So I’ve visited a few more sites, as you might have noticed from the web albums posted. I didn’t blog on my thoughts on either of these sites so I’ll put down some quick notes on both.
First the North Temple & Pagoda. This is not considered to be one of the “major” sites in Suzhou but I found it to be more than just a simple place to see. First off, the Pagoda is the largest in Suzhou at 76 meters high and you can walk up the pagoda to the top. It provides a great view of the city. This was the first pagoda where we could actually go to the top. As noted before, they don’t play the safety card here very much since the railings for the pagoda and slightly higher than knee level so you could easily take the Nestea plunge if you weren’t paying attention. I’ve found this to be true at many of the pagodas. The Pagoda is one of the sites to see but there’s also a very good temple to see as well. No photos allowed in the temple and this was one place where they really ensure you don’t take a picture. I was trying to take a picture on the sly but I found that the woman watching actually got up from her chair to come over to me to ensure I didn’t move the camera beyond where it was in my hand. Usually they don’t move very much and I’ve seen some of the locals take photos where they should not be allowed but that’s for them, I have to answer for me. The last thing I want is to be explaining my situation to my new boyfriend in the local prison. Anyhow, it would’ve been nice to get a shot inside the temple here. I was able to obtain some shots from the back side of the temple. This temple seemed more authentic than others and the artwork/idols were much nicer than other temples I have seen. There was also a nice pond at the back of the grounds which held turtles and fish. It was very peaceful. There were monks inside the grounds here and we ran into a bunch of “plebe” (you know, like the rookies) monks when we were leaving. All in all, I think this was one of the better sites in Suzhou. It didn’t seem that large on the map but it was definitely bigger than expected and was worth the time. The interesting thing to note is that the Buddha statue is relatively new to this area. Cecelia purchased some of the postcards being sold outside the area by a vendor and the picture on the postcard was sans Buddha. It is interesting to note that many of the Buddha statues are new, much like the Buddha “temple” at Stone Lake; that was about 15-20 years old and not a true representation of the history of Suzhou or China. Why did I like this site more than others, I think it was the combination of the older temple sights, the pond in the back and the pagoda. It had everything you wanted to see in one of these sites and wasn’t very crowded which is always a plus.
The Surging Waves (Canglang) Pavilion. This is a relatively small garden and again wasn’t crowded at all. As with many of the other gardens, it has winding paths and rooms that give off the impression of a much larger space. It was situated next to a canal so you could sit and just relax and watch the local fisherman try and catch something (although I didn’t want to see the three-eyed fish that they might catch from this water). It had a lot of trees and greenspace to really take you away from the hustle and bustle that was going on outside the walls of the pavilion. Again, probably more due to the lack of a crowd, this was a very nice spot to go. It’s yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Suzhou, which was a pleasant surprise. The gardens are very similar but there are small distinctions between each of them. I know the photos may sometimes look the same between the gardens but it’s because the styles between the gardens are close. Each onehas the limestone rocks which are interesting in their own right. These rocks were moved from their original location and taken to Tai Hu Lake where they were placed for generations. After a couple of generations; after the water had carved out the stone, they were moved from the Lake to Suzhou. If nothing else, the Chinese are a patient people (unless they are in a car, waiting in line,....), waiting for the stones to change and for the water to create a work of art. Of course, in some cases, the stones may be a little less authentic but you can tell the new from the old.
It’s been good to get out and see many of the local sights. I know I’ll be taking the same tour when Tammy and the boys arrive but that’s okay, each time I’ve gone to a place I’ve noticed something different. The gardens may not be the fun place for the boys but we’ll see (we’re going anyway and along the way they have the chance to hop in a taxi and get to step into Need for Speed IV, Chinese Style). They should be looking forward to see the local markets and vendors since they’ve seen it on TV and they’ll have the chance to experience it firsthand. It’s not long now, less than 5 weeks before they are here…..we’re near the homestretch.
First the North Temple & Pagoda. This is not considered to be one of the “major” sites in Suzhou but I found it to be more than just a simple place to see. First off, the Pagoda is the largest in Suzhou at 76 meters high and you can walk up the pagoda to the top. It provides a great view of the city. This was the first pagoda where we could actually go to the top. As noted before, they don’t play the safety card here very much since the railings for the pagoda and slightly higher than knee level so you could easily take the Nestea plunge if you weren’t paying attention. I’ve found this to be true at many of the pagodas. The Pagoda is one of the sites to see but there’s also a very good temple to see as well. No photos allowed in the temple and this was one place where they really ensure you don’t take a picture. I was trying to take a picture on the sly but I found that the woman watching actually got up from her chair to come over to me to ensure I didn’t move the camera beyond where it was in my hand. Usually they don’t move very much and I’ve seen some of the locals take photos where they should not be allowed but that’s for them, I have to answer for me. The last thing I want is to be explaining my situation to my new boyfriend in the local prison. Anyhow, it would’ve been nice to get a shot inside the temple here. I was able to obtain some shots from the back side of the temple. This temple seemed more authentic than others and the artwork/idols were much nicer than other temples I have seen. There was also a nice pond at the back of the grounds which held turtles and fish. It was very peaceful. There were monks inside the grounds here and we ran into a bunch of “plebe” (you know, like the rookies) monks when we were leaving. All in all, I think this was one of the better sites in Suzhou. It didn’t seem that large on the map but it was definitely bigger than expected and was worth the time. The interesting thing to note is that the Buddha statue is relatively new to this area. Cecelia purchased some of the postcards being sold outside the area by a vendor and the picture on the postcard was sans Buddha. It is interesting to note that many of the Buddha statues are new, much like the Buddha “temple” at Stone Lake; that was about 15-20 years old and not a true representation of the history of Suzhou or China. Why did I like this site more than others, I think it was the combination of the older temple sights, the pond in the back and the pagoda. It had everything you wanted to see in one of these sites and wasn’t very crowded which is always a plus.
The Surging Waves (Canglang) Pavilion. This is a relatively small garden and again wasn’t crowded at all. As with many of the other gardens, it has winding paths and rooms that give off the impression of a much larger space. It was situated next to a canal so you could sit and just relax and watch the local fisherman try and catch something (although I didn’t want to see the three-eyed fish that they might catch from this water). It had a lot of trees and greenspace to really take you away from the hustle and bustle that was going on outside the walls of the pavilion. Again, probably more due to the lack of a crowd, this was a very nice spot to go. It’s yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Suzhou, which was a pleasant surprise. The gardens are very similar but there are small distinctions between each of them. I know the photos may sometimes look the same between the gardens but it’s because the styles between the gardens are close. Each onehas the limestone rocks which are interesting in their own right. These rocks were moved from their original location and taken to Tai Hu Lake where they were placed for generations. After a couple of generations; after the water had carved out the stone, they were moved from the Lake to Suzhou. If nothing else, the Chinese are a patient people (unless they are in a car, waiting in line,....), waiting for the stones to change and for the water to create a work of art. Of course, in some cases, the stones may be a little less authentic but you can tell the new from the old.
It’s been good to get out and see many of the local sights. I know I’ll be taking the same tour when Tammy and the boys arrive but that’s okay, each time I’ve gone to a place I’ve noticed something different. The gardens may not be the fun place for the boys but we’ll see (we’re going anyway and along the way they have the chance to hop in a taxi and get to step into Need for Speed IV, Chinese Style). They should be looking forward to see the local markets and vendors since they’ve seen it on TV and they’ll have the chance to experience it firsthand. It’s not long now, less than 5 weeks before they are here…..we’re near the homestretch.
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