Posted on by JustJunice

Tianjin at Christmas.

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This time last year, Vincent and I decided to spend a simple Christmas at home. Home being Tianjin at that time, that basically meant enduring -15degC temperatures in China’s north. C-c-c-old as it may seem, (and contrary to what many may believe of the pollution!) Tianjin can actually be really beautiful in the winter, thanks to the river that runs through the heart of the city. Under clear blue skies, the city is brimming with glistening snow and rosy cheeks.

In Northern China, you really don't need complicated equipment to have a good time. Just a stool, and 2 old-fashioned blades.
In Northern China, you really don’t need complicated equipment to have a good time. Just a stool, and 2 old-fashioned blades.

One of the nicest things things about Tianjin is what happens on the river. It usually freezes up for 6 months of the year, and so year-end and Spring Festival seasons in Tianjin promise plenty of ice-skating and ice-fishing opportunities for the locals. But probably nothing as cool as the local swimming folk who seize the opportunity to show off their hot bodies when everybody else is piling on the layers.

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Warm up stunts in action, though not sure how they can warm up without muscles cramping!
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That’s really what I call TUFF.
From Bondi to Beihai - you see the same spirit among the men who brave the ice-cold waters to get a good adrenaline rush.
From Bondi to Beihai – you see the same spirit among the men who brave the ice-cold waters to get a good adrenaline rush.

And of course we turn around, and there you have another kind of rush the Chinese get – that’s from a deck of cards.

FYI: There is actually a Tianjin version of 'chor-dai-dee'!
FYI: There is actually a Tianjin version of chor-dai-dee!

It’s probably strange to only write about this a year after I’ve left, but I have to admit there was so much more I wished I wrote about when it was still fresh in my memory. Now having to rely on my iPhone pics and a terrible memory, I can hardly piece together a decent story! *sniff*

So what I’ll do is just put up more pictures of the winter of 2012 in Tianjin. At least it retains some of the fantastic moments that just came and went.

Great moves with the shuttlecock 毽子 (jian zi)!
Great moves with the shuttlecock 毽子 (jian zi)!IMG_7912
Sunday night - the river near the train station is always crowded with families and lovers spending quality time together. They're always either fishing or skating on the ice in the winter.
Sunday night – the river near the train station is always crowded with families and lovers spending quality time together. They’re always either fishing or skating on the ice in the winter.
Les eschatgots - Our dear cats were always curled up in snail-like positions and huddled together to stay warm
Les eschatgots – Our dear cats were always curled up in snail-like positions and huddled together to stay warm
Noel chez nous! - Romantic enough? :p
Noel chez nous! – Romantic enough? :p
Perfect days in Beijing - Us near the Drum Tower when the air is clean and crisp
Perfect days in Beijing – Us near the Forbidden City (at 前门) when the air is clean and crisp
Our poor unwilling Santas...
Our poor unwilling Santas…
And of course - homemade Xmas cookies from Vincent's mum. She has never failed to ensure we receive these lovelies everywhere in the world. xxx
And of course – homemade Xmas cookies from Vincent’s mum. She has never failed to ensure we receive these lovelies everywhere in the world. xxx

Season’s greetings everybody!

2 Replies to “Tianjin at Christmas.”

  1. Nice report, thank You.
    See You soon in Morges; (I did make a reservation in a local rest, yesterday.)

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