Suzhou

Suzhou is a middling size town (about the population of NZ) famous for its gardens. It is also apparently known for the beauty of its ladies. I must look particularly susceptible as I have been approached by 6 different gentlemen offering the massage services of (presumably) their lady friends.

Apart from that, I've had a wander and it looks very pleasant. I've been plotting my next journeys and, sadly, this means I may not see as much of Suzhou as I'd like at this stage. I may come back for a day trip from Shanghai - it isn't far at all. But I think I shall try to stick with my earlier plans no matter the logistical complications. I'm sure you'd want that.

More on ZJ

I have been eating strange food (from fish skin to duck's blood) and local specialities (Yangtze black fish and tofu soup) and enjoying it all splendidly. There has been (my bad) singing at karaoke and yet more steps. It's a pleasant place even if I do feel like a tourist attraction.

Zhenjiang

And so, after a brief, but delightfully comfortable (they sold me a business class ticket, but I really don't mind), train journey I arrived at Zhenjiang. Once again I am imposing myself on the benevolence of locals and having a ball. I'm sure I'll pay for this one day.

We went to the second park in town - on the theory that, if I went to the better one first then I'd be disappointed on day two. Possibly, but it was a very pleasant park: an island in the river from where (at one point) guns protected against the Brits (one for bigbadbob there). It's very dusty at the moment. After all, what kind of idiot would be a tourist in winter? Yeah, yeah, heard it all before...

I think I was tired today - virtually no photo is actually straight (or any good). But here goes.







Nice sunset too.

Dr Sun

I've had my difficulties in Nanjing, but enjoyed every moment of the Sun Mausoleum park. Lots to see and do there. And the weather was nice.

I am getting heartily sick of steps


Did I mention steps?


Nice big pagoda

Another magnificent Buddha

The beamless hall: a wonderful stone building housing various exhibits about the revolutions. The only bloodthirsty savage you'll find here is the waxwork of the British soldier, wielding a dripping sword, fresh from the carnage at the Summer Palace.

From North (Bei) to South (Nan)

Nanjing makes Beijing look sane. It's a crazy, colourful, overpriced, huge, fragmented, inconsistent, fun place. It's hard not to enjoy yourself even when just milling along with the hordes. People just stop for no reason, bully past and generally live absolutely for themselves, but with no malice whatsoever.

The Confucius temple is one of the major drawcards of the town, but ain't all that. Expensive and not very big, with much of the signage being only in Chinese. On that subject, even Pinyin (the alphabeticised written language) is very rare here. Like I say, it is a chaos.

I've finally understood some of my own suggestions, and they aren't all that realistic. For example, I was going to go to Shanghai before Huang Shan, but it is the wrong direction from Nanjing. Dummy. On the bright side, it makes it easier to stay around here for a bit and then head to Shanghai later as planned.

Happy New Year to you all!

I'll just sneak a couple of photos in here while no-one's looking...

Summer Palace in Winter

Cold here today. But thankfully the sun came out, and the massive summer palace complex shone.

It is all set in a delightful park


A boat made of marble. Well the base is. Just another pavilion really, but very interesting.


Another long corridor:

The weather was rather kind-looking


There are lots of interesting places dotted aroundthe palace, such as this very large pavilion and stone bridge


The view across the lake:

Makes a change from lions: a kyrin

The cheesiest grin I've seen in China.


It's early and Forest lost, so maybe I'll be more chatty later.