Winter fishing Haihe River near the 'Tianjin Eye' January 2018. [Photo by Bruce Connolly/chinadaily.com.cn]

Fascinating to watch in winter are the fishermen sitting patiently alongside circular holes in the river's ice cover! This is particularly scenic with a backdrop of the 120 metre high 'Tianjin Eye' ferris wheel. In the evenings, regardless of season, residents come out for dancing and musical performances along by the river shores where once international 19th and early 20th commerce boomed.

To appreciate more of the city and its physical layout it is also worth visiting Tianjin Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. It sits between the river and the 'Italian Style Town'. Formerly the Italian concession the latter has retained many original buildings. Summer or winter, a popular place to dine or stroll in an almost surreal environment.