Holidays in Heihe. China Heihe is a city of trade. Chinese baths in Heihe

Huafu Shopping Center in the Chinese city of Heihe has long been famous among Russian tourists. This real paradise for shopping lovers - here you can buy a wide variety of goods at very affordable prices.

Huafu is located on the Central Pedestrian Shopping Street. It can be reached from anywhere in the city in 10 minutes. The shopping center is surrounded by numerous hotels, restaurants and eateries. Almost all stores in the shopping center, except for the supermarket located on the ground floor and brand stores, where payment for goods is carried out at the checkout using a barcode scanner, are allowed to haggle - haggling sometimes helps to reduce the price by more than half.

Here you can buy clothes, shoes, and household appliances. The goods in Huafu are usually of higher quality than those in small shops. Many signs in the shopping center are written in Russian.

Residents of the Amur region of Russia are allowed visa-free entry to Heihe. Russians from other regions can enter the city with a visa or as part of an organized tourist group.

The most popular attractions of Heihe with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places Heihe on our website.

In terms of recreational entertainment, Heihe is still far from Harbin, Dalian or Beidaihe, where there are many entertainment and cultural centers. But there are still places in Heihe where you can have a great rest and have fun, and they will be discussed in the article.

IN summer time Russian tourists love to relax, just walk along the Chinese embankment of the Amur River. In all the reviews about Heihe, people say that the waterfront in this city is simply magnificent! Fortunately, it is very cozy and beautiful there - there are many flower beds and green spaces, you can sit on clean benches and listen to unobtrusive Chinese music.

Things get interesting in the evening.

On weekends, elderly Chinese gather and dress in colorful clothes. National costumes and perform a kind of dance with wushu elements. The music, of course, is performed live.

For the soul and meditation

Do you want something exotic? Then be sure to visit the Buddhist pagoda, it is located on an island in a forest 100-200 meters behind the Yuandong shopping center. Of course, this is not 100% a temple for Buddhists, but everything you need to perform rituals is there.

Night clubs

Love nightlife? Then you should go straight to relax in night club. It’s not quite the usual place for a Russian tourist, but you can have a great rest in pleasant company.

Chinese baths in Heihe

Many Russians, as strange as it may sound, upon arrival in Heihe, go to the bathhouse to wash, steam and relax after hard everyday life in Russia. All baths there are open 24 hours a day, and your purchased ticket will provide you with a 24-hour stay. Some don’t even go to check into a hotel (there is a list of hotels), but spend the night right in the bath complex, especially if they have few things (those from Blagoveshchensk generally travel with one small handbag, as long as they have somewhere to put documents, phone and money ). The ticket price is determined by what is included in the services of the bath complex. In good baths (Tian Yi, for example), tickets are more expensive than in others, but there are also more prepaid services. In most baths you will receive: a towel and slippers, a choice of gels and shampoos, plus bath clothes for the relaxation room, where you can relax after the steam room and sleep. You will also have steam rooms, showers, a swimming pool and even a jacuzzi at your disposal.

By paying a little extra, you will be given a choice of tea, juices or beer. You can do body cleansing in the bathhouse, rubbing it with salt, milk or honey. In the relaxation area, be sure to order a massage; they will give you any of your choice - from a therapeutic massage of the head and feet to a full-fledged Thai massage (if a specialist is available, of course). For all Additional services you pay on the way out.

Leisure

You can rent roller skates and bicycles on the embankment. And if you decide to exercise, then various outdoor exercise equipment are at your service.

If you wish, visit the bowling alley or billiard room. There are now a lot of them in the city. In the suburbs of Heihe, there has long been a ski resort, an aquatic complex, as well as a “Russian village” and Botanical Garden. But you need to go to all these places for the whole day.

Heihe is a Chinese city located in the northeastern part of the country, and its neighbor is Russian city Blagoveshchensk There is a constant river connection between the cities. The distance from Heihe to Blagoveshchensk is only eight hundred meters. Today it is a fairly developed city, home to up to one hundred and thirty thousand people.

The development of Russian-Chinese relations dates back to the nineties, precisely during the period when perestroika took place. This was mainly reflected in the general trade between states. Literally twenty years ago, China Heihe was a tiny village located on the border of the country, and now the city is an area where it is possible to carry out trade in a visa-free regime for residents Russian Federation. To cross the border it is enough to have a passport. It became possible to visit China without a visa back in 2004.

Heihe and trade

Until this time, trade between China and Russia took place within the Greater Heihe Island. Therefore, there was a place for customs control here. And now the entire city is located in the shopping area.

Getting to the city is quite easy. In the summer, passenger ships pass along the Amur. In winter you can get into the city by bus. There is no need to worry about the car, because they park at the port in a parking lot that is guarded. A round trip ticket for a ship is relatively inexpensive, it all depends on which class you choose.

While standing in line to purchase tickets, you can conclude what the shuttles are like. People go to the city of Heihe, China, in order to stock up on cheap things, and also to manage to have a good rest. When you go to this Chinese city, everything is quite quiet and calm, without crowding or much crowd. But the way back cannot be compared with this, since for the majority - great amount trunks and there is a huge crush and bustle all around. There are always queues at customs control. Here you still need to pay special customs duties.

Hotels in the city: where is the best place to stay?

Then everyone goes to the city center, mainly in the direction of the Huafu shopping center. After which you should take care of finding a hotel. They're here a large number of, and the prices are very pleasant and affordable. For those who cannot afford comfortable conditions or private room at the hotel, it is suggested to go to the hostel. In local hostels you can find a good option for overnight accommodation, but there will be no separate bathrooms and there will probably be a neighbor in the room.

To check into the selected hotel (of any category), you will have to leave your passport as collateral. This is a standard procedure that applies to all hotels in China.

After checking into the hotel, you can safely go for a walk.

The incredible color of China immediately catches your eye. Since the city borders very closely complete devastation and new modern multi-storey buildings.

All of the city's income is based on trade. There is an incredibly large number of different products here. Russians come here to update their wardrobe. As for technology, Chinese goods good quality practically does not differ in price, which are set in stores in the Russian Federation.

But besides cheap shopping, it’s worth coming here to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Because even if you take into account the prices for customs duties and a boat ticket, spending a night in a hotel in this Chinese city will cost less than in Blagoveshchensk.

Food is also much cheaper in China. To have a satisfying lunch, you need to pay very little, and most importantly (when choosing a place to eat) visit those places where the majority of locals eat, because these are really good establishments, since they are inexpensive and tasty at the same time. Therefore, pay attention to where representatives of the middle class go, they will definitely not charge you for being of foreign origin.

After the contrasts of the city, signs with inscriptions in Russian immediately catch your eye. Funny mistakes in the spelling of phrases or a completely incomprehensible interpretation “hurt the eyes” indescribably, but still, it looks original, and at the same time a little ridiculous. Although it is quite practical and convenient, considering the fact that the Russian language is neither spoken nor understood here. Therefore, something can only be explained using gestures.

The Chinese city of Heihe with its central square very reminiscent of the capital's Arbat with all its tourists. Here tourists can expect increased attention from local merchants who will try to sell them anything. After all, that’s all they live here.

One more interesting feature local residents It is a tradition to hang red ribbons everywhere, as they believe that this procedure will help have a positive effect on karma.

It’s quite interesting and can add to the impression if you look into the gateways, as they are strikingly different from the usual ones tourist places. Here you can find out how life actually goes for the average resident of a Chinese town.

Even on the city streets, it is difficult not to notice the transformer substations that are located directly on the poles. For residents of Russia, this is a rather wild and unusual phenomenon.

Another interesting feature of the city are the trash cans. They can always be found next to a pole, but they are non-standard and have different shapes and models. The variety of garbage cans adds some color and zest.

Returning directly to trade, it is worth noting that literally all the goods produced by the country's industry are sold here. At the same time, medicine in the city is at a fairly high level. The most cunning Russians try to take away as many goods as possible, trying to save on the difference in comparison with prices at home.

On approximately weekdays, up to half a thousand Russian tourists meet on the city streets, and on weekends this figure exceeds a thousand people. They buy everything from shoes and clothes to household appliances.

It is very difficult to pass by the colorful and bright signs of the local shops, as well as advertisements. The PRC is trying to do everything possible to ensure a constant flow of buyers.

Good articles to follow:

Heihe is a small open border city in Heilujiang province on the banks of the river of the same name in northern China. People's Republic. WITH Chinese language The name of the province translates as "Black Dragon River".

The tourist center of Heihe is a free Russian-Chinese trade zone. Between points Blagoveshchensk-Heihe There is a regular river service. Since 2004, residents of Russia have had visa-free access to the territory of Heihe, so anyone with a foreign passport can get there.

The population of Heihe Urban District is about 130,000 people, most of who live in the Suburbs. (For comparison: in my Blagoveshchensk the population is about 220 thousand people.) According to the developed plan of the Heihe County government, the number of residents should increase to 320,000 by 2020. It is also planned to increase the territory of the city, expand the “green” strip, build roads and reconstruct streets.




There are many entertainment establishments in the city that are ready to serve Russian tourists. Saunas, baths, tea houses, restaurants, bars, karaoke, bowling, nightclubs and discos, beauty salons, massage and beauty parlors in Heihe are located on virtually every street. For businessmen, conference rooms can be rented. Basically, this service is provided in hotels.

Heihe hotels are famous for the fact that you can bargain there. A room that initially costs about 300 yuan can eventually be obtained for half that amount. By the way, average price double apartments in Heihe are about 150-200 yuan. If you don’t take into account the common options for places of residence and go to a hotel that is popular mainly among the Chinese, you can get shelter for a day for 50-60 yuan. A bed in a multi-bed room will cost only 10-15 yuan. But proximity is, as they say, a matter of taste.

At independent trip in Heihe, without the support of a travel company, it is better to check into a hotel and buy any goods without the help of taxi drivers or other unfamiliar local residents. This is fraught with additional costs. The new friend will certainly receive a percentage of your purchase from the seller for bringing you, and from you for helping with translation difficulties. Unfortunately, such a scheme is very typical for Heihe.

Shopping in Heihe can be even more than successful. The main shopping street for Russians is Central Street. The largest department store, Huefu, is also located there. It is surrounded by many street boutiques, shops and shops where you can buy everything from large furniture, cars and car parts to souvenirs, toys and the ubiquitous clothing with labels of famous companies.

IN last years More and more Russians are considering Heihe as an option not only for shopping, but also for fruitful treatment. Local specialists successfully diagnose and treat childhood enuresis, cervical paralysis, dental diseases, female infertility and much more. Recovery is carried out using Chinese traditional medicine and generally accepted European methods. After operations, you can improve your health in Heihe sanatoriums and clinics.




Crossing.


Crossing.


Crossing.

Crossing.

View of Blagoveshchensk.





Heihe.

Heihe in the evening.

Heihe in the evening.


Heihe in the evening.

One of the most remarkable attractions of Heihe is the “Russian Village”. It is located in the western part of the city. The fake village has an interesting past. Previously, the Chinese version of the series “The Dawns Here Are Quiet...” based on the work of Boris Vasiliev was filmed there. The film was created under the supervision of director Myo Vynin. Graduates of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography were invited to participate in the project: Andrei Sokolov, Tatyana Ostap, Lyudmila Kolesnikova and others. To make international contact as easy as possible, six translators worked daily among the scenery.

A lot of funny things happened during filming. For example, the Chinese had to explain for a long time that Russians are not used to eating on porcelain dishes or drinking vodka from a bottle, and cunning wushu techniques replace the usual blows to unprotected places. The film turned out great. And the enterprising inhabitants of the Celestial Empire immediately turned the scene into an exciting park with Orthodox Church, woodpiles of birch firewood, wooden houses with a smoking chimney and golden sunflowers near the fence.

For lovers extreme species Sports will suit your taste ski resort"Longzhu", which is located near Heihe. There you can ski down the mountain, ride a flying snowboard, or rent a powerful snowmobile. You can get to Longzhu by taxi or bus.

You can have a cultural relaxation in Heihe by going to the park named after General Wansu or simply “Wansu”. There are many attractions for children and adults, as well as a mini zoo. To others great place The Great Heihe Island Park will be a great place to spend time with children. You can get into it by walking along the embankment of the Amur River with tall lanterns and singing fountains. There are wonderful views from there. Entry to Greater Heihe is free. Anyone can ride the carousel on a first-come, first-served basis. Inside the park there is a botanical garden. At night, each tree in it is illuminated, and the branches shimmer with multi-colored lights.





















((http://visitchina.ru/articles/all/kheykhe_gorod_v_kotorom_vam_rady/
http://www.heihe-gid.ru/razvlecheniya/russkaya_derevnya_heihe
http://bigpicture.ru/?p=149682))

Heihe is perhaps one of the most accessible border cities in China, as it is located opposite Blagoveshchensk, on the other bank of the Amur. We often visit relatives in Blagoveshchensk, but this was our first time across the river.

Having previously interviewed relatives, we found out the following points:

  • 1) Blagoveshchensk residents visit their Chinese neighbors quite often; the majority go at least once a month to “help” businessmen, and some almost every weekend.
  • 2) In this regard, it is clear that on weekends, especially on Friday and Saturday in the port ( on the border) there is a huge pandemonium. Therefore, we decided to make a trip in the middle of the work week ( very well done!!!)
  • 3) It is better to buy a ticket the day before the trip, since even on relatively uncrowded days there is a long line at the ticket office in the morning. A pre-purchased ticket costs only a little more ( I don’t remember the specific number anymore), but it will save your nerves very well (I hope that with the commissioning of the bridge across the Amur the situation will change for the better).
  • 4) In Heihe, residents of Blagoveshchensk settle mainly in the cheapest hotels. The quality there is appropriate...On the advice of a relative and according to information from forums, several good hotels were taken into account. As a result, the choice fell on “Eastern Star”.
  • 5) There are several goals of Russian raids on border China: A) shopping - they carry literally everything, from clothes to spare parts and furniture; b)“belly festival” - Heihe has really tasty and high-quality Northern Chinese food; V) relaxation in the baths - we were highly praised for it, but we somehow disdained visiting public Chinese baths ( maybe in vain, but we don’t regret it); G) Blagoveshchensk residents also loved to hang out at the discos there, but during our trip all or almost all of the discos were not functioning.
  • 6) You can move around the city center on foot, everything is compact, or by taxi for 10 yuan to any point.

Having found out the necessary information, we began to act. Chose a day for the trip ( there - Wednesday, back - Friday), bought a ticket in advance, exchanged rubles for yuan at the nearest bank branch. In principle, you can take a minimum amount of yuan with you, since in Heihe you can pay for almost everything in rubles; I don’t know how legal this is, but many people do this. We decided not to risk it and took more yuan.

On Wednesday morning we took a bus to the river port. When the security opened the doors, we saw a sprint from the entrance to the ticket office of people wanting to buy a ticket. An impressive sight! You can imagine what’s going on on the weekend... It’s great that you got your tickets in advance!

Relatively quickly passing border control, boarded the ferry. Literally five minutes - and you are in another country! It's a strange feeling, at least for the first time. You don’t fly anywhere for several hours, you don’t run around transit airports, but just a few minutes along the river and that’s it. Yes by hometown You won’t get anywhere much in that amount of time!

Ferries They sail during the navigation period, from about mid-May until the last ten days of October.

Regarding the fact how to get to Heihe in winter. From about the last week of October, when slush ice appears on the Amur, hovercraft begin to operate between cities instead of ferries. Each such boat has its own name: there is “Puma”, “Skat”, “Arctic” and others, but the commonly used, so to speak popular name for all of them is simply “ cougars" They operate on a regular schedule from 09:00 to 17:00 ( The last departure from Blagoveshchensk is at 16-30). The capacity of such “pumas” is less than that of a ferry, but they are taken in quantity, so there shouldn’t seem to be a passenger collapse, however, boats often damage their “cushion” on sharp pieces of ice, so it is extremely rare that all 10 of them are in working order, Because of this, there are problems with transporting everyone. In winter, when the ice on the river has completely frozen, it guides pontoon bridge, and transportation is already underway by bus along this crossing.

And soon all transport problems between Heihe and Blagoveshchensk will be a thing of the past. In 2019, a full-fledged automobile ( perhaps later also the railway) bridge over the Amur, that is, the movement of tourists will no longer depend on the time of year!

By the way, from the spring of 2018, upon entering Heihe, all tourists aged 14 to 70 years old must undergo a fingerprinting procedure! To take your fingerprints you will need to place them on the scanner ( first 4 fingers of each hand, and then also the thumbs). The equipment may not work the first time, so be prepared and calmly repeat until it works. It’s strange that many of our travelers are surprised by fingerprinting at the border... after all, in many countries this has long been commonplace. Of course, you can refuse... but they won’t let you into the city.

First, it was decided to go to the city center to the Huafu shopping center, and from there on foot to the hotel. We first looked at the map to see that it was nearby. And here the first “little adventure” awaited us. We took a taxi ( they are all official there, no bombs), they told us where we needed to go, and received an answer that it costs 10 yuan. Well, okay, the price is normal, let's go. On the way, the driver and his friend cheerfully communicated with us in good Russian. We arrived, we paid, we gave 100 yushkas, he took it away. “And the change??????????????” Oh wow! These guys claim that the price was not 10 but 100, and at the same time from each! Such impudence took my breath away. We told them: “What are you doing? Now let’s call the police!!!” They told us: “We don’t care... about the police, give us money!” This is the schedule. Downtown! A police car drove by, but our waving hands received zero attention. We understand that it is impossible to get change, we slam the car doors and in “international great and mighty Russian” we explain to these two freaks who they are.

We were upset, of course, but quickly calmed down. It's their own fault, they didn't bother to stock up on loose change bills. And some more advice for you ( Well, suddenly you find yourself in Heihe) Do not take a taxi immediately at the exit from the river station building, walk 100–150 meters to the parking lot, and it is advisable that the driver be a woman, there are plenty of them there. We didn’t have such conflicts again, although after that we took a taxi more than once; Maybe the presence of small bills saved the day, or maybe in the whole city only those two “comrades” were bad.

We went to look for a hotel. The central street of Heihe is pedestrian, I think it’s called Trading Street, guess why.

Photo - main street

It took a while to find the hotel; it was not far away, but a little out of the way. We didn’t take the room that we were offered at first because of the persistent unpleasant smell, but on the second try the room turned out to be quite bearable, so we moved in there. In general, the hotel is not new, but a year ago it underwent major renovations. Maybe this is so, but there were no results of the repairs, and the very, very used interior could not be saved even by large posters with Russian stars who stayed here. In general, this is such an Annunciation trick - to take all the artists touring in the city to Heihe, well, sort of exotic.

We left our backpack in the room and went for a walk, lightly, the day was just beginning. Oh, I didn’t say that the time difference at the time of our first trip was 2 hours ( it's only one hour now ), that is, in Blagoveshchensk it was already 10 am, and in Heihe it was only 8. After wandering around the shops and just along the streets, we worked up a serious appetite. This is where the second “little adventure” began. At first glance, there are a lot of cafes and restaurants, but when we entered them, the feeling of hunger temporarily subsided - almost everywhere was unsanitary. Maybe this is not objective, and the love of cleanliness instilled in us from childhood spoke to us, which grew into disgust, but we could not overcome it. Wandering on the last of our energy from cafe to cafe, almost fainting from hunger, we asked the first Russians we met ( who, judging by their behavior, are regulars here), where you can eat normally. These wonderful people were going to lunch themselves and kindly escorted us to restaurant "Xin Yu". Hooray! About this restaurant ( or rather, there are several of them) we read on the forum before the trip, everyone recommends it as good establishment. The prices there are a little higher than in other eateries, but still “ridiculous” for us. We ordered so many things that later we felt a little ashamed because we didn’t finish much. The portions are huge, everything is very tasty!

Rescue lunch in good restaurant

Well-fed and satisfied, we crawled around the city for the rest of the day, looking at everything with interest. The town is very nice. I would especially like to mention the embankment - Heilongjiang Park. Very beautiful place, beautiful alleys, bridges, gazebos, funny sculptures. You really relax. By the way, Blagoveshchensk is finally developing its embankment, the scale is impressive. It’s high time, otherwise it’s a border town, so to speak, “the face of the state”, and it’s... nothing like that.

Photos of Heihe embankment

There are a lot of sculptures in the park, all interesting, but for some reason I don’t have enough photographs...

This guy in the background was playing (very cool) some Chinese melody, and when we went up to the gazebo, he switched to “Moscow Nights.”

In the mornings, a street market opens on the central street of Heihe. Trading begins at about 5 a.m. and continues until about 9 a.m. Our relatives assured us that at the morning market you can buy everything the same as in stores, only much cheaper.

We woke up at the crack of dawn ( the time difference helped) and rushed out into the street.

The market just started from our hotel, the “grocery and food” part of it. Very interesting! We wandered between the aisles and looked at all this exotica ( don’t forget that there is a Russian city very close, where you won’t see anything like this) and bought it for breakfast... well, we bought something fried, I don’t know what this Chinese fast food is called, and some other berries.

In my opinion, the range of things in the market and in shopping centers is very different, not in favor of the market. What you can actually buy from street vendors are all sorts of T-shirts, T-shirts, umbrellas, straps and other small items. The length of the market is decent, by the time we walked through it all, the time was approaching 9 o’clock, that is, trade began to wind down. It is worth noting that garbage left on the street by sellers and buyers is quickly removed. Overall, Heihe is quite clean city, at least its central part and the embankment.

We spent the entire next day shopping. There are a lot of them here! The main ones, perhaps, are "Huafu" in the city center, shopping center ( international trade center) on Greater Heihe Island, and I especially liked the underground shopping area near the Huafu shopping center.

There is a river port on Great Heihe Island, which means you sail there directly. There are two shopping centers here. " International Center Trade" and "Yuan Dong". During our trip huge complex“Yuan Dong” gave the impression of a half-abandoned building, not in the sense that it was shabby or broken, no, but we simply did not observe any movement around it. On the advice of relatives, they didn’t even go there - they said it was half empty and there was nothing to do there. Perhaps now everything is different, if you gather in Heihe, ask the Blagoveshchensk residents about this issue.

I will say again that we especially liked the underground center. The range of things here is not the same as on the surface; there are a lot of things I liked, the prices are very reasonable. In addition, retail outlets are conveniently located in it, there are separate “streets” of men’s and women’s clothing, a lot of good children’s clothes and haberdashery. If you're in Heihe, be sure to go down to this shopping center.

In addition to large Shopping centers There are a lot of small shops in the city. It’s very difficult to get around everything, much less remember where you liked something ( better write it down!). In general, we really enjoyed shopping in Heihe.

We went to the Xin Yu restaurant for lunch, but not the one that had kept us from starving the day before, but the one located not far from the embankment. A very beautifully decorated establishment! We were told that this restaurant is more expensive and is preferred by wealthy city dwellers. We didn’t feel particularly expensive, but we had a great rest in the cozy interior and finally tried real “Peking Duck”!!! Consolidation!

In the photo the delicious food is almost finished

A funny picture was observed in the restaurant. Almost the entire staff at 5 pm went out into the street in an organized manner, pulled out large speakers and began dancing to rhythmic music. It was clear that the vast majority of them actually liked it! ( only one guy did everything sluggishly and with a “sour face”)

In general, an active lifestyle is the norm for Heihe residents. In the mornings, a lot of people do Chinese gymnastics, jog along the embankment, even old people easily do stretching exercises. After a working day, the townspeople go dancing in droves! They gather in squares and repeat the movements of the “instructor” to the music; dancing in pairs is very popular. And all this without any embarrassment, with great pleasure. Well done! In addition, for lovers of physical education, the city is equipped with numerous sports grounds of very good quality.

After the restaurant, we went for a walk in a great mood. As evening approaches, life in Heihe begins to boil with renewed vigor. The city is full of bright lights, beautiful lighting on the buildings, which especially contrasts with the neighboring gloomy Blagoveshchensk. ( If you look at the Russian side from the Chinese embankment at night, you can’t even believe that there is a city there - the darkness is almost complete, the rare dim streetlights don’t count).

Many Russians and Chinese relax in open street cafes and stroll along the evening streets. We also “finished off” the rest of our strength and went to the hotel.

Delicious corn in a decent street cafe

The next day we wandered around the numerous shops, bought gifts for friends, had a snack at the already favorite restaurant “Xin Yu” and after lunch went to River Station.

Thus, we did not complete two items from the standard program for Blagoveshchensk residents in Heihe: a bathhouse and a disco. About the dances, I already said at the beginning that almost all of them were closed, but about the Chinese bath... I’ll be honest, we were disdainful. Well, seriously, whether it was a Japanese public “onsen” or a Korean “chimchilban”, we would go there to relax without a second thought. And in the north of China, the people, to put it mildly, are very unpretentious in terms of public hygiene, so why the hell with such a dubious pleasure.

The line at the border was long, but it moved quickly. All the Russians around us were carrying huge bags and suitcases with them. A conversation between one of the aunts and her friends is very indicative of this situation: “ This time I kind of broke the chain! I typed it myself, I don’t know what" I suspect that not only this time... Everyone looked at us, or rather at our little backpack, with longing and slight misunderstanding.

In the photo, Blagoveshchensk youth are putting on all kinds of Chinese goods (mostly clothes) and wrapping it all tightly with film... They do this so that at our customs they do not have to pay for the import of luggage in excess of the norm. This is how young people earn extra money, traveling to Heihe several times a month.

We returned to Blagoveshchensk without incident, bringing with us positive emotions ( and a backpack of good things)!

If you have the opportunity to visit Heihe, don't miss it. I think you'll like it. By the way, here you go interesting information: many pensioners from Blagoveshchensk literally live in Heihe! Of course, this phenomenon was widespread in the already prosperous few years before a series of crises ( 2008, 2014 - turned into a permanent “sanctions” crisis) now it’s less, but still... They live on their pension and on the money they receive from renting out housing in Blagoveshchensk, and it is often rented out to the Chinese. Something like that!