Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Ancient Canals In Suzhou

We were supposed to visit Wuzhen where the Chinese folks still live by the ancient canals and run their daily chores in the laid back atmosphere. We had to miss it as it was too faraway from Shanghai.



We took this high speed train and went to Suzhou instead in less than 2 hours! We got off at the wrong station which was a highly industrialized areas of Suzhou. Look at all the green bicycles for rent! We took a taxi to the ancient canal areas which are located in 2 different spots. Look at how the taxi drivers shielded themselves from being bashed, knifed and even spat on!!!



 
This was the first touristy spot where we visited. It had rows of souvenir shops with an ancient garden and museum. The folks and youngsters were seen gambling openly by the roadsides. 
The fruit seller was selling mangoesteen and berries! 
Sorry for my blurry photos which became like that after grouping them.





This was the BEST FOOD I had in my whole trip in China. It was their native's Tau Foo Fah which added with light soya sauce and sprinkled with spring onions, dried shrimps, Pickled Chai-Por and etc. It was so heavenly unusual to eat tau Foo Fah that way.



I went to the museum because it was FREE entrance.



 I was very impressed by the huge size of the mansion with so many court yards which belonged to some high ranking magnates during the ancient times.
I was very disappointed with the old artifacts and antiques inside as they were boring stuffs.



Later we strolled along the canal banks and browsed through the many interesting shops.




 The mirror reflected-like canals looked nice with spring flowers everywhere!





 This must be the most popular Lover's Bridge as everyone fought tooth and nails to snap photos!
Look at my honey up there!








 Even wedding couples would come to pose with their studio photographers and crew in tow.
Look at her shocking red dress!!!
SO MERAH & HOT!






I stopped by this stall as the smell of the fragrant buns could tickle my nostrils from a mile away! I bought these Lion's Paws and ate them hungrily.
OMG!! I NEARLY BROKE ALL MY FRONT TEETH!!!



I bound my hands and bought nothing as I knew my itchy hands could not stop buying endless souvenirs! I must visit Wuzhen in future as they hardly have commercial shops in that area and you could still see old folks playing Chinese chess under the pine trees there!


54 comments:

  1. Wow!!! That's a fascinating and an impressive-looking train! But eeeeeee.....what tofu hwa is that? I think I would stick to our own - the way we have it here, thank you very much.

    That stove for the buns look something like what they use to make kompia here - I wonder if they have anything similar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. STP,
      Not adventurous lah you! Even I am more adventurous about food than you! LOL

      Delete
    2. STP i thought you are cutting down on sweet stuffs?? this type of savory toufu fah would be nice for you lah.. furthermore soy sauce and spring onions are good for health, the savory ones should be less fattening also i guess..

      Delete
    3. The tofu fah is not nice, ka? I thought of duplicating it myself - buy a bowl of tofu fah, sprinkle some spring onion, dried shrimp and other condiments just like the one annay showed.

      Delete
    4. I really LOVE their tofu fah so much!!!! Yvonne please make them and share your recipe okay!

      I also love eating it with black sugar but the Suzhou style is healthier & nicer!

      Delete
    5. This type of tofu fah is indeed special. I think I will like it.

      Delete
    6. Ah Hua,
      Eat like that is just like eating tofu Japanese style. :)

      Delete
    7. & sprinkle a lot of bonito flakes also. Yummy. ;)

      Delete
  2. Wow, that must be fun, I always love to take train, but not Malaysia's train!!! Cause that's too slow!!! =]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our trains in Malaysia is called KTM - Keretapi Tortoise Malaysia laaa.

      Delete
  3. China really amazes me with all kinds of cultural activities and places. Interesting and yet we won't be able to see all of China.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Make several trips to China and even if we don;t get to see all, (how can we see a country thoroughly in one visit anyway) and at least we get a glimpse of what is in stire. Right?

      Better than none at all. :)

      Delete
    2. I also had same thoughts to visit whole China but time & $$ will be the big issues. I will be happy enough to be able to share the sights of China where our local tours do not cover.

      Delete
  4. Wah ANay always pose Bollywood actor style la. Put one leg up like that! Hehehe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. itu lah GAYA!! unlike Thambee always doing boring pose and the same pose all the time when taking photos.. hmmm, next trip Thambee also must put one leg up like Anay!! :D

      Delete
    2. I got more silly poses but at my age, I better not post all out. Maluation!!!!

      Delete
    3. wa lau eh! This pose is really gaya la! I can see from this pose, Anay is so confident in himself.

      I am not bodek Anay. Taiping lake is very shallow only.

      Delete
  5. what was the peak speed of that high speed train?? was it faster than the airport bullet train in Shanghai?? how could you got off at the wrong station?? and that was why Letchumi was kneeling in front of that green machine to apologize?? wakakakaka!!! BTW, first glance i thought it was her, but look closely, i guess it must be some locals trying to wee or poo there?? :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anay!!!!
    You made me want to try that tau foo fah too! *hungry*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahaha, ini Mak Tau Foo Fah memang likes to eat tau foo fah huh?? haven't tried savory ones before, i worried if that would make me laosai later?? :p

      Delete
    2. Wakakakaka! Silly Thambee could think that Letchumi knelt to apologize?? Wakakakaka she was looking at the map to find the canals. We heard the PA system inside the train saying next stop is Suzhou...... we jumped off!

      I wish i could ta pao theit Tofu Fah back to KL. I see no harm trying to make them!

      Delete
  7. hey, very true!! anay using the photoscape software to group the photos?? i also realized the same problem!! after grouped together, the resolution greatly reduced and the photos are no more sharp dei~~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Annay, use SK's script to make the photo album la. Then you don't have to group your photos and hence the bad resolution. It's really simple :)

      Delete
    2. Adoiii....I wanna use Thambee's script but i failed after 3 attempts. I am a bit stupid IT idiot dei.

      Delete
  8. bergaya lah Anay standing at the entrance of the museum.. eih, Anay also show photos taken from afar mah, where are all your close-up photos??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never took close up photos la. I need to show the whole area and not myself la. I also have that Fat, Old & Ugly vibes! LMAO!

      Delete
  9. i love that three photos taken at the ancient canal!! the landmark of suzhou that is!! and were those plum blossom or cherry blossom?? looks nice at the background with the Gaya Anay in the foreground.. OMG, Letchumi was hiding behind that pillar!! Thambee almost missed her out in the photo~~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thambee got same taste like Anay in liking photos. Brothers think alike huh.

      I always took Letchumi in hide & seek poses everywhere.

      Delete
  10. it's a very nice place, and will Anay consider taking some shots in SuZhou maybe during your 10th wedding anniversary?? but then, don't get Letchumi to dressed up in that red dress lah, i think it's rather bad taste lah~~ :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, that chilli red dress is very attractive lah, bad taste ka? It's very daring to step out from the usual white wedding gown. But China ladies are fair, so wearing fiery color like that should be a problem. Imagine a bangla in red dress.... :p

      Delete
    2. What 10 years?? Over already loh!

      The China brides would wear more daring and kinky dresses. It depends on their ethnic tribes!

      Delete
    3. I find that red gown ok also.

      Delete
  11. all sorts of buns and pastries!! looks nice, but maybe the lion paws should be eaten with some soup or soya bean milk?? hahahaha, idiot anay should have asked the lady how the lion paws are best eaten mah~~ anyway, that naan look-alike beside the lady looks good also.. Anay tried that?? maybe that one will break Anay's CB mouth indeed!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL... Anay's CB mouth was intact, thank goodness! I regret for not trying that flat pancake. I was attracted to the smell of the Lion's Paws. Regret lah!

      Delete
  12. next time Anay should travel with Thambee, because Thambee will rarely think of buying souvenirs at all.. hahahaha!! and i don't think there are much to buy at Suzhou right?? probably the similar things you can get in Shanghai??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Suzhou is famous for silk wears. I bought kuku bird a silk pyjamas shorts to lure his PJ Wife!

      Delete
  13. twilight, the lover bridge look like japanese bridge in Hoi An, Vietnam :) and i can imagine how hard the lion's paw bread by reading ur discription hahaha...

    btw, do u use photoscape to do picture collage? if not, pls use...easier n better. if yes, the best size is 600x600, and do not resize your original picture, else it will be blurry :) try please, please, pleaseeeeee...hahaha...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used the Photoscape and it was disaster! I must try other methods.

      Maybe the China warriors built those bridges in Vietnam as well.

      Delete
  14. What is the story behind this Lover's Bridge? Annay already got a lover, but wish to cross the bridge again to get another secret lover, ahem?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The lovers would get their loves enhanced deeper by looking below into the calm waters. It was really a romantic bridge to stand in cool weather and gaze at the slow passing boats below.

      Delete
  15. What was the top speed of the train?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the train's top speed was over 300 kph in China. Only the Pudong - Shanghai Maglev Bullet trains hit 431 to maximum 500 kph.

      Delete
  16. "Look at how the taxi drivers shielded themselves from being bashed, knifed and even spat on!" South African taxi drivers don't have shields. They bash, knife and spit right back! As a matter of fact, they get in there first before their customers have a chance. :D

    PS: Is the water in the canals quite clean? I'm curious about that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL. You always scare me about South Africans!!!

      The water stank like urine when the wind blew!

      Delete
  17. Hmmm..the native's tow foo far looks enticing but I still prefer the sweet one.

    The red wedding dress, is still acceptable to wear out during day time but at night can be a little bit disturbing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Goodness! I heard that Tau Foo Far is only eaten with black sugar syrup in Malaysia!!!!!

      Delete
  18. I find that river bank is so nice.

    I don't think I can stop buying souvenirs too if I were there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree that the river banks looked so serene in the evenings and transported my memories to the happier pasts. So sentimental settings.

      All hands would itch when we step into the souvenir shops in China. They are cheap and silly things are sold everywhere.

      Delete
  19. Do u know what Suzhou famous of?
    Famous of leng lui....
    I have not been there yet but I shall go there to visit all the good places before I reach 40

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Look at what my hamsap guru SP just said. So you should go there before your kuku bird gets limp.

      Delete
  20. Sometimes the taxi are very bad they bring you around and charge u extra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Which taxi drivers are worse? Malaysia VS China?

      Delete
  21. All the building looks very classic la... good job for tourism Malaysia in preserving our historical buildings. LOL! How I wish I can ride on the high speed train Cannot tahan with KTM already... LRT ok ok la. I think China drivers are worst, as in they drive very close to each other and speed like mad

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hmm...savory tau foo fah...not my type I think... ~.~

    ReplyDelete

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