Two weeks ago I used my extra day off for "Tombsweeping Day" (a day devoted to respecting and visiting dead ancestors) to take a trip to Suzhou, a city bordering Shanghai.
I found someone to stay with on Couchsurfing and bought a train ticket Saturday morning. Although in many ways, Suzhou seems merely like an extension of Shanghai, I enjoyed the opportunity to leave and go somewhere new: a city of many canals with traditional houses and beautiful willow trees lining the water's edge.
This time of year, many of the trees are blossoming, creating a peaceful respite from the urban jungle of Shanghai.
I found someone to stay with on Couchsurfing and bought a train ticket Saturday morning. Although in many ways, Suzhou seems merely like an extension of Shanghai, I enjoyed the opportunity to leave and go somewhere new: a city of many canals with traditional houses and beautiful willow trees lining the water's edge.
This time of year, many of the trees are blossoming, creating a peaceful respite from the urban jungle of Shanghai.
I stayed in one room of a four person apartment. The girl who lived in that room, and my Couchsurfing host gave me her room and stayed with her friend. Travelling, I'm always amazed and inspired by people's generosity. She met me at the metro so I wouldn't get lost and when I arrived, gave up her room so I could stay there. In the morning she had to work, but she and her friend made a kind of rice porridge that we ate before leaving. All in all, a great experience.