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1) Yabuli Resort
Yabuli after all, has great snow but way too thin still by Jan.8,07. So
far, there're only 4 liter snow falls. Temperature some how sustains
such snow condition but it could be way too cold for most..28 deg C
below 0.
5 out of 9 trails are open and longest is something like 3-4km long.
other aspect of the resort isn't worth talking about like toilet (Jesus
Christ), lodge amenities, medical or emergency services, there ain't
any. if not minimal. If you break a leg or 2, you're on your own, If
you're to be last one on the slope before closing and somewhat couldn't
get down, you spend a frozen night by yourself; no one sweeps the
mountain. I think that's total negligence..
Things are down right primitive and you got hard labors hauling and
making snow from the side of the trails. So called Man-made snow..
We went Monday, and we're both the King and Queen of the mountain except
for four other Russians to share with. If I were to be foreign-language
ski or snowboard instructor, I'll be eating snow for salary, or speaking
Russian. Nevertheless, to be ski instructor in the nearby
bunny resort of YingDiing Hotel, a minute fr the Windmill Village might
make you 'rich'. I honestly belief as there're bus loads of Chinese
tourists coming to see and taste snow for their first time. The lodge is
jam-packed and demand for ski school is out of proportion.
Well to be anything to do w/ snowboard is even better,
as I was checking out the buuny run the next day, I was surrounded by
people from all directions, tow-rope attendants, ski instructors, lodge
workers, guys and gals from rental place, cafeteria and visitors alike,
all looking, touching, feeling, taking pictures, smelling and tasting my
snowboard. Literally.
What a feeling!
Alrite, will shoot for another resort tomorrow, called Jihua, about 1
hr. east of Haerbin.
Things look a little more promising there fr the brochure as that's the
training ground & school for the Young Chinese National Ski & Snowboard
Team. I will definitely report on the toilet first...and to see if the
brochure is of any match of the real things.
Till then, Adios! |
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2) Jihua Resort (Toilets are cool!)
Going to China w/ new set of paradigm and low expectation will give you
no shock and be more adaptive. That actually is a good rule of thumb to
travel anywhere. For example, 'we' Americans travel in Europe or Japan
thought that things like 24-hr hot water service, ice machine and
laundry drier are god given amenities....no wonder, we didn't sign the
Kyoto Protocol and causing all that incremental global weather patterns
right before our eyes..
I therefore recommend you guy to flip through books like the
Inconvenient Truth by Al Core, Hydrogen Economy, End of Works, Age of
Access, Biotech Century, and Influenza by Jeremy Rifkin. It will really
give you some insights into the issue,
Well, ab't public loo,..actually Beijing is kinda ready w/ clean toilets
through out the city, except for the winter mess. Haerbin on the other
hand is not up to that and spitting is rampant
For Yabuli case, it is more of a anecdotal example. Jihua ski resort has
got a killer lodge except for artificial snow and very short ski &
machine-groom packed runs. Lifts are pitifully and depressingly slow.
Other services need major improvement. (Click
here for the painful experience they encounter)
Till then, Ciao!
Bill/Vivien |
