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Ice Festival: A Harbinger of things to come?

By James Creegan

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At China's largest Ice festival in Harbin, the organisers seem happy to wave the flag for Beijing 2008. Frozen corporate sponsors aside, practically every sculpture in the vast park related to the Olympics in some way — whether past (an enormous Acropolis), future (Westminster Abbey representing London 2012) or symbolic (a gigantic 30 meter tall "Olympic Tower" representing, err, something or other).

The exhibitions are incredible and, in our opinion, worth braving the cold and a three hour flight from Shanghai. Even in the -25 C weather, however, Shanghaiist's blood ran cold to see that at the line up of Olympic nations' flags, China's colours were proudly flying next to those of Asian black sheep and nuclear-toting bad boy North Korea.

More photos here.

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Comments [rss]

  • James Creegan

    oh and Howie- you're wrong it's sarcasm. Puns are the second lowest.

  • James Creegan

    "Howie stands himself is beyond me."



    ZING!



    Mata Hari- oh come on now, the US hasn't used the bomb in ages! I don't know, you can build a thousand bridges and they don't call you a bridge-builder, but shag one sheep...

  • WatchBagDVD

    Howie stands himself is beyond me.

  • HowieW928

    Puns are the lowest form of wit. Coming up with the "best pun ever" is being the smartest retard.

  • Ispy



    I think you just hit on the interesting point there. With China the way it is now, why does it still bother with any kind of 'special relations' with N. Korea.



    As for Brown et al. Blair was happy to support the near genocidal Iraq Sanctions and join in the invasion. Also, the USA is the only country that has used the bomb. Why would we think them any more unlikely to use it than anyone else?

  • Les Izmore

    Don't ever forget that the DPRK is a member of the 'axis of evil,' sworn enemy of the International League of Justice...

  • chingiskhan

    Obviously it's because everyone else hates North Korea!

  • James Creegan

    Fair point, but you can't really imagine Gordon Brown flipping out and pushing the button as easily as you can with Kim Jong Il.



    Why is China even sucking up to North Korea anyway? They're not exactly a powerful trade ally- surely there are better friends to have.

  • :) Puns in headlines are now an art form in UK Tabloid Papers.



    By the way, why would seeing the North Korea flag up there warrant a special 'blood run cold' comment over a giant Westminster Abbey?



    I think London are the itinerant nuclear power using their leverage to provoke war and outright invade some countries.



    Not having a go, so to speak, just throwing in a counterpoint.



    AB

  • James Creegan

    Best Pun Ever!



    (full disclosure: I wrote it)

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