Shanghai -> Tour to Suzhou & Cruise on Grand Canal -> Shanghai Weather in Shanghai: Cloudy & overcast, Suzhou: Cold & cloudy
We get up at 6 AM and shower. Down to breakfast at 7. Start our tour to Suzhou at 8. It is known as the “Venice of the East”. It is a two hour bus trip to Suzhou. And if you know me, it is important to know the following word in any language!
It was nice to make a stop here on our way.
Our first adventure in Suzhou is to go on a boat ride on the Grand Canal.
These are our “gondolas”.They row and guide the boat with this one row , that balances on a small ball.This is the boat in front of us. The rower is female and she sings as she rows.The canal winds through the town.This is an old town. No skyscrapers here.
After the boat ride we walk along the local shops on Pingjiang Road and through narrow side streets. It is more interesting to me than the BIG city.
This is a mouse trap, found all along the side streets.
We enjoy just walking and seeing the sights.
In this shop a lady is making individual pastries each by hand.All along the walk along the canal there are young couples dressed in traditional dress having their pre-wedding photos taken.(This one is for you Nick!) In one little shop there was this high end bike with frame made from bamboo.This dragon was at the entrance to a little shopping area.
Next we go to lunch as a group, and then onto the Garden of the Master of the Nets, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the way I am still interested by all the bikes and scooters.
All the electric scooters outside a market and KFC.Scooters with their warm blankets for your hands and legs.This was part of lunch, an entire fish, served whole. I tried almost everything, that was the nice part of having a lot of meals served family style – you could try a lot of different foods. Garden of the Master.Interesting tree at parking area.Scotty guides us through the Garden. Scotty’s native name is Pan Rui (pronounced Ray), which means “wisdom”.Sedan chair, made of mahogany.The garden is very pretty and full of carvings,Rock work, this one of a crane,Other rock and plant arrangements,BambooPonds, buildings and trees starting to bloomAnda cute little Chinese boy! ( Rick to the right)
As we leave, we buy four very pretty Chinese pictures done in silk thread, machine embroidery. We will probably use them as placemats under the glass on the dining table.
Then it was the return trip on the bus to Shanghai. We get back at 5:15 PM and put on more warm clothes and go out again at 6:15 with our tour guide. Only 12 people go. We take the experience of taking the busy subway back to the “Bund” to see it with all of its lights at night. What an experience! The crowds of people are unbelievable. Navigating through some of the 25 million people in Shanghai, plus all the tourists. And Frank tells us this is a quiet night. The rain has stopped and the clouds lifted so we can see the top of the skyscrapers this time. It is pretty with all of them with lights.
Getting a quick lesson in buying a subway ticket.The crowds and the buildings across the river all lit up.This time we can see the top of the world’s second tallest building and the one next to it (blue) that they call the “bottle opener”.The twosome in front of “Little Ben” in the Bund with the night lights, to end our time in Shanghai!
We take the subway back to the hotel and make it into bed by 9:30.
