Local Sites

Three years will not be enough time to see all there is to see in China. Three years may not be enough time to see all there is to see in Suzhou. Just when I think I know the roads and attractions, I'm introduced to an entirely different area of the city. How is that possible? A city of eight million has a lot to offer, that's how.

Larry's QESH team invited us to a day of local sites over the holiday. They picked us up early Sunday morning. Our friend's daughter, Kate, had spent the night so she joined in the fun as well. Side note, Kate's family is from Greenville, SC and now they live in the same compound as us. This small world keeps getting smaller. The six of us squeezed into their two compact cars, which already held five people. An hour later we were at the edge of Lake Tai. We'd taken a new road, one that took us through the rolling hills we used to just pass on our way. There must have been a thousand little fishing boats in this village. Most were docked or tied up for the holiday, but a few fishermen were near the shore, throwing out their nets. I imagine this area is hopping with activity any other time of the year, but this day had only a handful of vendors selling their catch.
We ate lunch on the third floor of one of the half dozen restaurants situated on the water...on the water. The thing swayed as we sat, not much, but enough to know we weren't on solid ground. Dish after dish of local food was brought to our table. We've been here for a year and a half, but I still get a bit nervous when some of these delicacies are presented. The girls didn't eat much beyond rice and some fried fish. Little Kate shocked us all when she popped the eyeball out of the big fish on the table and swallowed it whole. I thought she was going to bring it back up, but she swigged some Sprite and took it like a champ. Of all things on the table, why she chose to eat that particular item is mystery to me.
After lunch, we rode to the plum blossom garden. Each February, this garden is in full bloom. Filled with trees, the garden sits on the side of a mountain. Unfortunately, the cold winter stunted the blooms, and only a few trees actually were flowering. What a sight the garden will be in a few weeks. Just those half dozen trees gave off such a glorious fragrance.
The girls wanted to follow the path up the mountain. Having only given up crutches a few days earlier, I wasn't sure about this choice, but didn't want to miss out on anything. Fresh air got the better of my common sense and I was soon regretting my decision. Three quarters of the way I wanted to turn around, but there was a crowd of people at the top. Must be something good.
I wasn't disappointed. The view was beautiful. The surrounding hills and the villages below dotting the banks of the lake made for quite a sight. People had brought food and drinks and it looked like they were going to stay at the top for awhile. One little boy kept running up to the girls and snapping photos of them then running away. Since lingering at the top of the mountain wasn't an option with four girls itching to make their way back down the winding hillside, I took a deep breath, dreamt of the bottle of Aleve waiting for me at home and started down. Definitely easier going up than coming down.
When we got to the bottom, more photo opportunities for us, and the many folks who wanted to take pictures of the girls. Sarah's so used to it, she now flashes the peace sign, which is an absolute necessity in China. Leaving the park, we noticed a gaggle of guards at the entrance. One of the guys with us told Larry that a very important official was coming and soon there would be hundreds of guards. We never did find out who the VIP was, but we did see the hundreds of guards. We were walking back to our cars when they came marching down the road. Some marched faster than others and in time with their comrades. Others laboured behind out of step. Most of them smiled at us as they jogged by and a few yelled out "Welcome to China" or "Happy to see you" or "U.S.A."

However, the best moment of the day came when I passed out homemade chocolate chip cookies to the girls. Katie walked over to a group of chinese children and gave them her cookie. These cookies were really tasty and Katie loves her chocolate, so to see her give away treats just warmed my heart. The little kids crowded around her as she broke off pieces and handed them out. I gave her one more so all of the kids could have some. A nice moment.

The ride home was quieter than the ride out to Lake Tai. Sarah passed out a few minutes after getting into the car with Kate hanging on for another five minutes. She didn't like to have her picture taken, but I couldn't resist.