Blogs from Zhejiang, China, Asia - page 12

Le 20 septembre, une autre visite d'une journée dans une ville près de Shanghai, cette fois Suzhou, moins de 40 minutes par train rapide. C'est une ville reconnue pour ces jardins qui sont, dit-on, les plus beaux de Chine. Huit d'entre eux sont d'ailleurs classés comme patrimoine culturel mondial par l'Unesco. Au cours de la journée, nous avons visité deux de ces jardins. Le premier était le jardin de la forêt du Lion, reconnu pour ses amoncellements de roches. Même si le jardin n'est pas très grand, ça forme de vrais labyrinthes avec escaliers, ponts et tunnels dans la roche, où nous nous sommes un peu perdus parmi tous ces chemins! Les enfants doivent adorer cet endroit!! Le deuxième était le jardin de la Politique des Simples, qui est le plus grand de Suzhou. Il avait ... read more

Apartment 102 of 36 apartments, and part of a gated community with 26 blocks in the old section, a new section of about the same size and another section under construction. The grounds are beautiful, with lakes, pathway, a zigzag bridge and lots of seating areas.... read more

Huge! 15,000 students, an area that takes an hour to walk from one side to the other, 4 canteens, a shopping street, its' own hospital and a library the size of a department store. Tin proudly gave me a guided tour of his old university - Zheijang Normal, and I was impressed. My favorite sites - the field of sunflowers, complete with wedding photography event; the foreign language schools Jars of Dreams and compulsory 2 weeks military training activities, (audible from my apartment). Pride of place, on entering the School of foreign languages, is a beautiful row of pattery jars. Every first year student writes their aspirations on a card, which is kept safely on display for the 4 years of their studies. On graduation, the school holds a ceremony, where the students get their dream ... read more

I was sitting in an auditorium with 300 plus new colleagues, celebrating National Teachers Day. Speeches, long and short were followed by presentations of huge bouquets, gifts of solar lamps and lucky envelopes with $150 bonuses. There was even a presentation for the guys from security. Next came entertainment presented by staff, pop and folk songs rousingly performed to a very receptive audience, and a poetry recital by an honourable retired teacher. Dinner and gifts for all the retired teachers came next, with plenty of toasts. Perhaps we could begin this tradition in Adelaide!... read more

Unfortunately my second day in Hangzhou was rained off. I spent the day shopping and enjoyed a cup of tea in one of the many tea houses around the lake. In town I spotted a film crew for some reason filming a tea house with the traditional tea pouring ceremony, metal tea pots with long spouts that are placed on the head and then poured into a tiny cup. The weather fortunately improved to dull with light drizzle, good enough for sight seeing around the lake. I ambled across the "broken bridge". It is one of the poetic scenic spots. The bridge is not broken. It is called the broken bridge because the snow melts here first giving a broken appearance. The bridge leads to the Bai causeway and Gushan Island. On the island I most ... read more