Visitors walk past a giant snow sculpture at the festival. REUTERS/Sheng Li
White whales and their trainers present a show for visitors at Harbin Pole Aquarium. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
A man rides a slide on an ice sculpture. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A swimmer jumps into the icy water of partially frozen Songhua River. REUTERS/Sheng Li
Workers and scaffoldings are seen next to newly-built ice sculptures illuminated by coloured lights. REUTERS/Sheng Li
A man takes a picture of ice sculptures. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A visitor rides a slide on an ice sculpture during a light-up rehearsal. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
As disgruntled southerners endure a so-far forgettable summer, and the US emerges from the grip of a deadly 'polar vortex', the Chinese city of Harbin once again shows it is possible to celebrate cooler climatic conditions.
The city, in the northeast of the country, has since January 5 been hosting its annual month-long ice festival - the biggest in the world - where visitors are treated to an awe-inspiring display of carving and colour.
According to Wikipedia, the average winter temperature in Harbin is -16.8degC, and temperatures below -35C are not uncommon.
