Living in China: Tianjin

TianJin Trip: HaiHe River

After walking around the the shopping area near the the Xikai Cathedral, we took a cab to Dagu Bridge. According to reviews, the design of the bridge is called sun and moon arches (not sure why) and it has won the prestigious Eugene Fido Award.

We stayed at the banks of the HaiHe River until it's time to board our train. Liza's too tired to walk (and we've used all our energy looking for the Food Street earlier).

fishing

Facing the Dagu Bridge is the Liberation Bridge or Jiefang Qiao. This 80 year old bridge is a famous tourist attaction in Tianjin. It is also home to the Century Bell, which was constructed in order to ring in the new millennium.

Liberation Bridge at night

The bell is 40 meters in height and weighs more than 150 tons, making it the largest and heaviest bell so far recorded throughout China.

Century Bell or Millenium Clock

We went inside the train station once it has gotten dark because it's chilly outside. Then we're back to Beijing.

Tianjin Train Station

TianJin Trip: Xikai Cathedral

Our third stop in Tianjin is the Xikai Cathedral. We learned our lesson - we took a cab from the Food street to the Cathedral. No more walking. Just tell the driver to go to Xikai Jiaotang - they'll know where to go.

From chinatoday.com: Also known as the French Cathedral, this building is on Binjiang Road in Heping District. It is 45 meters tall and is both a cathedral, built in 1914 and a church, built three years later. It covers an area of 1,585 square meters. Xikai Cathedral is the largest church in Tianjin and has been recently refurbished.

in front of the cathedral

TianJin Trip: Shipin Jie (Food Street)

After walking what seems like ten miles, we finally found Shipin Jie. Why didn't we take a cab, you ask? The people I asked for directions said that the place is very near after pointing to the direction in which we should walk. (in Tagalog: dyan lang...) I should have known better to take their word for it. Their definition of near is nowhere near mine's.

at last...

two floors of restaurants and food shops

We checked out several restaurants before settling to the one near the stairs (on the second floor). Our main requirement is that it should have dumplings on the picture menu. The food's pretty cheap - we just paid 26 kuai each for several dishes and a big coke.

mushrooms - 16 kuai

bucket o' rice - 16 kuai

crispy chicken - 28 kuai

pork dumplings - 12 kuai (for 10 pieces)

There are other delicacies sold here some of which I saw for the first time. They also have bagoong alamang (definitely worth coming back for), and they have lots and lots of candies!

shrimps (?) with really big claws

gummy worms and chewy candies

really big Tianjin mahua

We didn't buy any mahua (fried dough twists) but people say that Tianjin is really famous for it.

TianJin Trip: Gulou Shopping Street

Our first stop is the Gulou Shopping Street. Actually we planned to go to Shipin Jie (Food Street), but we got lost and ended up here. At the train station, the guy at the customer service booth told us that the 634 bus passes by the Food street. I'm not sure if we rode past it or the bus took a wrong turn but we didn't see the stop. We should've taken a cab...

at the entrance

There are lot of shops selling clay figurines. Perfect souvenirs for those going home. For us-no-annual-leave-left-can't-go-home-yet people, it's window shopping only...

strip of shops

spot the difference

The place is like a smaller version of Panjiayuan in Beijing. The street also has furniture shops, jewelry shops and other goodies. They even have gummy worms!