Strolling and Eating in Tianjin

A day of strolling and eating in Tianjin begins. Early in the morning at seven, I took a high-speed train from Taiyuan and arrived at Tianjin West Station around noon. The Tianjin Eye is the closest attraction, so I headed straight there after getting off the train. Due to my fear of heights, I only took photos under the bridge. Underneath the bridge is the Hai River, which is mostly frozen in winter. I even saw two uncles chiseling the ice to fish, wondering about their catch. Continuing along the Hai River, you can see the monument commemorating the diversion of water from the Luan River to Tianjin. After passing the monument, a 15-minute walk will take you to the Ancient Culture Street. There are many shops selling twisted dough sticks and clay figurines from Zhang's shop. Following my friends' advice, I tried a 'jianbing guozi' without falling into any tourist traps. Then I had a cup of bamboo leaf water from Zhang's Water Shop, which was refreshing and not too sweet. They also sell tea bags for you to take home and brew. Leaving Ancient Culture Street and passing through the Antique Street, you reach the Drum Tower, which is a bit messy as they are preparing for a lantern festival. Walking about 10 minutes past the Drum Tower, you arrive at the northwest corner, where there are many Halal food options, mainly serving breakfast. I went there at noon, so I didn't see the breakfast scene. I had a bowl of lamb soup and tried the beef dumplings, which were decent. After leaving the northwest corner, I took a bus to the Xikai Church, which can be visited for free without an appointment. I especially loved the colorful windows; when the sunlight hits them, they look like rainbows. Not far from the entrance of the Xikai Church is the Five Avenues. You can take a horse-drawn carriage to tour the Five Avenues, which is quite stylish. Walking along Chongqing Road to the end, you reach Minyuan Plaza, which has a distinctive arcade. Taking the bus again, I arrived near the Century Clock at Tianjin Station. There was a vendor selling cooked pear cakes by the bridge. I bought a portion for 15 yuan to try; it had nothing to do with pears, it was more like steamed glutinous rice topped with jam, quite tasty while hot. That concludes the trip, staying near Tianjin Station. Tomorrow continues!