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Athens' Acropolis Witnesses ‘Majestic Moment’ Under Moonlight

People observe a rising full snow moon rises as they visit the Areios Pagos hill at the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
People observe a rising full snow moon rises as they visit the Areios Pagos hill at the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
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Athens' Acropolis Witnesses ‘Majestic Moment’ Under Moonlight

People observe a rising full snow moon rises as they visit the Areios Pagos hill at the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
People observe a rising full snow moon rises as they visit the Areios Pagos hill at the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

Under the light of the full moon, Athens' Acropolis looked ethereal as people crowded on Sunday to enjoy this "majestic moment." The Acropolis was among 120 other landmarks and museums in Greece that opened their doors for visitors to watch the last full moon event for this summer.

From the museum's balcony that was exceptionally opened for free until midnight, the Parthenon looked fabulous standing on a hill overlooking the capital. Near 9:00 pm (local time), the massive yellow circle rose from between the hills surrounding Athens, and the full moon scene started. "It's a majestic moment," Yonissis, a Greek who lives in Switzerland told AFP.

While Spiros, 22, was gazing at the illuminated Parthenon, he regretted "the huge crowd," but also said that "all those people who came to explore the ancient history of Greece made him feel proud."

Time passed nine, and the queue of people waiting to enter the museum in the front yard was still long, extending to the pedestrian lane that surrounds the Acropolis.

Visitors were eager to benefit from the free entrance and the extension of work hours. Sophie, a French tourist, noticed that "all Athens was here like if it was a fashion week event," noting that "the night ambiance in museums is always special."

The activities and events celebrating the last full moon for this season were held across the country. Islands in the Cyclades Archipelago, Ionian Sea, and Aegean Sea like Crete saw concerts, plays, dancing performances, poetry readings and star gazing circles.

Greeks and tourists alike, anywhere in the country, had the chance to explore all the historic and cultural landmarks under moonlight. Among these sites are Kassope in Epirus (northwest Greece), Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes (southeast), in addition to the archeological sites in the Olympia, Mistras, Corinth, and Nemea in the Peloponnese peninsula (southwest), Thebes (center), and Corfu (west).

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Varieties

Warm Clothing, Hot Pot and Even Ice Cream Bars Feature at China’s Ice Capital

Visitors tour by the ice structures during the Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China's Heilongjiang province on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP)
Visitors tour by the ice structures during the Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China's Heilongjiang province on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP)
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Warm Clothing, Hot Pot and Even Ice Cream Bars Feature at China’s Ice Capital

Visitors tour by the ice structures during the Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China's Heilongjiang province on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP)
Visitors tour by the ice structures during the Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China's Heilongjiang province on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP)

Faced with temperatures dipping to -30 Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit), visitors to China's wintertime resort city of Harbin often make a beeline for stalls selling padded clothing to augment their wardrobes.

Oddly perhaps for some, frozen ice cream bars are also considered a key part of the visit.

Each winter, the industrial city in China's northeast turns into a magnet for those from China's balmier regions wanting to experience the extreme cold and take in the sculptures built from ice blocks carved from the Songhua River, which freezes from late October to late March.

“I searched for tips on the internet and am now wearing knitted wool pants and the thickest sweater possible,” said Jin Yiting, who was visiting with her parents from the financial hub of Shanghai, where a light jacket is usually sufficient winter garb.

Jin Yanlong runs a stall selling winter hats, gloves and boots in the park. He said that most of his customers are tourists from southern China who underestimate the frigid weather in Harbin.

“Some of the tourists wear ‘too thin.’ They come here immediately from the airport. They would find us to buy warm trousers padded with cotton,” Jin said.

Despite the freezing weather, some curious tourists are brave enough to taste the cold itself. Zhuang Chang and his friend enjoyed their Madie’er ice cream bars while strolling on a commercial street whose architecture reflects the Russian influence on the city. The brand was established in 1900s by a Russian company and has steadily grown in popularity among tourists.

“It’s cold, but my heart is warm,” Zhuang said. He also compared the humid cold months of his hometown in Zhejiang province, where “people would be frozen to the core when being hit by wind.”

“But here only my hands and face feel cold,” Zhuang said.

For those seeking a warmer alternative, there are hot drinks and steaming hot pot, a kind of stew mixing meat, vegetables, tofu and other favorites.

Restaurant owner Chi Xuewen claims to own the world's largest hot pot, where 18 individual pots featuring a variety of flavors circle the giant bowl.

“Eating anything in a hot pot makes people warm,” Chi said.

Li Long’s restaurant uses wood both to cook the food and warm the air in the ice block structure.

“The pot also radiates heat,” Li said. “Once the pot cover is lifted, customers see the hot food. In one word, it just feels hot.”

Prolonged cold has left local residents with few options for fresh vegetables, so frozen food has become an alternative. Frozen tofu left outside overnight becomes porous and is particularly good at soaking up soup and flavor, local resident Liu Xiaohui said.