As evening fell, it was time to head back by coach, along a fast expressway toward downtown Tianjin. For part of the route, the road paralleled both the Binhai elevated metro line and a high-speed rail - the latter connecting Binhai's futuristic-looking railway station at Yujiapu with the city center in only 22 minutes. From the bus, I looked south to the lights of Yujiapu's high-rise skyline at the heart of Binhai's growing financial district. Soon, more familiar landmarks appeared as we crossed the Haihe River via one of Tianjin's numerous brightly illuminated bridges to arrive within part of a former international concession area. There, on Yingkou Road, fittingly our final dinner would be of sumptuous, delicious local dumplings and traditional Tianjin savories served in a popular, indeed famed restaurant surrounded by history.

Early next morning, we would be heading off by rail, south to Suzhou, where another chapter in this journey of discovery would begin.

Bruce Connolly was a participant on a recent International Media Tour, 'A Date with China' organized by China Daily