

A Great Day to Fly

The next morning, we woke up early and left to go to the airport and start our adventure. Nothing like the buzz of an upcoming trip.

Breakie at Edmonton International Airport

Moose knows how much I like airplanes

Once up in the air, we got a fantastic view of our home we live in as we flew over the spectacular Canadian Rocky Mountains. Check it out.

The flight was only an hour and a half, and now the journey had officially begun. In Vancouver we waited for a while for the flight to Seul, South Korea.

Patiently waiting for the next flight.

Little did we all know how drastically the trip was about to change.

On the road

Marmot Moose and Brian and Marta packed their luggage the day they actually left. It was a quick pack job considering the trip was so foreign and the lands to be seen so unexplored, by this crew anyway.

We all drove into the city and left Hana behind with her very excited grandparents and Chicho Lazo. She promised to be the best six year old on the planet and behave and help and be 'exemplary' as she called it.

The drive was uneventful, but in my heart I was sad for the separation of mom and kid, but that's to be expected, and my excitement for seeing such a great new place outweighed the sadness. Besides, Moose would take Hana's place on this trip.

I decided against having the recommended vaccinations because in my heart (and based on the facts) vaccines and Marta don't mix. I promised to take best of care and not expose myself to any danger, this and the fact that I brought along almost an entire pharmacy in case of emergency.