Trip to Tianjin

This past weekend was so much fun! I went to Tianjin to visit family, and I actually ended up bringing one of my friends (another student in the program) on the trip because he had never been before. We were only there for a day, so we didn't get to do too much, but it was still nice to get out of Beijing and explore a different city. 

We first went to a rather large mall to grab some coffee. We also took a picture with a giant plush pig.

Eggplant! (What Chinese people say instead of "cheese")

The second place we visited was...

...and I forget the name.

It was an area with lots of historic-looking buildings; I think my aunt mentioned something about it being a cultural site, and it has some kind of larger significance than just a bunch of cool looking old Chinese buildings. The streets there are filled with vendors selling hats, candied fruits, strange soups, and (of course) pictures of Mao. Very cool area! 

Because every historic area in China has a dragon.

After walking around, we got hotpot for dinner! In case I didn't make it clear enough, food in China is awesome, and hotpot is probably one of the best examples of awesome Chinese food. You have a giant pot of boiling water (with or without spices, depending on how adventurous your tastebuds are feeling). You add vegetables, rice noodles, various thin slices of meat, tofu, shrimp, everything except for the kitchen sink. You wait a few minutes. You fish out the edibles and dump it into a bowl of sesame sauce (flavored with or without spices, again depending on your preferences). You enjoy. Simple. 

Overall, a successful and fun trip. I'm planning on visiting during other weekends and getting to experience other aspects of the city. Until next time, Tianjin!