Tianjin / beijing

[bcummin]

Has anyone explored the TANGGU area? That is where the Tianjin shuttle bus took us to the AEON mall in 2014.

DH and I enjoyed two days in Beijing in 2007 with our travel agent. Wonderful memories.

We enjoyed the HAL Tianjin city tour one day and the mall shuttle the other day in 2014.

Much of the port area was reclaimed land with new roads, buildings, landscaping, and trees, yet feeling deserted, The mall itself was enjoyable, especially the downstairs department store with a grocery store. Totally Chinese. Now our toy box has an abacus for grandchildren to play with. There were lots of restaurants, and I found a tempting food court on the very top floor. By the time I found DH, he was already eating at McDonalds. While looking for DH, I walked outside the mall and found a landscaped pond area and rather new city buildings in the distance. It also felt deserted, except for a lone truck vegetable vendor at the side of the street.

Has anyone walked around and explored the city around the mall?

 

My internet research has found Dagu/Taku Fort & Museum, Chaoyin Temple, and Beitang Ancient Town in the general port area. If they are worth seeing, a taxi might be the answer? My Chinese is limited to "hello" and "thank you." We do know that some Chinese rip offs need to be avoided. (In Shanghai, do not accept an invitation from a stranger to a tea ceremony.)

Has anyone visited any of these tourist sites?

Has anyone enjoyed the HAL transfer to Tianjin City to explore on your own?

I remember no tourist information available in the Tianjin Cruise Terminal. They did offer some nice shopping, handy for spending the last of the local currency.

We are still trying to decide what we want to do at Tianjin.

Your opinions are welcome.

Thank you.

 

Barbara