Day 3 to Suzhou

We book a day tour directly from our hostel to travel to other nearby cities from Shanghai. Day tours in china are pretty disorganized and haphazard. Some hiccups along the way though on the whole it is still fine and sort of enjoyable.

Plus points about going on day tour:
Just follow the tour guide. No need to waste time finding and asking for directions.
Just hop on the bus and you get to go to many places in a day. No hassles for transport.
You get to listen to stories and explanations made by the tour guide relating to the places you have been to.

Minus point:
Restricted time spent on each place of interest. Everything is so rush.
You do not have vivid impressions of the places you have been to because you are not the one who plan the itinerary.
You are forced to visit commission-based destinations like factory for silk or tea production that you won't choose to go if on your own.

Suzhou is described as the Eastern version of Venice because of its various lakeside and pavilion sceneries. Hmm...abit exaggerated lah. hahaz. Suzhou, in my opinion is just so so lor.

Some places of interests that we have been in Suzhou:

Shi Zi Lin (Lion Garden):






Han Shan Shi Jing Qu (Hanshan Temple):








Bei Shi Ta (North Temple Pagoda):


During the bus journey: Both awake...



Midway: Both asleep.... hehe so cute.


I think the most "vivid"part of the journey in Suzhou was the late realization that my sis was kena 'cheated' in buying the overpriced Zhi Sa Hu (ceramic cups and teapots) at a factory that we were made to visit. Zhi Sa Hu was the topic of dismay when we found out that Zhi Sa Hu was sold abundantly in Nanjing at a much cheaper price! Knife stabbed right into the heart....was how my sis described her agony upon the sight and mention of Zhi Sa Hu when we visit Nanjing days after. heha...i guess such experiences are very common in China bah.