Suzhou is for lovers

We've been in a water town about an hour from Shanghai for a few days.  Like so many cities in China, Suzhou seems on a map to be a quaint little spec but is, in fact, a city of 6 million people.  Its built over a series of canals and, incidentally, has a top notch Indian restaurant that we've been to twice.  I think its called the Venice of China or something along those lines....

Suzhou blends new and old, with an industrial park and Disney-scale amusement to the West, and ancient bridges and traditional housing in the center.  We've spent lots of time here and in the nearby water towns criss-crossing stone bridges, relaxing in gardens cultivated to within an inch of their lives, and strolling by the canals.  This town has been a shining example of old China, and we've had an awesome time.

Because entering and leaving the country ranges from inconvenient to impossible for the Chinese, there is a huge amount of intra-country tourism here.  When we get out of the main cities, we don't see many other Westerners, but the sights are often thronged with Chinese disembarking from tour buses and following a guide with a portable PA and brightly colored umbrella.  Zhuzhuang, a nearby water town, was the worst example since the Forbidden City.  It is walled off and therefore the masses are contained; the beautiful winding corridors along the canals home mainly to silk and chotchkes and a captive audience.  Between the tour guides yelling into their mikes (you're already amplified, folks, no need to scream), the masses queuing to cross a bridge or enter a temple, and every vendor shouting "lookalooka" as you pass, the serenity of the place is lost. 

What was so lovely about Suzhou was being able to experience life in a water town, without someone narrating it in Chinese on a loudspeaker.  There has also been a lot of women's weightlifting on CCTV late night, so bonus points.  Man, those girls are Beasts!

We leave for Hong Kong this afternoon on a 24 hour train ride.  We're going to lay in some supplies in Shanghai first and are currently charging every electronic device we have.  I foresee quite a few reruns of 30 Rock in my future...