Harbin: Feeding tigers

Siberian Tiger Preserve.
Aka feeding tigers steak through a chain link fence with salad tongs.

 First, the bus ride through the preserve.  Before the ride, you can purchase these animals for them to feed to the tigers while you watch.

We got them some chickens which they threw on roof of this car and drove around to make the tigers "hunt" and catch the chickens. 

 Directly outside my window of the bus.  I could have easily touched it.  

Practicing self-control, one cute tiger at a time.

 Feeding time.

Next, the walk-through part where you can feed the tigers yourself through the chain link fence.

That's a piece of steak in its mouth.

 Those eyes....

Hunger.

Ready for the steak.  I would feel the same way.

Waiting for more. 

This picture was taken right after it jumped up almost to my eye level, both paws outstretched, mouth wide open ready to devour while I was attempting to put the steak through the fence. 

Gorgeous. 

Snugglez.

"I want to put all four of my paws in your face." 

ohhhhhh yea. 

The liger.

Rolling around, having a grand old time. 

Communist propaganda restaurant.....?

There was even a stage set up for plays of some sort with all sorts of communist pictures surrounding it. 

Interesting choice of decor.

And some of the worst food we have ever had.  We could barely eat a bite.  Complete with gelatinous pig's blood.

The chef recommended it to us.  Thank you, chef.

The outside of the restaurant.  Hard to tell by this picture, but it was pretty much surrounded by a trash wasteland.....

(My high fashion clothing line will be available soon in a store near you.) 

The biggest loaf of bread I have ever seen.  Full of so much goodness.

St. Sophia Cathedral 

VERY different from all of the architecture in Harbin (and all of China for that matter).  Originally built by the Russians in 1907, but later taken over by the Communists once the PRC was established.

Although the structure of the building was able to avoid its death sentence during the Cultural Revolution, it was gutted and used as a warehouse for the state and its windows were bricked up.  In 1996, it was restored and is now used as a museum for Harbin's architectural history.

(That teeny thing of color at the top is a balloon...)