China 2009 Suzhou

China Day 10 – Sunday July 5, 2009

8:30am - On to Suzhou with our Bus and Guide, Joe Jin. We have too many bags already so it’s quite a squeeze.

Another long bus ride, but we were mostly snoozing after another big breakfast – I have to stop these fantastic breakfast buffets every single day. Not enough walking and too much eating.

First stop was a model village, JinXi, a reconstructed canal village, very quaint with little shops on the pedestrian streets with houses over them, and canals behind them. Quite extensive for a little village in the middle of nowhere. The usual souvenirs for sale: quilts, pearls, fans, even furniture. Didn’t buy anything, although I like the combs, so next chance I will buy one.

Then another big lunch at a super-fancy restaurant in a gated condo compound, all very modern with the garden walkways wonderfully laid out with turns so that the evil spirits don’t go in straight and with planters of gorgeous flowers on the sides next to the lake. And an even better lunch with new kinds of food. The Chinese are very inventive with food and must have hundreds of ways to cook the same things.

Back to the Bus and on to Suzhou, but first stop at another gated compound of very western style houses (think upscale Westchester) and visit to cousins of Joe Jin’s who had one house with modern furnishings and the business partner who spoke English very well. They both made it big from nothing, in fact they were factory workers under the bad Communist years 30 years ago when all the schools were closed for ten years. But they studied and read on their own, and started their successful businesses, one an export company (now also imports) and the other a factory. Their big customer is IKEA!!

Our Bus somehow made it through the narrow winding streets of this town, and then we stopped at another restaurant for dinner. It seems as though we are constantly eating, with bus rides in between.

8:30pm Finally made it to our hotel, the Bamboo Grove Hotel in Suzhou—very spiffy place, and FREE internet. Had to pay for the last hotel, but the first one was free. Wonder why.

Straight to bed as we were all totally wiped out.

http://www.bg-hotel.com/E_web/index.html


China Day 11 – Monday July 6, 2009

Another 14 hour day—where to begin?

8:30am call to the Bus, and relatively short trip to the “Humble Administrator’s Garden” which was hardly humble, that being a misleading name for such an immense and fascinating garden, but humble is a relative term in old China. It is huge, with winding trails and bridges and pavilions around several small lakes or ponds, with rocks and flowers everywhere. Even a non-garden person like me could enjoy it. Of course one of our members got lost in there, since the person who shall not be named just wandered off alone, whereas I stuck with the guide until we found the exit. Naturally there were shops all around the exit, so we had time to browse around.

Then on to a short visit to a Silk Museum, where they showed the process of making silk, from the worm to the cocoon and the threads and the weaving. Interesting were the LIVE worms chomping away on the mulberry leaves. Would make nice pets, although they eat a lot. And of course a big shop at the end of the small museum, but very nice clothing. I bought a scarf that’s all, for 70 yuan (or RMB now), so it was around $10.

Another great lunch although I’m getting my foods and places all mixed up. Hard to keep track since the food always looks different and unlike anything I’ve eaten anywhere. And I’m eating too much of it, so am gaining weight. Not good. Have to stop, but it’s so yummy we’re all chowing down even though it seems that all we do is go from feast to feast.

After lunch we went to see the canal and old city section, but it was too hot to walk up to the Pagoda tower, so only three people went, and the rest of us came back by bus to the hotel.

Then we had an appointment with some doctors at the city hospital, and they showed us the maternity and child care wards, very colorful and nice; this section had a children’s museum in it very like those in the U.S. and in fact from a U.S. designer. We also saw the intensive care unit with all modern equipment for the tiniest of babies that we watched from a window.

We were going to go to the top of the pagoda on Tiger Hill, symbol of Suzhou, but it was unbearably hot and humid, so we just drove near it, and three people stayed to climb to the top, but the rest of us went back to the hotel on the Bus.

Then dinner (didn’t we just eat lunch?) in a restaurant in the pedestrian zone, although we went near there by bus. And after that, a boat ride on the canal, which was very fine, with many little buildings lit up like a festival. A Chinese opera singer entertained us on the boat, and it sounded a bit strange. We will see an opera in Beijing.

So finally the end of another great day.


China Day 12 – Tuesday July 7, 2009

First we went to the Suzhou Technical and Vocational University, a brand new place out in the University Center, all very modern. China is very proud of the training they are providing to the former unskilled labor force. First things they learn are to follow directions, show up on time, listen to the boss, etc. There is training in mechanics, nursing, etc. There was an excellent furniture museum in the library top floor, with all Ming furniture as Suzhou is the original home of the Wu culture and the Ming dynasty, so they are justly proud of it. The library was very up-to-date, with modern seating and computers, and a million e-books they said. That is very impressive if accurate.

It was raining most of the day, so the trip to the Wang Shan Ecological Village and farm was cut short; we took a bus ride around it instead. Then another nice lunch at the edge of a huge lake.

After lunch we went to the Suzhou Higher Education Development Center, a think-tank type of center for scholars and all sorts of students, and it is in the huge modern university town outside Suzhou covering acres and acres with many colleges located there. Apparently Suzhou wasn’t granted a research university, so the city started this instead. We visited the gym building with the usual stuff and a huge rock-climbing wall (have pix for Alexi), as well as a martial arts center with huge swords. Their library was again fantastic and modern, five floors with one floor for e-stuff, with 1.4 million e-books shared with the National Library. Using their resources is free on their computers, but they have to pay for the internet surfing, same as other schools, 1 yuan per hour, very minimal, 15 cents. There is wireless for your own laptops.

After this (!) we went to a small govt. embroidery factory and store, with people doing the finest silk thread embroidery by hand. I bought my first souvenir, a panel with blue leaves (of course).

Back for a brief rest, then out to a tea house for the tea ceremony, which is just more food, but different foods, and discussion with some teachers invited to talk with us about their education policies and methods. A nice walk back to the hotel, as the rain cooled things down quite a bit.


China Day 13 – Wednesday July 8, 2009

Supposedly a free day, but not really, as the day was full, with only a few free hours. We did get started later though, at 10am instead of the usual 8am. We went with our Bus back to the area of the Suzhou Technical and Vocational University, this time to visit the School of Art and Design workshop for wood-cutting. They were making beautiful prints as well as carving some new wood. We were able to buy some prints, right from the workshop.

Then we went to the Suzhou Museum -- a spectacular building by I.M.Pei who is a native from here. He fused the traditional type buildings with his modern manner. There were two wings for the display rooms, with pavilions in between, both inside and in the outdoor courtyard with pond and rock garden. All were in the white-washed Suzhou style with grey or black slate trim. http://www.szmuseum.com/szbwgen/html/xw/2006/0930/157.html

Another nice lunch but very different food from a different area. Then back for a few hours rest, and a last trip to the nearby Garden of the Nets, where they had entertainers in each room, some actors, singers, musicians, dancer, as we walked from room to room to watch. A cool stroll back to the hotel where we gathered in the lobby bar with its two girl singers and we had some drinks and snacks, avoiding a big dinner as we had eaten quite a lot lately.


To Nanjing