Songhua River Winter Swimming

Every winter, in sub-zero temperatures, the 'winter swimmers' of Harbin cut a pool into the frozen Songhua River and dive in - some in fur hats and swimsuits, all with the calm of people for whom this is routine. It is the city's bravest spectator sport.

You can watch and photograph from the bank near the Stalin Park stretch in the morning. Nobody expects visitors to join in - though the swimmers love an audience.