Our journey has taken us to Shanghai, home of the world expo and approximately 20 million residents. It's an overwhelming example of the might and power of modern China, with an endless skyline of impressive architectural marvels. Damn, we could do an awesome Frozen Music program here.....
The itinerary had us spending day one in Tong Li, an ancient village on the outskirts of Suzhou that many call "Little Venice". Canals, endless shops selling everything from copies of Mao's little red book to hand carved combs....a beautifully preserved slice of ancient China on the Yangtze delta.
Next, Team 3A carried forth to Suzhou, sister city to Portland OR, and home of the world famous gardens used as the inspiration for Portland's own Chinese garden. We had the great fortune to be led around by Dorothy, a lovely young lady who worked for the Suzhou visitors bureau. We started with lunch, which was tasty, though interrupted by a Happy Birthday soundtrack on the restaurant sound system that, combined with my intense cold, made for an experience worthy of Clockwork Orange. Thanks to my wife for setting that up ;-)
Our first stop was Zhouzheng (Humble Administrator's) Garden, a gorgeous maze of rooms and garden plazas. Everywhere you looked you saw something beautiful. Huanxiu (Embracing Beauty) was our next stop, another spectacular garden that, like Zhouzheng, is listed by Unesco as a World Heritage site. Click here to see Unesco's wonderful video piece on both. Huanxiu is also home to the Suzhou Embroidery Institute, a collection of expert craftswomen who produce amazing works that you have to see to believe. Just incredible.
The team then took a stroll down one of the main Suzhou canals, stopping for beers at a cafe where we engaged in a stare down contest across the canal with some long time Suzhou-ans. One of the dudes gave us a vivid demonstration of Suzhou-an water preservation practices, gargling then spitting everything out onto the flower boxes. Very conservational....
At dinner that night, our guide Dorothy described how Suzhou had grown from 300,000 residents 30 years ago to over 2 million today. This city is another example of how modernization and spectacular economic expansion have drawn villagers into these metropolitan areas, seeking their piece of the pie. Dorothy also related how this massive growth has not been well received by long term residents, like her parents, who have seen their city become more and more congested. This hyperactivity stands in stark contrast to the serenity and peace of the gardens, making Suzhou a perfect metaphor for the current state of China.
A wonderful day, indeed, marred only by my ridiculous cold.....still, not a bad way to spend a birthday.
Next, the World Expo!
The itinerary had us spending day one in Tong Li, an ancient village on the outskirts of Suzhou that many call "Little Venice". Canals, endless shops selling everything from copies of Mao's little red book to hand carved combs....a beautifully preserved slice of ancient China on the Yangtze delta.
Next, Team 3A carried forth to Suzhou, sister city to Portland OR, and home of the world famous gardens used as the inspiration for Portland's own Chinese garden. We had the great fortune to be led around by Dorothy, a lovely young lady who worked for the Suzhou visitors bureau. We started with lunch, which was tasty, though interrupted by a Happy Birthday soundtrack on the restaurant sound system that, combined with my intense cold, made for an experience worthy of Clockwork Orange. Thanks to my wife for setting that up ;-)
Our first stop was Zhouzheng (Humble Administrator's) Garden, a gorgeous maze of rooms and garden plazas. Everywhere you looked you saw something beautiful. Huanxiu (Embracing Beauty) was our next stop, another spectacular garden that, like Zhouzheng, is listed by Unesco as a World Heritage site. Click here to see Unesco's wonderful video piece on both. Huanxiu is also home to the Suzhou Embroidery Institute, a collection of expert craftswomen who produce amazing works that you have to see to believe. Just incredible.
The team then took a stroll down one of the main Suzhou canals, stopping for beers at a cafe where we engaged in a stare down contest across the canal with some long time Suzhou-ans. One of the dudes gave us a vivid demonstration of Suzhou-an water preservation practices, gargling then spitting everything out onto the flower boxes. Very conservational....
At dinner that night, our guide Dorothy described how Suzhou had grown from 300,000 residents 30 years ago to over 2 million today. This city is another example of how modernization and spectacular economic expansion have drawn villagers into these metropolitan areas, seeking their piece of the pie. Dorothy also related how this massive growth has not been well received by long term residents, like her parents, who have seen their city become more and more congested. This hyperactivity stands in stark contrast to the serenity and peace of the gardens, making Suzhou a perfect metaphor for the current state of China.
A wonderful day, indeed, marred only by my ridiculous cold.....still, not a bad way to spend a birthday.
Next, the World Expo!
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