BlaringSmelly

Suzhou (蘇州)
Before coming to China, I was already very much looking forward to this portion of the tour. I grew up reading poem and stories of Suzhou. The thought of visiting what was romanticized for hundreds of years was simply too good to be true.

Hanshan Temple (寒山寺) and its surrounding area were very well maintained. But I can’t help but wonder how much were the original remaining.

For those whom enjoyed being pampered, massage in China are a heck of a deal. Different from spa massage, Chinese foot message is about stimulating acupuncture points for healing and health benefits. This technique can be applied to the entire body. I am not a fan of massage but am curious why people like it so much. While in Suzhou, we were taken to a foot massage center right off a busy street. The center has over 200 masseurs working 13 hours a day, 7 days a week. Personally I found the experience painful and nerve breaking. I had to constantly reminding my masseur to go easy on me. The masseurs at the center were probably too young to master the techniques.

The hotel we stayed at Suzhou was Sheraton Suzhou Hotel and Tower. It made up for the disappointing accommodation in Wuxi. Looking out from any hotel window was this stunning view of Chinese garden built exclusively for hotel guests.

Wuzhen (烏鎮)
The water town of Wuzhen turned out to be the highlight of this trip. The unearthed cultural relic revealed people began living in the area as early as 7,000 years ago. The town itself has 1,800 years of history.

Time seems to have stopped here in Wuzhen. Walking on the ancient stone-paved street, we were surrounded by aged houses and shops well-preserved from its original forms. And the sounds and scents of local residents living their everyday life – the cling-clanks of mahjong pieces hitting each other; the splashing of water from a bucket; the smell of wine aging in wine jars…. This place felt more real than anywhere we’ve being to during this trip.

Hangzhou (杭州)
Hangzhou has something new and something old. And that makes it special. We didn’t have the fortune to spend more time there.

December night in Hangzhou required heavy winter gears. That’s how we dressed to attend Impression West Lake, a show performed outdoor in the beautiful West Lake. With Zhang Yimou onboard as one of the director-in-chiefs, the show maintained certain esthetic quality that brought spectacular experience to the audience. People watching the show were quite stingy with applause even at the end of this outstanding performance.

According to the tour guide, dining at Lou Wai Lou was a big deal. Only the rich or the government officials have such privilege. Few years ago ktula traveled to Hangzhou and also dined in Lou Wai Lou. He was happy to return to the restaurant. He can try more dishes this time than the last time when he was here by himself.

My dad’s schoolmate Mr. Liang joined us for lunch. They go way back, more than 65 years. During the meal, dad shared their fond moments in school and as roommates. After lunch, Mr. Liang left quickly with tearful eyes. Over decades of friendship is indeed something to be cherished for.