March 14, day trip to Suzhou, Jiangsu

Way-finding instincts failed miserably the minute we left train station in Suzhou. They must have choked on smog in Shanghai (it was so thick we literally though it was fog!) or been diluted by the speed of a 'bullet train' this morning, i'm not sure...but we arrived all disoriented. After walking for an hour in the wrong direction, a man at a newspaper stand came to our rescue and gave us directions - in Chinese and with expressive gesturing. He was so extremely nice and willing to help, that he made sure we understood. And we did! Skipping steps, we went in search of a pagoda landmark and made it to the famous Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan) around noon.

Hall of Distant Fragrance

Dating from the 11th-19th century, meticulously designed gardens in Suzhou reflect the metaphysical emphasis on natural beauty in Chinese culture. (It sounds a bit ironic considering some of their surroundings today, but nevertheless.)
Currently, there are about 200 gardens in Suzhou that showcase different themes and designs. We focused on just one, Zhuozheng Yuan.

Mandarin Duck Hall

Seeking to recreate nature in miniature, the Classical Gardens are considered masterpieces of Chinese landscape design. Typically, they balance various elements to create harmony and tranquility, such as fishponds, rock features, small arched bridges, covered walkways, open air pavilions and outdoor decks to promote lingering and contemplation. 

Little Flying Rainbow Bridge

Moon Gate

Plenty of cozy interstitial spaces. Walkways are covered, but small courtyards open up to the sky.

textures in Penjing Nursery

The gardens take on different guises as the seasons change. They are also designed so that your view constantly unfolds as you follow the network of pathways.   

Orange Pavilion.

Artificial mountains were an important element in garden design, ideal for contemplation.

Suzhou, with its borders lying just along the historical Yangtze River, was established in 514 B.C. The entire area is considered a water city and the long stretch of Suzhou’s waterway connects to China’s Grand Canal, the most extensive ancient canal in the world. Beat after exploring the garden, we didn't really get to experience the canals, a bit of a shame. We caught only glimpses and hopped on a train back to Shanghai. What a train thou!

CRH2 @ 285mph. That was nice!