Get happy in Tianjin
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Tianjin Ancient Culture Street
This 22,000 square-meter area of two- story buildings was designed in Ming and Qing dynasty styles. Tourists can pick up antiques and traditional folk products like clay sculptures, New Year paintings, kites and chinaware, all in Tianjin style. It's worth visiting for a taste of local culture, but don't forget to bargain hard.
Address: Ancient Culture Street, North of the Drum Tower, Nankai Street
Architecture and entertainment
Tianjin is the cradle of cross talk, spawning performers like Guo Degang. Locals enjoy visiting teahouses to sit on long benches, sip tea and eat melon seeds for two hour stretches of laughter at 20 to 30 yuan a pop. You may not get the jokes, but it's still a good chance to enjoy some of Tianjin's infectious happiness.
Mingliu Teahouse
Address: F2, Heping Culture Palace, Heping District
Tel: 022-27116382
Colonial architecture is a unique feature of Tianjin - check the "wudadao" or five main streets, for an eyeful.
Machangdao is lined by about 300 Italian and Japanese-style houses, many of which have semi-underground Western-style bars and restaurants with good music. The food is not exquisite, but nor is any of it expensive, so feel free to walk right in. More architecture awaits on 300 meters of Munan Road, as well as Dali and Chang De Roads (about 1,500 meters long each), home to the former dwellings of celebrities like the last emperor of Qing Dynasty. For higher-end Cantonese-style restaurants, check out Chongqing Dao.
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