Tallinn, China June 2015

Tallinn

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia which is a small country of 1.5 million people. It is adjacent to Russia and two other small nations Lithuania and Latvia but has the advantage of a seaport on the Baltic.

Old City wall Tallinn

It is remarkable that these three little nations have remained independent – they were part of the USSR until its demise in the early 1990’s.

We were in port for a day and had a chance to visit the old town centre. Elegant handicrafts which had been made locally were for sale. 

Flower Market Tallinn

We have a connection with Estonia in that our nephew Daniel McCarthy's partner is Ringa who comes from Tallinn.

Stockholm

Harbour Front - Stockholm

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is a clean port city and we were struck by its harbour setting and advanced infrastructure. We were only there for a few hours in transit to Paris and on to Shanghai.

Shanghai

View of Ring Road from my 50th floor hotel room

The first thing I noticed as compared to my many previous visits to this bustling city was blue sky. Usually it is overcast and a haze of pollution is around. Perhaps it was the season but for the duration of my stay there were blue skies and probably the pollution was there but not so apparent.

Night view of Shanghai

Construction continues apace. Older rundown areas are being redeveloped and there appears to be further expansion of the perimeter.

Tree lined residential street near centre of Shanghai

Shanghai spreads out evenly and each local precinct appears to have everything in the way of services, commerce and retail. The ring road system and subway takes you to your preferred destination and you feel as though you have a cocoon of local community despite being in a major metropolis. Tree lined streets where the canopy overlaps the street are common and evidence of former European settlements remains in various precincts. 

But life is hard for many including those many thousands who migrate here from the countryside every month. They arrive without work permits and not much money and need to be proactive and flexible to find employment and accommodation. Meanwhile sales of luxury cars boom and consumption is conspicuous.

Along with a more apparent focus upon the environment is a focus upon alternative energy. Some cities around the world have trolley buses attached to overhead wires. In Shanghai on some routes when a bus pulls up at a stop it raises a retractable gantry from the roof and briefly attaches to some overhead rails and recharges batteries.

Electric bus reaching up for a 'charge' from overhead rails

The Museum of Modern Art is established in what was an old factory complex which produced carpet. Lots of separate and disjointed double story buildings are now home to artisans, displays, and galleries using all forms of media. As with all art there is a subtext or commentary on the political circumstances and life of the times.

Museum of Modern Art - Shanghai

The works were engaging, eclectic, incredibly artistic and in some cases confronting.

There was a continuous stream of visitors who were engrossed and engaged by what they were inspecting – I think some were art students who perhaps study in one of the many fine art faculties that thrive in Shanghai’s many universities.

Museum of Modern Art in premises of former carpet factory

Harbin

In the late 1800’s Harbin did not really exist as a city - it was a cluster of rural villages. But all that changed as the Russians undertook the construction of the Trans-Siberian railway. Located north of the Korean peninsular, it was an ideal base to undertake the final stage of this huge rail project. The area became part of the Imperial Russian Empire and Russians became a prominent component of the community.

Central Street Harbin - Pedestrian Only

The evidence of their presence is obvious today not only in Orthodox churches built at the time but in their descendants – many of whom appear Chinese but speak Russian and vice versa. Much of the signage is in Mandarin and Russian – and very little English.

St Sophia's Church 1902 - now used as a historical photograph museum

The area was also at one stage last century part of Japanese Manchuria. The Japanese are not fondly remembered. But apparently there is recognition of the significant amount of infrastructure through ports and roads for which they were responsible – albeit with the help of slave labour from the occupied territories.

Street decoration Harbin - these were everywhere

While we typically regard Shanghai and Hong Kong as the cities through which most western influence arrived in China, the Chinese also credit the Russians in Harbin as a major source western culture and influence. 

Rhythmic dance competition Harbin

A very interesting photographic display in the Church of St Sophia traces the development of the city in the 1900’s and it is fascinating to see the fashions, transport and lifestyle – which could just as easily been photographed in a major US or UK city at the time. Approaching the city by air the terrain is remarkably flat and rural settlements can be seen clustered every 15 km or so.

Harbin - after the dancing the square becomes a water world accompanied by music

The city is clean with open boulevards and occasionally cobble stoned streets. The main street is a pedestrian thoroughfare and the side streets are also mainly pedestrian.  There are flower settings everywhere and the locals understandably make the most of summer because the five months of winter are bitterly cold with average temperatures of minus 20-30 C.

Violinist on first floor balcony above pedestrian street Harbin

It is an artistic city and particularly at night one can hear Viennese music, swing bands and any number of young people in musical quartets performing in public spaces. They are not busking – it appears that the city promotes this musical culture. There is generally an overlay of piano accordion along with the plentiful violins and guitars and even a few outdoor beer halls serving terrific food along with the beer. They required a deposit on the glass tankards which seemed an efficient way to keep recycling the glasses and to avoid the need for someone to be employed collecting them! The overall effect is European and cultured – and the locals enjoy it enormously.

Passenger Ferry Port - Song Ha River, Harbin

Perhaps consistent with this cultural emphasis there was a precinct where portrait artists were set up in a long row and their subjects would suit opposite for a portrait which took about 30 minutes.

Portrait Artists - Harbin portrait takes 25 mins and costs $A 12

And the results aren't bad either

On my first evening I visited an upstairs Russian restaurant and it was redolent of St Petersburg with lots of mirrors and fake gilt swirls everywhere.

Restaurant - Russian style Harbin

On the following day in a large open plaza near the Church of St Sophia (1903) I came across what appeared to be a competition of teams in rhythmic dance. Participants were all aged over 50 and were very enthusiastic.

When the competition was over the plaza became a fantastic water space. Jets every metre or so in the flag stones sprayed water in multiple and patterns all accompanied by broadcast music. The kids loved it and on a summer’s day it was very popular!

Park lands - Sun Island

The massive Song Ha River flows through Harbin and along the river’s edge is Stalin Park which is narrow with a wide tree lined pedestrian walk way through its centre. It was lovely to stroll along the park (with thousands of others!) and on park benches I came across little clusters of people playing music. One group of three very Chinese looking people were playing beautiful songs on balalaikas; another bench had a violinist, piano accordionist and guitarist. They are playing for enjoyment and appeared oblivious to the passers-by.

Waterfall Sun Island (artificial but realistic!)

Across the River was Sun Island which is a massive park not dissimilar to Bi Centennial Park in Sydney but probably three times as big. Beautiful planned gardens and parkland again with recognition of Russian heritage.

Sun Island - Russian Dolls

Wudalianchi

I travelled further north from Harbin for 6 hours by train – a similar distance from Sydney to Dubbo. It was a step back in time – to the thirties. The carriages were big and tall as there were no bridges crossing the railway tracks. The carriages had rotating fans along the roof but no air conditioning and appeared to be possibly pre-war vintage.

Wudalianshi township

The boarding process was hectic and passports and ID cards were necessary for any travellers. Passengers were corralled in fenced areas then, once papers and tickets were inspected, had a long walk with luggage over several sets of stairs to the train. The travel options were a choice of firm seat class or soft seat class – but on this occasion there was only firm seat class left!

Taoist monk - apparently indulging in some fortune telling

The train was very crowded and some passengers stood for the entire journey. My booked seat cost the equivalent of $4.70! There was a cacophony of chatter the whole way. This was in stark contrast to the lack of interaction on city subways where electronic devices hold sway. I had engaged an interpreter for this and the next two days which proved very helpful. As well as translating I could also ask questions about what I was seeing.

Buddhist Temple Wudalianchi

Every now and then a trolley would be pushed along the aisle and food and drink could be purchased but most people had made their own arrangements. Sunflower seeds were plentiful and the passengers opposite were happy to share with me. My guide pointed out how the locals used their teeth to crack the casing and then consume the seeds. I was told to look closely at the teeth of the consumers and, sure enough, in nearly everyone I saw a v or a notch which had been worn in to a central incisor by this chewing method.

Boardwalk across basalt country - extinct volcano on horizon

I alighted from the train at Beian and then hired a cab for the next two days ($A 55) to travel the two hour trip to Wudalianchi and its surrounds. It is a natural history precinct of some significance. The flat lands are dotted with extinct volcanoes and basaltic rock formations presumably from the most recent eruption in the 1700’s. There are records of this eruption in the historical records from the Qing dynasty.

Rim of extinct volcano crater with more in the distance

I was able to climb up an extinct volcano and inspect the crater. It also offered a terrific vantage point for the local scenery. Given the harsh winter this whole region shuts down for about four months as the tourists sensibly would not visit at that time of year.

National Park Wudalianchi

There were pristine rivers and lakes and cleverly arranged access for visitors via golf carts or boardwalks which will protect the environment for years to come.

Healthy streams with abundant plant life

Basalt country with origins on the horizon