Day Trip to Tianjin

Located about 135 kilometers southeast of Beijing, Tianjin is often thought of as the capital's sister city. When Scott told a colleague we were visiting there, he was told we'd like it, because "white people like that city."

Things white people like in Tianjin: A house made out of recycled pottery. 

I didn't understood what that meant until we got to the city, which is clean, less crowded and full of beautiful European architecture. So I guess we lived up to the stereotype.

No crowds, some old-school architecture. 

We went with our friends, Te-Ping and Ben, via one of China's high speed trains. It only took us 30 minutes traveling around 285 kilometers per hour to get there and the ride was incredibly smooth. Upon arriving, we ate gou bu li bao zi for lunch, a well-known Tianjin steamed bun brand that's served the likes of Chinese premieres and presidents. The buns didn't disappoint, with a steamy pork inside and fluffy outside. The soy milk, on the other hand, did. After asking for a glass of it several times, the server came out with a $10 pitcher which tasted like burnt soybeans.

Me trying to look like the ancient egg gou bu li bao zi here. Scott said I just looked sad.

After lunch, we strolled along the streets of Tianjin -- which were surprisingly empty, a rare find in the Middle Kingdom -- and marveled at the classical architecture mixed in with buildings that looked eerily like Manhattan's well-known structures. (Tianjin has apparently been trying to build a replica Manhattan for several years now, but its hit trouble with a lack of tenants). 

Tianjin's attempt at the Big Apple's Rock Center. 

Doesn't look like China, huh?

Along the way we found some curious driving signs -- i.e. you shouldn't laugh while driving -- and fresh grapes cascading over homes. 

Rough translation: Don't laugh while driving. 

Tianjin grapes. 

Here's a look at the rest of our day's adventure. We tried mahua, a twisted crunchy dough snack that's famous in Tianjin, and a shrimp paste, which Scott and Ben downed with baijiu. We rounded out the day with a stroll along the river as the sun was setting. How quaint (and white people-ish). 

These are the pothole covers in Tianjin. No, really.

The Tianjin Eye, a slow ferris wheel that juts down between a highway. 

On the gao tie, or high-speed train after a long, but fun day.