It was no surprise when we finally arrived to the port in Tianjin, China, that is was going to be cold. Not only cold, but hazy….like a sun haze not necessarily fog. Perhaps smog, it blocked the sun keeping the temperature down most of the day.
Going to breakfast at 7:30am like always, we had the pleasure of watching the procedure of hooking up the port's gangway to deck two. For a change, we were docked portside, the same side that the Pinnacle Grill is located. It was apparent that the gangway was not going to reach the ship, and then it became obvious that it was not working at all. First there were three local dock workers, then there were six….all of whom were looking to solve the problem. The gangway tube was suspended in the air and not capable of extending enough to reach us.
In the meantime, the guests were gathering in the lobby on deck two, just like we are always told not to. Kimberly had to come on the speakers telling folks to "go away" in a nice way, and come back when we were hooked up. As it turned out, the gangway had to be moved to deck three and by the time it was working, we had lost almost an hour. The tours to Beijing would be leaving late. We are sure the folks who had made independent excursions were on pins and needles knowing their connections were waiting (or not) outside the terminal. By the time it was announced we were cleared, the thundering herd made their way to the terminal.
When the ship was being docked, there were three ladies playing a drum and percussion instruments on the pier. The sound of their music traveled for miles. We left the ship after 10am, finding our way through the massive cruise terminal. We spotted many ads for Royal Caribbean Cruises on the walls, so they must do a lot of stops here with their mega-ships. Coming through some doors, we had our passport copies checked, then a trip through the xray. Before leaving for the parking lot, there was the same group of Chinese ladies playing their instruments, as well as a group of fellows with the dragon outfit. They hammed it up while we took many photos. They really liked that.
Two coaches were outside the terminal to take folks to a rural area of Tianjin. These were complimentary rides to the TEDA Aeon Mall, a three story structure with hundreds of stores and restaurants. The 30 minute ride there gave us a chance to see the scenery of brown acreage of an industrial town. There were dozens of high rise apartment buildings surrounding this mall, so this must be the spot where they all go for food and supplies and entertainment. We were informed that the main part of downtown Tianjin was another ½ hour away. With a population of almost 16 million people, these cities are massive.
We entered this older-style mall through a side door, and hoped we remembered how to get out to catch the bus back. The last shuttle would be at 9pm this evening, but we would be back way before that. Here is an interesting fact…..there is a curfew at the cruise terminal where at 11pm, the gangway is disconnected from the pier, and no one is allowed off or on until 5:30am the following day. If you missed the bus or came back late, you would have to find a hotel for the night. And there is nothing anywhere close to this terminal…certainly no hotels.
Starting at the huge supermarket, Aeon, we checked out every department in the market, finding the meat and poultry section the most interesting. Some of the pork and beef items were wrapped, weighed, and priced. However, much of it was not covered at all. The poultry section was one place you would think to see everything covered with saran wrap. Not so. There was an open bin where the local shoppers dipped their hands in the chicken wings, and placed what they wanted in a plastic bag. No gloves or tongs were used. Then the bags were handed to a checker who weighed them and put a price on the bag. We suspect that cooking these wings will kill any bacteria. The produce section looked much more civilized. Each and every piece of fruit had its own wrapper. And each piece of fruit is charged by the piece not by the pound. This is the first place we have seen durian fruit sold. We bet that the crew, who loves this delicacy, are forbidden to bring it onboard due to the unsavory aroma. The strawberries looked wonderful, but pricey. Much of the food products sold here are foreign to us, and it does not help to read labels as everything is printed in Mandarin. The bakery departments need no explaining as they looked divine. Again, pricey.
Exiting the supermarket, we went into the core of the mall. The lower level had the most restaurants. We did see Starbuck's, KFC, McDonalds, and even a Pizza Hut. Watching two girls making the pizzzas, we noticed there was no red sauce. The toppings with the exception of the cheese were not what we are familiar with. And looking in the window of Pizza Hut, no one was eating pizza. The food was tailored more to the Asian population. Even on a Monday, most of the smaller cafes were filling with local customers.
The second level had most of the clothing stores, electronics, and more restaurants in the form of buffets. There was a food court where people bought from the buffets and ate in the center. One place had a type of pot built into the center of a round table. We watched as some diners put raw shrimp and other items into boiling water in these pots, then put it on their plates. They were cooking noodles and soups tableside. Some venues had burners in the center and you cooked your own food. The biggest restaurants had the cooks working behind windows, so we could watch what they were doing. Several cafes were making fresh dumplings with different fillings, while one fellow was cooking in a wok full of hot oil. He tossed whole dried Thai peppers with onions into the wok, cooked them briefly, then added them to three bowls of soup. Bet those were hot as ever. We had more fun watching this an hour must have gone by before we left the food courts.
Many venues were created for little kids such as an arcade of coin machines where they can get toys. We even saw a bank of machines to get snacks like chips and cookies along with a variety of drinks. We even saw a go cart arena near the furniture store. We never did find any suitable place for lunch, so we ended up going back to the bus for the ride back. It was burgers and fries for us, which was perfect.
There were a few excursions offered here today such as an overnight to Beijing and the highlights for $800. Two longer tours that took in the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, or the Forbidden City were up to 12 hours for $210. We recall that the ride to Beijing took all of 3 ½ hours one way. Really long day, and that's why when we were here the first time in 2002, we stayed overnight. Back then it was $500 per person and we saw everything. For those who wanted to see more of Tianjin, there were excursions there for $100 to $160 for 5 to 9 hours. A transfer to Tianjin with no tour was $80 for 8 hours. From there, you would be on your own. The free shuttle worked for many of us that have been here before.
Dinner was quick tonight since some of the guests were absent. We had our usual Caesar salads, shrimp cocktail, and a bowl of cabbage and bacon soup. It sure was good……served nice and hot. Mains were one chicken entrée and a sliced tenderloin with risotto. One of us was going to ask for a fresh sliced banana, but our waiter talked us into getting the banana with some mint chip ice cream. Intending for us to share, he brought two ramakins with hot chocolate syrup. Sort of forgot one of us does not like mint chip, but nothing went to waste as it was finished to the last bite.
There was a movie in the World Stage, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Doubt there will be a whole lot of people there.
One more day in Tianjin and we will be heading out of mainland China and to Hong Kong….one of our favorite places to go.
Bill & Mary Ann
