Tianjin

We went on our first mini vacation with Hink a few weeks ago. We took the speed train to Tianjin on Friday afternoon. It took about 30 minutes to get there. It was kind of a spur of the moment trip. Nick had to go there for work one day and enjoyed it so we went back. It is always nice to get out of Beijing for a little while. Even though Tianjin is still a busy city it didn't feel near as hectic as Beijing.

We stayed at the Astor Hotel there. It was beautiful. It is almost 150 years old and back when it was first built it was used for a lot of diplomatic purposes (the American consulate was established there for a long time). The hotel had a museum downstairs that was fun to walk around. It showed pictures of all the famous people who have stayed there over the years, showed how the rooms would have been decorated and included the menu from Christmas dinner in 1949. Nick said he had never heard of anything on the menu.

After we laid around for a bit we went out to explore Tianjin. We found a yummy restaurant for dinner and then walked along the river outside the hotel. The next morning we explored some of the other buildings around the hotel, then checked out the Italian district before heading home. We got back just in time to catch a taxi before the crazy rainstorms that caused massive floods in Beijing started.

The train

Picture in the hotel museum. Ulysses S. Grant when he stayed a the Astor.

We really wanted to ride in the elevator.

Outside the hotel at night.

An old church in Tianjin

The Italian District

We had a great time and will definitely be going back to Tianjin. It was a great way to escape Beijing without having to travel for hours with Hink.