After the zoo and a visit to a temple, we were on our 2 hours journey to Tianjin. Xiao Kuok applied for a half day leave, did not join us. He wanted to return home - somewhere in Beijing itself to oversee the renovation done at his house and also hand in the money for the renovation. But he had to ask our permission first. Since Tianjin activities is only to a shopping area, we did not mind his leave at all.

Our bus driver had to be more alert when driving in Tianjin as somehow the police in that particular town is very strict. Getting to drive in China is quite a big deal as not many people have the chance to do so. You can imagine the reason with so many people in China. So, they have a marking system - one's marks are reduced by the police if one makes a mistake while driving. Besides police being very strict, there's somehow a rift between Tianjin people and Beijing people. Reasons are not clear.

Tianjin, from what I read, is a seaport. However, I didn't get the chance to see that because we only headed to two places. One, is at a shopping building where we had our lunch (experience the Tianjin's dumpling called - "Gou pu li pau che") and bought dried preserved fruits ("guo pu"). Two, we visited the cultural market where cheap goods (souvenirs, paintings, cloth, etc) are sold. If you are planning to get cheap souvenirs, this is THE place.

Here's some pictorial explanations:

At the shopping building where we had our lunch. Nice lantern decorations, eh?

The shopping building where we ate and shopped preserved fruits.

At the entrance of the cultural market.

The scene around cultural market. I liked this candid picture I took of mom.

The dragon artpiece decorating the bridge in Tianjin.