We went on the fast train from Shanghai to Suzhou, then took a bus to Tong Li, a watertown in China. The town was surrounded by rivers and people took boats to tour the historical sites. There were museums on every block, people performing as you're walking down the block, and we even had a sweet lady who performed on China's Got Talent to sing to us during a meal! People in pictures in order of appearance from the left: Victoria, me, Simon, Blaine, the sweet lady, Rebecca.
On the weekends back in Minnesota we would take trips to a lake, the mall, or to eat somewhere; but in Shanghai, you use the weekend to go visit Hangzhou, Suzhou, and watertowns that surround the city.
This weekend we went to Tong Li, a small town about two hours away by bus. We stayed at a small hostel in the middle of all the excitement, and we toured the ancient themed walkways that are filled with shops and food. In the morning there are Beijing opera performances in the main square, and at night there are movie showings (last night was Kung Fu Panda II).
Victoria and I met two new friends through Simon: Blaine and Rebecca. The three of them are CLS (Critical Language Scholarship) students with fairly high Chinese levels. Blaine likes to tell people she's from a small ethnic Russian minority group when people ask her how she spoke Chinese so well, lol.
We met a flutist at a small shop that amazed all of us, and we decided to invite him out with the group that night. He showed us around Tong Li and introduced us to some new friends. The bridges at night all lit up green, and the surface of the water reflected everything above it. It was an incredibly memorable scene.
I think I can speak for all of us when I say this is one of our favorite trips in China, and one of the most beautiful towns around Shanghai.
This weekend we went to Tong Li, a small town about two hours away by bus. We stayed at a small hostel in the middle of all the excitement, and we toured the ancient themed walkways that are filled with shops and food. In the morning there are Beijing opera performances in the main square, and at night there are movie showings (last night was Kung Fu Panda II).
Victoria and I met two new friends through Simon: Blaine and Rebecca. The three of them are CLS (Critical Language Scholarship) students with fairly high Chinese levels. Blaine likes to tell people she's from a small ethnic Russian minority group when people ask her how she spoke Chinese so well, lol.
We met a flutist at a small shop that amazed all of us, and we decided to invite him out with the group that night. He showed us around Tong Li and introduced us to some new friends. The bridges at night all lit up green, and the surface of the water reflected everything above it. It was an incredibly memorable scene.
I think I can speak for all of us when I say this is one of our favorite trips in China, and one of the most beautiful towns around Shanghai.