The Layers You Put on to Go Outside

This will be difficult to imagine but Harbin is China on crack. Putting aside the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival and ensuing tourism madness (which I will get to), let's start with the temperature.

Located in China's northernmost province and sandwiched between Siberian Russia and silent North Korea, Harbin shares a latitude line with the likeness of Lyon, Portland and Montreal. But unlike these cities, chilly Siberian winds rip through the low lying flat, dry land and wreak havoc. On the tourists, that is. Locals walk around in coats, eating ice cream and scoffing at anyone who looks even remotely bothered.

On this particular balmy end-of-January weekend, we set off into mildish climes:

For my fahrenheit friends, we're talking high temperatures of -1 and lows of, well, -24. Plus the windchill which I won't even factor into this equation.

In order to compete (survive?) in conditions this drastic, layers are essential. For anyone this would be the case, but I was born in California and, despite many long years of acclimatizing to Michigan, the thin California blood seems to have not left my body. I get cold and I stay cold.

As such, the layering process starts inside. You can only do this two/three minutes before leaving because thanks to the power of dirty coal, the insides of all buildings rise above sweltering. Getting ready early just guarantees a layer of sweat that then freezes upon contact with outside air.

Layer one, the base:

 Layer two, the outerwear:

 Layer three, the boots:

Layer four, the pollution guard:

 Layer five, the down coat(s):

Crazy part one ready. Onto the true madness!