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Today, I finally met up with my friends (and their friends) who have been doing a semester exchange in Beijing, and we went down south to... Tianjin 天津! Perhaps due to the dearth of fanfare in the way people's responses when I said I was going to Tianjin, it turned out to be more interesting than anticipated - and definitely something different from Beijing (maybe except for the fact that both are self-controlled municipalities, i.e. not belonging to any province in China). But my energy level was up really high, perhaps cos I haven't had much to say all week - still trying to get used conversationalizing in thick Beijing accent with my colleagues. That includes both understanding and responding to what they say, heh.
In the late 1800s, China was attacked by what is known as the 8 country union 八国联军, comprising Britain, France, Germany, America, Japan, Italy and Austria-Hungary, established concession territories in Tianjin, leaving behind architectural concessions of their rule that is present even today.
We first visited the commercial district, which spots very interesting buildings of strong colonial flavour. So was the Wu Da Dao 五大道 (5 main avenues) residential area, where there were many
villas spotting similar facades of clearly non-Chinese influence.
Perhaps due to the fact that today was a Saturday and by experiences from back home the CBD turns into a ghost town during the weekend - the streets were tranquil and peaceful. For a while it didn't feel like we were in China. The first thought that came to mind was how orderly and neat this city was, as compared to Beijing. Devoid of street food, heavy traffic; railway officers with neat uniform and better manners; even the taxis were a standardized turquoise color! But then I reminded myself that this was the CBD after all - business environments are all about "maintaing a good image" (as we business students would know best, haha).
We walked for what seemed like ages, then dropped by China House museum 瓷房子, a house built with millions of ancient porcelain flakes. This really was pretty neat. Truly paying homage to traditional Chinese culture, I think there's a cafe within as well, the ambience should be quite... whoa. Pity we didn't go into the museum. Ah, compromises are part and parcel of traveling in a big group, heh.
Next stop was Old
Cultural Street 古文化街, and as with all streets named as such, it was really just a tourist-touting area in disguise. On sale were the typical keepsakes, tea sets, jade accessories and all the rest of it. It reminded me a lot of Beijing's Qianmen and Singapore's Chinatown. By the end of it I was quite hungry and eager for the "late seafood lunch" that we were supposed to be having at 2-ish.
But, but, by the time we reached the seafood area, it was past 3.30 - actually anywhere within Tangu County 塘沽县 of Tianjin is famed for its seafood. But, the seafood restaurants refused to entertain 13 growling stomachs, saying that they open only at 4.30. Aw! Without breakfast AND lunch (save for a miserable bowl of shaved ice with jelly that hardly filled even a tiny portion of my bottomless pit), my energy level (this reminds me of Matt) and hyperness (this reminds me of Rachel Wong) was plunging like crazy. Sigh. But we decided to just go around to The Bund (this is Tianjin's, not Shanghai's haha) and come back for the much coveted seafood.
Which, when we finally had, was... well pretty good I
guess. But I never really could judge good from less good (unless it's really really bad). And never really was a fan of seafood (fish being the only exception), but still we ordered a lot a lot and I ate a lot a lot - because I was hungry more than anything else. The dining experience could have been a lot more pleasant if the service was up-to-standard, though. I'm one of those who's more touchy about service I would say. I have always felt that even with good food but without good service... well, to me then the food wouldn't be good anymore.
Ohwell. It was a really tiring day. Woke up at 5 and only got home at about 10.30, because my home in Beijing is so far away from everything else! It took longer to get from home to Beijing South Railway than from Beijing to Tianjin! Okay that's cos it was a high speed rail, but still... And it's been a long while (okay, maybe a week since that's how long I've been working - which basically entails sitting in front of the computer all day save for my working to and from work) since
I walked so much. A lot of time was spent figuring our way around, not a very relaxing tour on a whole, but it was fun in a different way. And at least for me, I got to meet up with WXY and Emily 😊 Feels good to have friends in foreign land when you are!
Pictures up tomorrow!
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