s my friends and I walked into Universal Beijing Resort on Christmas Eve, I almost had the mind to walk right out. The wind whipped me in the face (which is still chapped by the way) and my hands curled up on their own, shaking and throbbing from the cold. Why did we come here on the coldest day of winter?
Even though we were bundled up from head to toe, it didn’t stop the icy gusts from chilling us to the bone. We ended up camping out at Hogsmeade most of the day feasting on mince pies and warm butterbeer.
When the hot summer days have me running for the air con in my room and sprinting to do a cannonball in the community pool, I forget these bitter cold winters. Just last year, Beijing saw the coldest winter in 60 years. A memory on my social media popped up and on this day last year, it was -17 C. I will always prefer hot over cold, but I have found a way to embrace these arctic winters.
Beijing’s weather is not so different from that in my hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. I arrived in China for the first time in May, and I was pleasantly surprised. Other than the sandstorm, which I thought at the time was the norm and I would be living a trendy Mad Max lifestyle, the temps seemed fine. However, once December hit, I realized my flimsy “winter” jacket and usual attire of leggings and a sweater just weren’t going to cut it.
I have now resorted to stick on heating pads, thermals, insulated socks and the big winter jacket that almost goes down to your ankles. While I feel like a walking marshmallow, it’s a small price to pay to keep warm. A friend of mine who lives in Hainan won’t even come to Beijing in the winter because of the weather while another friend from Russia says, “This is nothing.”
While it’s not my favorite season by far, the cold in Beijing provides lots of opportunities for winter fun for those brave enough to venture out. I was checking out a mini program when I found a winter fun zone to the far West that has tubing, sledding, an ice slide and even snow mobiles. There are enough activities for a full day (or two) of fun. I am currently trying to rally my friends to make a trip out there, but I don't think they have thawed out from Universal quite yet.
In years past, I have gone on day trips to some of the many of the ski resorts in the north and have even been skating on Houhai Lake, although I did have to rent one of those plastic dolphins the kids use so I didn’t fall flat on my face. Skating anywhere other than in indoor ice rink would be impossible where I am from, so it was an experience I will never forget.
While I don't know if I am ready for the bitter cold of Harbin yet, I got a taste of an ice festival just outside the city in Longqing Gorge. The area, which I had only been to in the summer, transforms into a winter wonderland. The huge dam turns into an icefall, perfect for photo ops, and they have an indoor area featuring a smaller version of the Harbin Ice Festival. When my mom came to visit me, we took a group tour out there in the winter and we were both amazed at the huge ice structures lit up and glowing in red, green and blue. There was even an ice castle you could go inside. Although we were icicles ourselves in the end, it was a magical winter experience.
As the Beijing Winter Olympics approaches, it seems everyone is embracing the cold a little more this year. I hope to use the momentum of the event to get out and do more in the wintery weather. We did get an early snow last month, but I am crossing my gloved fingers that we get another snow day because everything just seems magical under a fresh blanket of white and I want my chance to finally make a snowman in China. Until then, I will have to settle for some artificial snow. I hope I can get my friends to get excited about some outdoor winter fun, but if not, there’s nothing better on a cold day than cuddling up inside with a steaming bowl of soup, grilled cheese and a movie. So, keep warm out there because we have a few more months till the spring thaw. And if you just can’t bear it, you can live vicariously through the competitors on TV during the Olympics.
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