On Saturday we made a day trip by bus to Suzhou. Suzuo and Hangzhou are described by the Chinese as the two cities just below heaven. They are both on the Yangtze river delta and have a lot of water. Suzhou has many canals in the city with arched bridges over them. In ancient times both cities where the capital of small kingdoms and were rivals since they are only about 150 km apart. Suzhou is famous for silk.
Our bus broke down on the way and we got towed to the nearest exit. It was very cold this day and the diesel full was jelling up in the line and filter so the motor would not run. After getting towed the driver poured hot water over the filter and line and then mixed 4 liters of gasoline in the diesel fuel tank. That worked, so about an hour later we were under way again. I would not recommend the gas mixing thing for your diesel motor.
Getting hooked up.
The tow truck driver relieving himself. This is a common site in China.
Back to work
Under way. Here we go down the road..
See you later, tow truck. Thanks for the lift.
Monica, Jessye and Suzanna listening to our guide talk about silk production at the silk factory.
Sorting cocoons
Unwinding the silk strands from the cocoons, with Monica paying close attention
Helping to make a silk quilt
Next we visited a very nice private garden, I think it was called Lingering garden by our guide but I am certain that is not its real name. The garden surrounds an old mansion from about 500 years ago when Suzhou was a very wealthly silk city. There about about 50 such old mansions and gardens in Suzhou, built with profits from selling silk to Europe.
The owner liked rocks and had these natural rocks found and brought to his garden
Cold accountants Jimelle, Rachel, Elisabeth, Krista and Whitney
One of the many arched bridges you see around Suzhou. It was considered the Venice of China in old times.
We visited an active Buddhist temple. Buddhism looks pretty entrenched in China. I guess that is not surprising since it has been the main religion for several millenia, with a short respite from about 1950 to 1970's due to communist revolution.
The main idol, Buddha
Burning incense as part of the idol worship. Buddha was a man in India who died over 2400 years ago and is probably not in heaven. More likely in the other place without any power. So it is sad to see so many people praying to this dead idol.
Another idol.
You want to hold on to a fellow Christian in this place. Not a bad idea in most places actually.
The tower at the temple
Monks
Sleeping on the way back to Hangzhou.
Greenhouses. Typical countryside in this fertile area.
