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... I should not
have made fun of people's bowel problems
yesterday. I have now been struck by
a mysterious bug and Imodium is a necessity.
At least we got a long lie in (till
7:30!). After a light breakfast we got
on the coach at 9.00 to see the delights
of Suzhou guided by Pan and Cindy. |
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Our first port
of call was the Lingering Gardens
- a play on words: the owner's name
means "lingering" and one
is meant to linger there. We did indeed
have quite a long stay - 1 1/2 hours.
Lots of hard landscaping and building,
relieved by trees and bamboo, but
little planting. Nevertheless, it
was very beautiful and tranquil (despite
us and groups of Germans and Japanese
trooping round at the same time...)
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There was also a
very large Bonsai collection. |
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Pan gave us a
lesson on Chinese gardens, in particular
the rocks. Gardens must contain buildings,
water, rocks and trees (nothing else
being thought essential). Pan explained
that the rocks were considered beautiful
if they were slim, rough, had holes
and were self cleaning. |
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Back to the coach and on to the factory
- the Suzhou Embroidery Research Institute.
We saw ladies embroidering the most amazing
works of art; sometimes unwinding threads
to use a single strand of silk to create
delicate effects. The finished pictures
could be single-sided or double-sided
so that it could be viewed from either
side - sometimes with a different picture
on each side.
We were gobsmacked.
We saw a selection for sale and were
smitten by a double sided picture we'd
seen being made of two cranes on a bamboo
branch. It cost 4,000 pounds and Bruce
was mean and wicked and would not buy
it. However, there was a smaller single
sided picture of a magnolia for 150 pounds.
I did a bit of negotiating and got a 10%
discount. The buying frenzy had started
again! Adrian looked at us: "You're
worse than Ros!" he exclaimed.
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Then on to an area
of the old town to see the water gate - the only
remaining part of the old wall. Very picturesque,
but lots of hawkers. |
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Next stop a buffet lunch,
but I only ate a dumpling and two Imodiums!
Bruce said it was all very good.
After lunch, we drove to
the nearby silk-making factory to see the
silkworm larvae being boiled alive, their
little homes unwoven to make pyjamas and their
tiny bodies used as animal fodder. Pan said
that sometimes people stir fried them and
ate them. I'm not sure what's worse.
More shopping available,
with silk duvets, shirts etc, but we remained
good. Others shopped, however. Ros bought
a silk duvet and Adrian looked slightly ill.
"It's for the spare room", she said.
"Oh no, it's not", he cried, "for
that money, it's going on our bed and the
guests can have our old one!" |
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Back to the hotel
to drop stuff off and to jump into our "rickshaws"
(actually, tricycle pedal cars)
for a tour of the old town. The highlight of a wonderful
visit. |
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Dodging the traffic
(very exciting - surely he's seen
that car pulling out - surely he's
going to give way - surely he's not
going to try to squeeze between it
and this bus two inches from our left
- oh, we made it) and seeing old shops
and streets and people smiling and
waving saying "Nee hau"
or "hello". |
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We stopped to
see a market selling plants (I bought
a bonsai pot for Y40 - knocked down
from Y45) and birds, animals and even
insects - crickets seem very popular.
Bruce wound everyone up by telling
them that the little puppies on sale
were destined for the dinner table!
(not true - probably). |
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Then another
stop at a very old market with fruit
and veg stalls. We didn't go in, but
walked instead through the bustling
residential streets. Simon went in
a different direction and witnessed
a chicken being slaughtered. |
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Back on to the rickshaw
and on to the Longevity bridge, before going back
to the hotel. A brilliant trip. |
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| An hour before dinner
and Bruce had a bad headache, so a short nap.
We departed at 6.30 for dinner
at another local hotel. It was a good meal, finished
off with three brandies, courtesy of Kuoni for Chris'
birthday. For 3 pounds a bottle, it was not bad.
Then back to the Master of the Nets Garden for a
peripatetic musical evening. All the musicians were
very accomplished, but unfortunately some of our
party are accomplished Philistines and chatted and
fidgeted throughout. The gardens were beautiful
in the bright clear moonlight.
Back at 9.00 to pack. An early start
tomorrow. |
