Shanghai Part II (Suzhou, Tongli and Hangzhou)

Ni hao kids.
So, lucky for you, this will be mostly a post of pictures and Ill try not to talk much.
I'm back from my trip to Japan, which was pretty much the most amazing thing ever, and I'm antsy to get going on that stuff, so here is the rest of my little trip down to Shanghai and some surrounding towns, including the lovely water towns of Suzhou and Tongli, and the West Lake of Hangzhou. It was all really beautiful, really cold, and most of these pictures are in black and white because I was in that sort of mood. Enjoy!



Useful life advice from our hotel:


Canals everywhere.





Snacks. I love photographing snack vendors...


This one is in color because BW didn't really do it justice.
It was raining...


We took a day trip to Tongli on a bus.
This place didn't look like much but we had great wonton skin soup there.


Dumpling steamers.










We tried to take a train to Hangzhou, which was a rainy disaster when they didn't have any tickets, so we took a bus instead. Mom is happily munching on some instant noodles in the bus station...


While Dad looks on with an envious look..
"Go get your own" she says..


Once in Hangzhou, I saw these. And I really wanted to buy all of them for someone who really likes cows. I really mean all of them...But I decided not to, sorry...you get a picture instead.


More sign failure. Close, China, but no cigar.


West Lake in Hangzhou is a rather famous tourist destination for the Chinese.
Its sort of a park, sort of a series of gardens, its hard to explain.
But its very pretty, lots of pagodas and pavilions and gardens and islands and little bridges everywhere. In the summer, orioles famously nest in the willow trees. In the winter, there are speakers that play oriole birdcalls. (of course).


Wow...that's not ostentatious at all...




Lotus pods...I'm sure they're nice when they're blooming, but I liked them like this.




Howdy.


Here's my feet. Sorry for these...


Cleaning a statue. He's really scrubbing her down...oh dear.






The last day we went to the National Tea Museum.
I love tea.
I think I want to hang out with this guy.


Awful picture. But look at all tea plants behind me!


Tea Tea Tea...


And my favorite picture from the trip..this was in West Lake.


Sorry if all the colorlessness gives you a headache. I can't tell if its doing it to me or if I'm suffering from tea withdrawal, since I haven't had any yet this morning.
This trip was really nice, even though we moved around a lot. We stayed some neat places (courtesy of my mother, who can find a good deal pretty much anywhere). I'm very glad to be back where there is heat, though. I'm rather fond of my toes.
Japan pics soon...and potentially some interesting news. (eeeek!)
Miss you all...