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Ice Sculpture Park makes for one cool hangout
By Xu Wenwen |
July 15, 2013, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
HANGZHOU has just what you need to chill out this summer. The city's first ice sculpture park opened earlier this month at Farmers' Amusement Park in Yuhang District. Aside from the ice sculptures there is an ice bar, an ice slide and an ice-bicycle zone.
Meanwhile, Xixi Wetland Park is hosting dragon boat regattas. The races are becoming popular as a team building activity for companies while also attracting a fair number of tourists.
Shanghai Daily visits both attractions.
Ice Sculpture Park
The park is built with 10,000 blocks of ice, creating a cool place to check out when daytime temperatures often reach 35 degrees Celsius or above.
A professional ice sculpture team from Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, provided the ice sculptures. Harbin is known for its frigid winters and its winter carnival. The "Ice City" also attracts many tourists during the winter because of its incredible ice sculptures.
Ice sculptor and team leader Zhang Guangfu said the ice blocks were transported from Harbin to Hangzhou for the summer.
The park features more than 60 sculptures, with some embracing Hangzhou's culture. One sculpture is based on the love story of White Snake and Xu Xian, while there is also replicas of Duan Bridge and Leifeng Pagoda - two landmarks in the city. Kids will likely get a kick out of the sculptures of famous cartoon figures.
A 108-meter-long ice slide circles the park from top to bottom while the ice-bicycle zone offers a sled to sit in while being pushed by a "bicycle."
The ice bar comprises a counter and bar stools made of ice. Ice cream, candied fruit on sticks (a winter specialty), plus wine and beer are served. Hot drinks are also available, including a ginger concoction that is considered a tonic to remove coldness.
The park's temperature is minus5 degrees Celsius.
The entire zone does not require too much electricity, according to the operator, because the ice blocks cool the environment considerably. The nearby cooling machines only need to keep the ice blocks from melting.
Date: Through August 31, 9am-9pm
Address: Dongxi Avenue of Liangzhu Town, Yuhang District
Transport: Take Bus No. 348/313 to Liangzhu stop, turn right at the traffic light in front of the stop, and walk about 700 meters.
Admission: 138 yuan (US$22) for adult; 300 yuan for two adults and a child
Tel: (0571) 8878-1275
Dragon Boat Race
Getting wet during the summer is fun and a nice way to stay cool. Dragon boat races provide a good way of having fun with water.
Xixi Wetland holds races every year for the Dragon Boat Festival.
A dragon boat crew usually requires 10 to 20 rowers, plus one person to steer and pound a drum to keep rowers in rhythm. This person can adjust the pace the crew paddles at depending on their position in the race.
Boats are generally rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails, while the main body and paddles often resemble dragon scales.
Xixi Wetland offers dragon boat races as a training program, and companies or groups of friends are welcome. Races take place from May through October.
The boats at Xixi Wetland have a capacity for 10, plus the drummer. The average cost per person is around 300 yuan. Participants will receive both on shore training and time to practice before the race.
Multinational firms such as DHL and Walt Disney have competed in dragon boat races in the past as part of corporate team building exercises.
Other summer pleasures at the wetland include fishing, having afternoon tea and dinner on boats, as well as picking vegetables or tea leaves.
Address: 518 Tianmushan Road
Tel: (0571) 8810-6688
Meanwhile, Xixi Wetland Park is hosting dragon boat regattas. The races are becoming popular as a team building activity for companies while also attracting a fair number of tourists.
Shanghai Daily visits both attractions.
Ice Sculpture Park
The park is built with 10,000 blocks of ice, creating a cool place to check out when daytime temperatures often reach 35 degrees Celsius or above.
A professional ice sculpture team from Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, provided the ice sculptures. Harbin is known for its frigid winters and its winter carnival. The "Ice City" also attracts many tourists during the winter because of its incredible ice sculptures.
Ice sculptor and team leader Zhang Guangfu said the ice blocks were transported from Harbin to Hangzhou for the summer.
The park features more than 60 sculptures, with some embracing Hangzhou's culture. One sculpture is based on the love story of White Snake and Xu Xian, while there is also replicas of Duan Bridge and Leifeng Pagoda - two landmarks in the city. Kids will likely get a kick out of the sculptures of famous cartoon figures.
A 108-meter-long ice slide circles the park from top to bottom while the ice-bicycle zone offers a sled to sit in while being pushed by a "bicycle."
The ice bar comprises a counter and bar stools made of ice. Ice cream, candied fruit on sticks (a winter specialty), plus wine and beer are served. Hot drinks are also available, including a ginger concoction that is considered a tonic to remove coldness.
The park's temperature is minus5 degrees Celsius.
The entire zone does not require too much electricity, according to the operator, because the ice blocks cool the environment considerably. The nearby cooling machines only need to keep the ice blocks from melting.
Date: Through August 31, 9am-9pm
Address: Dongxi Avenue of Liangzhu Town, Yuhang District
Transport: Take Bus No. 348/313 to Liangzhu stop, turn right at the traffic light in front of the stop, and walk about 700 meters.
Admission: 138 yuan (US$22) for adult; 300 yuan for two adults and a child
Tel: (0571) 8878-1275
Dragon Boat Race
Getting wet during the summer is fun and a nice way to stay cool. Dragon boat races provide a good way of having fun with water.
Xixi Wetland holds races every year for the Dragon Boat Festival.
A dragon boat crew usually requires 10 to 20 rowers, plus one person to steer and pound a drum to keep rowers in rhythm. This person can adjust the pace the crew paddles at depending on their position in the race.
Boats are generally rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails, while the main body and paddles often resemble dragon scales.
Xixi Wetland offers dragon boat races as a training program, and companies or groups of friends are welcome. Races take place from May through October.
The boats at Xixi Wetland have a capacity for 10, plus the drummer. The average cost per person is around 300 yuan. Participants will receive both on shore training and time to practice before the race.
Multinational firms such as DHL and Walt Disney have competed in dragon boat races in the past as part of corporate team building exercises.
Other summer pleasures at the wetland include fishing, having afternoon tea and dinner on boats, as well as picking vegetables or tea leaves.
Address: 518 Tianmushan Road
Tel: (0571) 8810-6688
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