Mike Peters suggests Davos participants take a relaxing stroll around the city to see the sights.

Whether you are in Tianjin for this week's Davos conference or on a day trip from Beijing, there is a lot afoot in this port city - and you should be, too.

Cooling weather makes it pleasant to stroll along the Hai River and take in the city's European architecture from the concession era.

Clustered along Jiefang Beilu a block from the river, great bank buildings stand like faded royalty on what was once Victoria Road. The former Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China commands one corner at Number 153, clearly in a most-grandiose-pillar contest with about nine other old-money facades nearby.

The massive Citibank Building, which now houses the Agricultural Bank of China, was built in 1918 with a grand interior you can still see during banking hours.

These temples of commerce are just part of the architectural tour locals like to describe as an "outdoor museum". Stonemasons of the day also honed their talents on religious buildings, most notable St Joseph's Cathedral and the Buddhist Monastery of Deep Compassion.

The three green Roman domes of the cathedral, locally known as Xikai Church, dominate the skyline as you walk west from the river.

The biggest church in Tianjin, St Joseph's is the heart of the Chinese Catholic diocese and its square-pillared blue-and-white interior soars to a majestic height of 45m. Built by the French in 1917, the church will install a new pipe organ from the Czech Republic later this year, hoping to expand both the number of visitors and the quality of worship at the church.

Like St Joseph's, the Monastery of Deep Compassion is a protected historical site. Tianjin's most important Buddhist temple is easy to find - it's just east of the massive Ferris wheel .

A large statue of Buddha dominates one hall, while the eyes of a similarly massive, multi-armed Goddess of Mercy or Guanyin follow you around the next hall.

Walk up the road leading to the temple to explore shops jam-packed with religious articles, including books, prayer mats, rosaries, talismans, "Buddhist appliances", incense and gifts.

The Old Town, antique market and Ancient Culture Street offer a familiar hodge-podge of calligraphy, tea sets, chops and similar goods. More unusual is the food street (Shipin Jie), a two-story "mall" of restaurants where you can look out for hot and spicy crabs as well as Tianjin crispy dough twists (mahua) and excellent steamed meat buns (goubuli baozi).

Near the train station, where bullet trains make the 30-minute trip to and from Beijing every half-hour, the Italian-style Town offers higher-end dining with outdoor seating and many beer choices from Germany and elsewhere in Europe. As in most tourist magnets, food is pleasant but overpriced.

(China Daily 09/12/2010 page15)