Blog 4

Blog 4

Today we go to Suzhou (Sue Joe). It is 35 minutes outside of Shanghai via Bullet Train. We got up at around 7:00 had our breakfast at the hotel. It is a fantastic buffet and I stuffed myself full. We took our bus to the Railroad station and boarded the train, which sped at 200 kilometers. It is a modern train and once again all along getting there you see building construction for housing all the people coming to Shanghai for work. It is really amazing to see this Industrial Revolution take place. The speed of development is truly mind-boggling. Not only to you see housing going up (I’m not talking about one or two buildings, but hundreds, each at least 18 stories tall), but new highways being constructed. Because of the housing shortage in Shanghai, these apartments are being built to accommodate workers who will then be able to commute on this fast train.

We got to Suzhou and were met by our local guide Chris, and a bus to take us to a boat ride along the canal. Again, the old and new are coming. Suzhou is called the Venice of the East, as it is a series of canals reminiscent of Venice. The homes along the canals are old. Built on rocks and because of the heat, they are all air-conditioned. The canals, which once housed fish, have become polluted because of all the industrial waste, so this area is not longer farming and fishing. Similar to Venice, many small bridges pass over the canal. There are also many Chinese Gardens.

After leaving the boat, we drove to Suzhou’s Silk Factory and were shown how silk is made. We saw silk worms feeding off mulberry leafs, the cocoons that are formed, extracting the silk filaments, boiling and reeling into silk thread, It was fascinating to find out that sometimes there are twin cocoons which cannot be used to make silk materials, because the one filament from each cocoon (a mile long thread), is twisted with the twin cocoons and the filament cannot be extracted in one piece. The twin cocoons are cut open, the pupae extracted and they are stretch into duvet fillers, for those people who would rather use non allergic silk rather than feather comforters. Although tempted to buy a silk comforter, I resisted.

After we went for a buffet lunch. Nothing to write home about. At our meals, the choice of drink is regular Coke Cola, Sprite, Bottled water or beer. If you guessed I have been drinking beer, you guessed right. From lunch, we walked to the Suzhou Gardens, traipsing thru alleyways that smelled to high heaven. It is very hot and humid today and we are sweating. The gardens are lovely and after spending time there we wound our way back to a bus to take us back to Shanghai.

We got back around 5. Dinner tonight is on our own. I might just skip dinner. I am tired and wanted to write this, though I am too tired to proof.

Tomorrow we fly to Xian.