- This is the first time I have seen the city streets of Harbin.
- Those wide streets, the asphalt roads reflecting in the broad daylight, the roads that seem to go on forever, all pale in comparison to the striking sight of the Stalinist-style residential buildings, the crowded individual shops with their signs, and the pedestrians speaking standard Mandarin. It left a deep impression on me, yet also made me feel uneasy.
- Standing on the street corner and slowly walking around, cars passing by, there seems to be a hint of the southern city flavor from the era of reform and opening up, but lacking a certain accompanying atmosphere. What could it be?
- With my limited experience, I couldn't find an answer, but at least I know that people here don't eat bread, and there isn't much of a Russian ethnic style present in most parts of the city. People here eat rice and noodles, have their own markets and local dishes, and are no different from other Chinese people.
I don't think anyone would consider those deliberately constructed and maintained attractions as the true essence of a city, especially in China.
- I took a walk and observed in Daoli and Qunli districts, giving my impressions of these two places.
- Daoli seems to be an old district, with earthy yellow, old Khrushchev-style residential buildings scattered around. Most of the street-side shops and shopping centers are expanding downwards; sometimes the signs of the shops are squeezed together, looking quite primitive and rough.
- Qunli appears to be a new district, looking very modern, at least on the surface. You can see some modern Chinese-style buildings and shopping centers, as well as tall residential buildings everywhere. Compared to Daoli, it feels empty, but at least there are some parks to visit.
- Additionally, I noticed an interesting phenomenon about the cars running on the roads. I observed several streets and saw many Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes.
- Sitting in a cafe, listening to the Harbin-accented conversations about life among the coffee drinkers, I still couldn't find an answer.
- The people here lead a rich life, with more things to enjoy compared to second-tier cities. The "old" facade hasn't stopped modern Chinese commerce from expanding in this city.
- Coffee and tea, a variety of food, murder mystery games, most sports venues, large shopping centers - they have it all here. But why do I still feel uncomfortable walking the streets of this city?
- Perhaps it's because the economy here isn't doing well? I'm not sure. I've pondered a lot, but I still haven't found the right answer.
- But the coffee is good, and at 35 yuan, the Ethiopian pour-over is cheaper than in Guangzhou.
Written on 20230518, Wai Li Fang and Stay Cafe