Description:
Built in 514 BC, Suzhou is an ancient city with a 2500 years' history. The unique characteristics of the past are still retained in the present-day Suzhou. The layout of Suzhou, with "the streets and rivers go side by side while the water and land routes run in parallel", is basically preserved intact.
Suzhou is located in the south of Jiangsu Province.
Since almost 40% area of the city is covered by water, including a vast number of ponds and streams, Suzhou is praised as the "Oriental Venice". Suzhou is also well-known for its beautiful gardens: those gardens attained high reputation not only for their large number but rather for their beauty and their harmonious creation.
First thing that you have to know is that on this day (the 30st of March) it was the begin of one week holidays which was starting for Chinese people. You have to be there to believe it: the crowd of people as well sitting as standing persons in the train. Sometimes happens that you have to stand for the whole distance if you didn't catch your ticket really early. I didn't take any pictures on the outward bound but for the return it was mandatory to take some pictures (we just had to stand up within the entire return voyage therefore it was quiet funny). Our departure from Shanghai was about 6:00 in the morning, so we woke up early (which is not that early for Chinese people) and met at the Shanghai Railway Station (上海站)
Huqiu Park - 虎丘公园 - Tiger Hill:
As we arrived there, we went to the KFC to have a little breakfast. It was raining like cats and dogs out there and we wished the weather would be better but we were in a hurry to discover this new landscape. First visit in the morning was the Tiger Hill (Huqiu Park - 虎丘公园). It was a shame that the weather was so bad because it has some of the most famous gardens in Suzhou. Anyway although we had to use our umbrellas all the time, we entirely visited this place; just have a look at the pictures and you will see how beautiful it is! Large gardens with colourful flowers, amazing buildings (most of the time there were tombs of either a rich person, poets or famous Chinese people).
Canglang Ting - 沧浪 - The Pavillon of Calm Waves
The oldest of Suzhou's classical gardens, the Pavilion of Calm Waves (Canglang Ting, I didn't find the right name in Chinese but as soon as I will get it, I will add it into the subtitle) has perhaps the most natural mood. It incorporates a nearby canal, a small wooded hill, and an almost maze-like arrangement of walkways, groves, and walls to create a feeling of great size, natural calm. The weather became less cloudy and we could enjoy this a little better. We first have had a walk through this garden, through the traditionnal buildings. We also have had the pleasure to see a little show from Chinese figurants in traditionnal clothes accompagnied by Chinese music. Then we went back by boat on the river and enjoyed a cup of jasmin tea before leaving this place.
Finally we wanted to go inside the ZhuoZheng Garden (拙政园) but it was too late because we had to return to the railway station at 16:00 pm. Anyway, we especially have to thank our Vietnamese friend Phuong who guided us the whole day in SuZhou and made us the entire trip easier (she cared about everything, it was perfect)!
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