I have not posted in a few weeks, since I was busy either site seeing, trying to stay cool in Beijing during this incredible heat wave, or super busy at work. This post, I’ll catch you up on some of the places I have visited as of lately. The first is Niujie (Ox Street), an area that is famous in Beijing for the Hui Minority foods, i.e. more Islamic foods.
- On Ox Street, some typical architecture.
I also went to the Old Summer Palace a few weeks back for their Lotus Festival. It is near the New Summer Palace, but was mostly destroyed in the mid-1800s by the Anglo-Franco forces as they were warring with old Imperial China, and sacked this magnificent place to become ruinous. It is still beautiful and I think less touristy, but this is why the New Summer Palace had to be built.
- Nina in front of a bridge at the Old Summer Palace.
Lastly, I visited Tianjin, a city I have never visited before. Tianjin is right next to Beijing, with 5 million people, and accessible by a train, only a 30 minute ride. As my friend and I were trying to describe it, it is more chill, like a California city, but also with a Northern Chinese flair. I spent the day maximized with a friend, visiting the famous Italian section, Antique Market, Food Court (Nan Shi Shi Pin Jie), as well as this place, the China Museum (Zi Fang zi). This place is hard to describe, and incredible, really worth the visit.
- The China Museum, which used to be a French Private House, and then became a collection of broken porcelain, becoming a fusion of Chinese mosaic and French architecture.
We also lastly visited the most modern iconic place of Tianjin, the “Eye of Tianjin,” which reminds me sort of what I saw last year of the Olympics in London with a big Ferris Wheel.
- The new “Eye of Tianjin.”
- As I am about to leave Beijing, it makes me sad to realize that my trip to Tianjin just had to be one day long. I wanted to explore more, and had to cram it all into one day, and still did not see or do everything. This means there must be a next time. I also feel I have the desire to travel, and want to explore more areas in China, but each weekend, I kept busy with seeing and hanging out with friends. I hope next time to eventually get to my bucket list of places, such as Xi’an, Huangshan, and more. I always say I will go, but I guess there is a next time.
- For now, my travels are to and from work, and will be next to the airport to my adventure to Vietnam and then home. So, for now, I should say Zaijian!
