Blogs from Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, Asia - page 15

The Chinese dog Has a smack then a kiss then a smack again We go round in circles - he’s cute then really not He’s always hungry, always wanting, always needing, always jumping And we deliver until I get fed up, bored with it and I yell, “no” and turn my back Only to turn again and see his face, his head tilting, his seat bottom jumping back And his paw lifting to me and I bend down to kiss him and big love him And it all starts again. Over and over. Bobs ... read more

Today is the 20 January 2009. For the first time whilst living in China, I truly feel that I have really been included in something - even if almost as a side show. This morning, I heard music coming from the street by our house and followed it to the front gate of the neighbouring pagodas. People were setting up tables in front of the gates and across the streets in the public area. The tables had A4 typed sheets with plates placed alongside. Long red banners were being raised, flags on long canes were planted along the street and a loud set of speakers placed on either side of the pagoda’s front gate which played Chinese music. I went to fetch Chris to see if he could understand some of the writing on the banner. ... read more

Real life in Suzhou alongside the canals is quite a hard life from what I have seen. Water is drawn from stone wells and people wash up their dishes and clothes beside them. The canals are also used for washing up, washing clothes and mops in, and don’t ask where they do toilet tasks. People live in the boats moored around the canals and day-to-day life is conducted along the sides of it. At night the women form groups and do some sort of line dance activity to music out in some of the large spaces. Couples are out walking and talking. Small children play near the water playing with nothing much than a few pebbles and sticks and some illegal firecrackers. People are working in little craft shops making wooden buckets by hand and one ... read more

Suzhou Museum The Suzhou Museum is a unique museum. The exhibitions and artifacts are not the only draw. The architectural design of the museum draws many visitors from around the world. Designed by world famous architect Leoh Ming Pei, one of the foremost architects in the world, the museum’s architecture is as much of a draw as the artifacts they hold. Born in Suzhou, the architect wanted to blend modern and ancient Suzhou garden architecture in the museum's design. Every hall, windows and room was built to incorporate nature, and natural light. Since the museum does not have a huge number of artifacts on display, each room is beautifully laid out and spacious. The huge courtyard in the center of the museum complex looks like a modern version of an ancient Suzhou garden water feature. The ... read more

Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden The Humble Administrator's Garden was one of the three gardens I visited in Suzhou during my trip. I really wish I had the time to visit one garden on one day. They are so beautiful and so large. Their designs are so well thought out that even though there may be a large number of visitors, you always feel fairly alone. I would love to have been able to just sit in a pavilion for an hour or so before exploring some more and visiting another pavilion for a while. Suzhou's gardens are meant to mimic nature, but in a way that enhances each element. It is amazing to think that such an amazing place as the Humble Administrator's Garden was designed for a single man. Wouldn't it be nice to be ... read more