Tianjin, China

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To leave China I booked a flight from Tianjin to Kuala Lumpur. Tianjin is connected to Beijing by a high speed railway that reaches 217mph (350 km/h). I took the half hour ride from Beijing the day before my flight, so I did not have much time to fully explore Tianjin.

The city had a very strange feel to it. Everywhwere I looked there were groups of 10 or 15 grey builings being built, each one accompanied by a crane. It really looked like something out of a science fiction film. It looked sterile and lifeless at dusk, but I found it more interesting than negative.

The most notable landmark is the gigantic Ferris wheel on the Hai He River. The lowest part of the wheel is stradled by a highway junction. At night people gather along the river area near the Ferris wheel where artists and artisans entertain the families. I found food vendors noticibly absent. Everywhere else in Asia I had been, food would be plentiful anywhere large groups congregate. I walked around Tianjin for 45 min. looking for a cheap restaurant or a food stall. This experience would be the exact opposite of my next destination: Kuala Lumpur.

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