anacapamalibu

Now that you can ride the world's fastest train for 10 bucks (1st class) one way 30 minute ride.
What are the best things to see/do in Tianjin?

MP (Miles+Points)

Not much to be honest, I visit Tianjin twice or three times a year on business. I don't even stay over night in Tianjin now, just fly in on a early flight, and leave at 8pm.

Not an exciting place to visit, sorry.

moondog

My friends tell me that there is a very good bathhouse there (i.e. better than everything else in BJ and SH). The name escapes me, but email me (not PM) if you're interested and I'll follow up with one of my friends.

anacapamalibu

Never had time for China spa experiences. Went to check out
Queen Spa in Shenzhen but just picked up some literature to
pass on. But its always good to have more info on what's
available. Thx

Apparently some entity is spending money to revitalize the
old concession areas in Tianjin. Seems that could turn be
something to see. Its more real than Xintiandi Disneyland.

moondog

There's no need to be scared. You almost always wear a towel (right up until plunging). Furthermore, shortly after the "spa addiction" kicks in, you'll have no shame strutting around buck-naked,... and even conducting conference calls in the spa environment.

I should also point out that there's (almost) never any pressure to go for the more exotic massages, though I will admit that the place in Shijiazhuang (see xingjiang trip report) made a compelling sales pitch. Basically, $20 is sufficient to cover your entry fee plus the body scrub (add $10 for salt/milk/beer/tea/etc.)

In closing, spas are cool.

anacapamalibu

Spas in China that's a good idea for a new thread.

moondog

Actually, I started a thread right here on the topic in question about 2 years ago. Since there wasn't a lot of interest, that sucker died.

That having been said, you (in light of your TJ trip) have an opportunity to revive it.

Whether or not you decide to report about it, given the fact that your alternative is to hang out in a dreadful bar, I think you owe it to yourself to slot in some spa time before you hit the dreadful bar.

taipeipeter

Tianjin has some interesting historical sites. Since Tianjin development was long neglected in favor of Beijing (or so they say), the old foreign concession area was ignored till recently. So instead of it all being bulldozed, a good bit has survived and is now being resuscitated, to a degree. Anyway, there's a few blocks of interesting Japanese/Italian/German architecture from the early 20th c. There are a number of Chinese temples that are not as crowded as in BJ. Also preserved is the Catholic Church where a major riot broke out in 1870 (and the French consul killed) over rumors that nuns and priests were killing Chinese children to use their body parts in concoctions. And now a museum is the Italianate home of Liang Qichao, late Qing intellectual and early Republican intellectual/politician (he lived in Tianjin since he was safer from arrest or assassination there than in Beijing).

Rogi

Only interesting thing I ever found in Tianjin was the big market area by the metro/train station towards the new dev area. I made my way to the back one day and found a ton of Craftsman tools being sold for pennies on the dollar. Scooped up as many wrenches and tools as I could (busted or not). I felt like a thieve buying 3/4" and 1" ratchets for $5. 1" deep impact sockets were like $0.50.

This was a few yrs ago, so this may not be the case anymore.

anacapamalibu

That's a nice thing about China you can get a drink just about anywhere..at least a beer. As a foreigner you can get away with walking around drinking it
almost everywhere. Too bad more places don't stock western liquors..or at least not charge 8 dollars for a weak drink. Guess its best to carry along a flask until you get to one of the dreadful bars.

Jamoldo

At least in Beijing, go to Kai, or any of Huxley's joints. No guarantee on authenticity (I stick to Qingdao beers and Gin and Tonics) and have paid 10 RMB for each drink. Other drinks can be had for 20-30. Haven't had the fake liquor hangover yet from either place, though I think friends have...

anacapamalibu

Thanks for tip! When I get the upcoming stimulus check maybe I can make it to
the middle kingdom. The last one got me from LA to Kansas city on Southwest
airlines. Will pm you for the addresses.

moondog

It is with great pride that I tell the forum that my friends and I played an integral role in making the original Huxley's a success (everything from music to drink specials; though, we never managed to convince them of the worth of western toilets).

Around the time Huxley's was marked with the "chai" sign, Huxley and Gaolei "broke up". The former, armed with a big stack of cash, went on open a host of watering holes for BJ's youngsters (I always loved Nanjie, btw), while the latter focused on building up the Bar Street, Back Street, which was truly a wasteland ~5 years ago.

Gaolei is a nice guy and well deserving of his wealth. Furthermore, I sort of believe him when he claims they don't buy fake booze, though JW Blue for y30 a glass just doesn't pencil in my world.

In closing, at 34, I like to think that I've graduated from their target market, but I have to admit that those places still offer tons of excitement, even for older chaps like myself... certainly cooler than Susie Wong's (which was amazing during its first year.... before the business traveler set displaced the cool people, btw).

anacapamalibu

Time to stay in with the old folks play mahjong 麻将 and sip tea.

Peter_N-H

Would that happen to be the Tianjin Art Museum that used to be in the French administration building? The last time I was there the collection was small, but well worth viewing, and included a splendid scrolled landscape painting. I heard the museum had now moved.

It also used to be possible to do an interesting alley walk through the areas that were home to some of China's earliest industrial activity, visiting the Sān Tiáo Lìshǐ Bówùguǎn (museum) with its mouldering Victorian-era machinery (could sometimes be hard to wake up the caretaker to let you in), a small mosque, and places serving Tianjin's famous snacks (not just gǒubùlǐ but also ěrduǒyǎn, deep-fried rice snacks filled with sweet bean paste, eaten hot). But I dare say, from what I saw on my last rather hasty visit, much of that area has been flattened.

The Guangdong Guildhall and Theatre Museum, in the centre of the old Chinese city, with its well-preserved traditional opera theatre is well worth a view.

Best of all, though, is the Shí Jiā Dàyuán, about 16km west of the city centre, which is a multi-courtyard merchant's mansion of considerable extravagance, to rival some of the better-known examples in the Shanxi countryside around Pingyao.

If business takes you there from Taipei, this is well worth getting out to see.

Peter N-H
China