The first time I saw pictures on the web of the Ice City in Harbin, I nearly lost my mind. I had never seen so many vivid colors contrasting against the night sky, and I couldn’t believe it was real.

I made my first trip in 2007, and I recently returned from my second visit to photograph the city, this time in 3D. Harbin is a mid-size city (relative to mega-populated Chinese cities, anyway) in northeastern China. Each year, they hold an Ice and Snow Festival which boasts lifesize castles, cathedrals, labyrinths of caves and tunnels, and even a few heated(!) restaurants where you can stop to eat. I was particularly fascinated by the “___ on a stick” cart, because, as I quickly discovered, there is no discernible taste difference between subzero meat on a stick and subzero fruit on a stick, or anything else subzero and on a stick for that matter.

Even if you’re not into frozen meat-sticks, traveling to Harbin still comes with it’s share of adventure. The temperatures hover around minus 25 degrees Centigrade, and each time I removed my gloves to attempt a Twitpic, I found my hands instantly numbed by the cold. Condensation also formed regularly on my camera lenses, making these long exposures even trickier than usual. Here a preview of my trip, though these images can only attempt to convey the sheer scale of the structures. Look for a few tiny people silhouettes in the shots. Enjoy!

PHOTOS:

1-7: Ice City!
8-9: Cold!!!
10: Dragon Fruit!
11: Starbucks lesser-known Chinese counterpart, USABucks.
12: Frozen meat on a stick!