Side Trip to Suzhou and Tongli

          On my way from Nanjing back to Shanghai by train, I stopped in the small city of Suzhou.  I had read about the ancient gardens of Suzhou, as well as the nearby canal town of Tongli and was hoping to get a glimpse of each before getting back to Shanghai later that evening.  Well, this turned out to be the marathon day of my trip!  Adding to the challenge, I had to carry my entire pack with me all day, since I was between hotels.  I did manage to see much of what I set out to, but to be perfectly candid, it was a bit disappointing for all the effort I put into it.  Suzhou is billed as the ‘Venice of the East’, but having been to the ‘Venice of the West’, I didn’t quite see the comparison.  Nevertheless, it was a beautiful city and I’m glad I stopped for a look.

The Canal Town of Tongli, China

          At the Suzhou train station I passed up the many hawkers trying to sell tours of the city, opting instead to hop on a pedicab for a harrowing ride to the bus station nearby.  Within an hour I arrived at Tongli and got in another pedicab for the ride to the old town.  The pedicab driver was a very enterprising fellow and sold me on a package deal that included the entrance fees and a guided tour on his pedicab through the maze of streets that lined the canals.  Since time was of the essence, it turned out to be a good way to get an overview of the picturesque canals and all the major sights in a short time.  The entrance fee included entry to museums, gardens and several old residences.  There were some beautiful bridges crossing over the canals which actually were somewhat reminiscent of Venice and my guide seemed to know all the favorite photo spots and waited patiently for me while I explored a little on my own.  Just as he promised, he had me back in plenty of time to catch the bus back to Suzhou.

Giggling Ladies on Tongli Canal Boats

The Gardens of Suzhou, China      

          It was mid-afternoon by the time I arrived in Suzhou and there was just enough time to take a taxi to one of the many gardens for which it is known.  I visited the Garden of the Master of the Nets, which dates back to the 12^th century and is a beautifully laid out garden that is famous for fitting a lot into a small space.  After a quick tour of the garden I returned to the main street to hail a taxi going back to the train station.  I stood for a long time trying to wave down a taxi and wondered why so many empty taxis were passing me by.  I was getting a little anxious, because my train was leaving in less than an hour.  Finally a nice man going by on a bicycle went out of his way to stop just long enough to tell me that the taxis weren’t permitted to pick up passengers at the spot where I was standing and pointed to another place nearby where I should stand.  The very next taxi picked me up and I was soon on the train to Shanghai.