Call me Abraham

And the Lord said unto Ried,
"Go forth to Harbin in the east, and give food to the tigers, for they are hungry."
And so he did...

Apart from the ice festival, there was another must-see in Harbin. You guessed it - the tiger park. This reserve is home to over 800 siberian tigers, the largest of the big cats weighing in at a whopping 500 lbs. on average. It is estimated that there are fewer than 20 left in the wild. I know that my grandfather, Bill Peace, was an avid hunter and a truly brave man, but even an encounter with these tigers would give him reason to change his underpants. 

Harbin, China - The Ice City

Now, I've heard of 'shrinkage', but this is ridiculous. 

Due to a continued outbreak of chicken pox at the public school, and semester exams at the private, I have been afforded a wonderful extended break (without pay no less). Five weeks of missed classes at the public school and only nine days left for makeups will undoubtedly prove interesting. Therefore, on a whim - yes, I know, I have never been one to make impulsive decisions - I decided late New Year's Day night that I would make a quick trip north to Haerbin, a 9-hour train ride from Beijing…and that's on the high speed train!