Blow by Blow- 13 march

13/3/2011

Sunday at last in Tianjin. Usually it’s the day for visiting grandparents in my house, so everybody goes over there for lunch. Everything would most probably remain the way it is, just that I’m not there as well. It’s amazing how one small difference can change everything.

But it’s these little things that change as much as the people next to us. everything may appear to be the same on the surface. But when the cover’s gone you’d be surprised to find out what lies underneath

Went to a shopping street today. We took a bus from a busstop outside the school, and a 45 min bus ride later, we reached the street, which has great resemblance to singapore’s Chinatown during the Chinese new year period: Very, very crowded.

宾江道 AKA Tianjin Orchard Road. There are many people who go there, just that us Singaporeans go there a bit too often, to the extent that some of the shopkeepers have driven us out of their stores for cutting too much business from them. Otherwise, they give us special rates for bringing in customers. 

Traffic flows in one direction here. Towards the parking lots. Nobody seems in a hurry to leave. That's why we take public transport around here. Don't want to be caught in a jam.

Shopping street! Plenty of small shopping arcades around, but no big scale malls like vivocity, but plenty of them like Far East Plaza and Bugis Street. Many small shops in the area, great if you're looking for small labels and unique clothes. 

I got to admit, I’m not a big fan of shopping, and I prefer to do research before actually buying anything or visiting the shops. But I pretty much enjoyed myself there, given the number of shops which sell rather interesting items. I bought 2 暴力熊s cause I thought they were really, really unique.

My group decided to do a little detour and we ended up on the food street in the area. The street sold literally nothing except food, and there were a wide variety of food there. After trying many of the food sold, we asked around for directions to get to a mosque a few streets away.

I was sold on the idea of walking to the mosque, because we had to cut through many of the back lanes and quiet streets to get to it. Walking to the mosque was long, but it provided much insight to the life of ordinary citizens in Tianjin, living in an old estate area and getting on with their own lives. The pace of life seems relaxed and not so stressful, compared to Singapore, where everything has a deadline stamped across it.

I think that should be the way of life. Slow down your steps to see small achievements you have accomplished, savior the process of hard work, and look forward to the future. 

Food street! I don't know how I managed to walk through this whole crowd. Probably by pushing, shoving and having a lot of my friends to walk together. Thinking back, this was probably the best fun I ever had walking through such a crowd. 

A "bicycle taxi", where a bicycle is used in place of a driver's seat and passengers still get on board. Best tried if you're game for something less than ordinary. 

Man sitting in a glass shelter.Seems sad? I don't know him, so I can't say why he was sitting there. I think it's kinda sad though. 

Pillars outside unopened shop fronts. Feels really old.

A owner walking his rather puny looking dog. It yapped at me when I tried to take its photo. How fun is that. It looks really cute:)

Blurred picture of a small clothing shop on the streets. I don't know why it's blurred, probably because my hand was shaking when I took it. Shop looks really cute on the outside.

I don't know this guy. I honestly don't. He came into my picture by accident. 

Outside the mosque, on the streets. I cannot resist taking a photo of my favorite car^^.

Last picture! China's acceptance to other religions is commendable. Mosque in foreground, large residential blocks at the back. This is downtown living.