Photos from Tianjin

Finally, some action. And by action, I of course mean pictures. Sorry for the delay - Blogspot formatting is pretty terrible. Click for high-res versions. These were all taken while I was in Tianjin, just south of Beijing. As of today I'm back to Qinghua University and hopefully I'll be able to share pictures of my home campus more quickly than you saw these.

The bridge in Tianjin that leads into Italian district. The river is called the Hai He or Hai River, and runs approximately from the northwest to the southeast with plenty of curves. Mandi's apartment is about a ten minute bike ride south of here.

Me standing on the bridge. Looking at the background, I think riverfront construction might be a big deal these days. Since I walked along the Hai He in 2006 this part of the city has changed completely - from old buildings in various states of decay and demolition with lots of open rubble piles to either new construction or the various new riverwalks. Sweeping away the past, but I'm sure it's hard to argue with a wide, attractively landscaped future.

The old and the new. At one point riding back into Beijing, I realized that every single skyscraper that I could see, covering my entire field of view through the window, was grey and green like this one - an entire skyline under construction.

The famous bicycles of China are becoming less common, though there are still plenty. Mandi and I have become reasonably competent at riding two to a bike on hers over the last couple days.

A statue of Beethoven (bei duo fen) headlines this small, music-themed sculpture garden at the south entrance to the Italian district.

Mandi’s self-photography skills have not lessened in Asia.

Mandi’s sweet bike on the promenade.

We biked through the Italian district, which is to say that Mandi lugged my chubby self for about 10 blocks. Didn’t really stop for picture time, but here is one with both some typical Western-style residences and the ubiquitous “no dropping things with your chopsticks while eating” sign.

The requisite pedestrian retail street. Not quite Shanghai but good for a stroll.

The world’s most intensely fat baby. Sorry she’s a bit blurry - Mandi was pretending to take my picture. The noodles were good but the chicken had a bit too much bone for us newly-arrived Westerners.

Pictures soon, I swear.  

Broad generalizations from my limited experience. Cities. Real cities...not suburbs or exurbs or large towns. American cities at night tend toward the majestic. The Chicago lakefront, Manhattan, even someplace like Cincinnati from across the Ohio River. Tall buildings, regular windows, simply present - masses rising up in the darkness, streets cutting through them carrying the flows of cars. On the other hand, European cities at night seem to me enchanting. The low buildings and winding streets, lights illuminating a centuries-old fountain or church. Even a couple lanes of curving traffic can't dull the Plaza Mayor or the aroma of a Parisian restaurant.

Chinese cities, having been subject to the physical colonization of Europe and the cultural colonization of the United States, have elements of both. Tianjin's Italian district, or the gleaming towers of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai, for instance. But above all, Chinese cities at night are exuberant. They're filled with flashing, shifting lights - entire walls of buildings lit up like the Vegas Strip. The organized chaos of traffic adds to the effect, sparks coming together in swarms and just as quickly splitting apart. Think of the iconic Bird's Nest Olympic stadium, aglow in red - straining outward and showing off.

And lots more too, of course, from the rusting industrial to walls and gates built five hundred years ago. But it seems to me that, with good reason, exuberance is where they're headed.

From the Beijing cabby file:

"So what do Americans eat besides steak, bread and milk?"

"Um, lots of things..." *Chapter 14 of first year Chinese flashes before my eyes*

"What, like McDonald's and KFC?"

I made my way down to Tianjin yesterday to see Mandi, who has a (really nice!) apartment in the dead center of town near the Hai River. I get in the cab in Beijing thinking, "Hey, I took this train before, I know what I'm doing...'To Beijing Station, sir!'" But lo and behold, they have a new train between Tianjin and Beijing that runs at 340 km/h and gets you there in 30 minutes of ride time for an eight dollar ticket. The same cab driver who was confused about American eating habits helpfully informed me that I actually wanted to go to the *new* train station, which was built since I was here in 2006. This runs to the still under construction new station in Tianjin, of course. I can't say I envy the young female employees assigned to attempt to herd the Chinese into lines, though. 

This morning Mandi and I hit the local grocery store. Blueberry potato chips. Delicious. 

Thanks for all of your comments so far!

Hello all.  I safely arrived in China last night and spent today moving into the foreign student dorm at Qinghua.  It's a decent enough facility and I'm glad to be on campus.  Unfortunately, I get the feeling that I'm living in the North Campus (UM) of Qinghua - unattractive modern architecture, far away and lots of foreign students.  That's ok though.  Parts of this university are really beautiful, with a canal cutting through it that allows for some lovely bridges, overhanging trees etc. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance to get my camera out. 

I did buy a cell phone today, so if you absolutely must reach me you can do so at (86) (151)  0160-5044.  The commercial area just outside of Qinghua (basically Wudaokou) has a nice mix of stuff.  I had lunch at a bakery...some sort of bruschetta sandwich that has yet to be invented in the US I think.  Delicious after the airplane food.  

We drove through the Olympic park on my way to the university with everything lit up. Even more stunning than on TV - I look forward to getting over there as well.  Beijing has been very un-Beijing like so far with pouring rain, fewer cars (though still plenty) and cleanish air, though I'm no atmospheric scientist.    

I'm waiting next to the elevator in my hotel this morning with this Chinese guy and his son who looks about 12, pondering the fact that I have no idea how to say "check out," what to do to get a cab on this back alley or where I'm going on the Qinghua campus.  "You study English - ask him something," says the Dad.  "I'm not prepared," responds his son.  Yeah kid, me either.

Hello dear friends and family. This journal will be my main way of posting updates on my time at Qinghua University to the outside world, and I hope some of you enjoy reading it. I'll try to offer things of more interest than my daily activities, though I'll probably talk some about that as well. I don't expect to update much more than once a week. My ego isn't yet so big as to expect your constant readership, but drop me a note once in awhile if only to help me keep up on my English :)

To be brief, I leave Tuesday at 3pm and am all set to move into the Qinghua foreign student dorm the day after I arrive. I'm excited to finally get going and to spend some real time in this place that I've studied for so long. Thanks to everyone that I've seen over the last few days for dinner, basketball, video games, general hanging out and every other form of farewell amusement. I'll look forward to seeing you all next summer.