- This is the first time I have seen the city streets of Harbin.
- Those wide streets, the asphalt roads that reflect the sunlight during the day, the roads that seem endless, are not as impressive as the Stalinist-style residential buildings, the crowded individual shops with their standard Mandarin signage, and the pedestrians speaking standard Mandarin. It also makes me feel uncomfortable.
- Standing on the street and slowly walking to the corner, cars passing by, it seems to have a taste of the southern cities during the reform and opening up period, but it lacks a certain atmosphere to complement it. What exactly is it?
- With little experience, I cannot find the answer, but I at least know that the people here do not eat "leba" and there is not much Russian ethnic style in most cities. The people here also eat rice and noodles, they have their own markets and local dishes, and they are no different from other Chinese people.
I don't think anyone would consider those deliberately constructed and maintained attractions as the true face of a city, especially in China.
- I went for a walk and observation in Daoli and Qunli districts, and gave my impressions of these two places.
- Daoli seems to be an old district, with various types of old Khrushchev-style residential buildings in a yellowish color. Most of the shops and shopping centers on the street are expanding downwards. Sometimes the signs of the shops are crowded together, very primitive and rough.
- Qunli seems to be a new district, with a very modern atmosphere, 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 is more spacious, but it at least has some parks to go to.
- Additionally, I discovered an interesting phenomenon about the cars running on the road. I observed several streets and saw many Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes.
- Sitting in a cafe, listening to people with Harbin accents chatting about life while drinking coffee, I still haven't found the answer.
- The lives of the people here are rich, they have more things to enjoy than those second-tier cities. The "old" facade has not stopped the expansion of modern Chinese business in this city.
- Coffee and tea, various types of food, murder mystery games, most sports venues, large shopping centers, they all exist here. But why do I still feel uncomfortable when walking on the streets?
- Maybe it's because the economy here is not good? I'm not sure, I have thought about it a lot, but I still haven't found the right answer.
- But the coffee is still good, the Ethiopian hand drip coffee is 35 yuan, cheaper than Guangzhou.