Sheng Li Hotel Tianjin

I’ve been in Tianjin for a few months now. I’m starting to get used to the workload and my studies have become a lot more manageable, but I’m seeing a whole other side of China that I don’t know how to cope with.

When I first came to China last year I saw things from the perspective of a tourist. Now that I’m living here, it’s becoming hard for me to just accept things because I’m in another country. The dust has ...

... market close to the train station. The market was quite nice with a lot of goods I couldn't find in parts of Tianjin, however the prices were high and none of the 'western' things were really Western at all. Regardless I bought some gifts and some leather mittens. Afterward we had jiaozi at a nearby chain restaurant, and a little skiff with the waitress when she brought and charged us for a dish we didn't order.

After, we took a ...

... expat could expect to be. There's no regrets, but only a wish that I had more time to wander the little crevices and feel the mood of the buildings more often. In time I suppose, and also in time I will be able to travel away from my comfortable little zone of China I have created and to wherever the winds of change may call me.

Pictures added, taken Nov. 17.

... to start with, but then Tanggu and TEDA. Didna shoot 'em yet, sorry. Betcha somebody did if the curiosity's killing you. I planned on the penultimate stop, looked closest to the port. Exhibition Center. Nothing but cabs and an Exhibition Center. Sadly dead. Exhibition ended yesterday. Wonder wander, pedestrian access is unfinished. This area still under construction. Wander wonder back. Around the other side. Out fifth ...

... end included a new feature called the Zhiyuan pagoda, from the top of which yielded some wonderful panoramic views of the city.

After a visit to the reptile zoo, a round of go-karts and a coffee (instant), we took the bus back to her apartment then grabbed our many things and took the bus back to Jinghai to prepare for Friday work the next day. And no, no day came sooner than Friday.

October 1 I had the day off for the Celebration of Chinese National Day. It was the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. I used this time to explore more of Tianjin. I did a lot of walking and sweating but it was worth it. Enjoy the Photos.

Blake

... time off so it's not really that much time off, but great for a trip.

For this trip I traveled to Chengde county to stay with my gal's parents and see the mountain's of China.

Wednesday night after work I took the bus out to Tianjin city and we went out to dinner and packed for the trip.

... these 2 guys came to our table and spun the noodles in the air to stretch the dough and then they put them in your pot. It was pretty cool. The pics from dinner only include about half the group cause some ditched out because of the rain and they had to ride their bicycles home.

And yes we had a private room at no extra cost for dinner.

Blake

... all really interesting...though getting massages in class is easily the highlight of my day. Apparently I'm very good at massages and the forms we have to use for it...I'm a natural. We're learning about all this stuff I can't comprehend because I missed three days of class so it's interesting but I'm still confused. I'm loving the material though, and I'm learning a lot of ways to stay really healthy. I'm gonna come home in good health, hopefully, unless ...

... ve skolce sem jim vysvetlila mistni bus na hlavni nadrazi a Shanghai, tak me nasmerovali na dane hlavni nadrazi. Ok jsem tam, chci si koupit jizdenku na stejny den do Shanghai a na kazdou moji otazku -tzn ze jim ukazu na slovicko v cinstine.. rikaji ne.Opet tu neni nikdo a anglictinou. Stridam nekolik okynek, pokrok zadny. Nejsou proste jizdenky. Az na posledni vlak se mi podari ...