Chinese Water Towns

**zhaoyun** · 05-19-2018, 05:08 AM

Originally Posted by Bobby Martnen

Anyway, Soochow (I prefer to use more historical spellings, like Peking and Constantinople, for reasons I explained in another thread that I'm too lazy to dig up right now) looks like it would be a fun place to visit someday.

I doubt I'll ever make it back to Asia, though, since I don't want to spend 14 hours in coach, and unlike my father, I don't have a literal crapton of frequent flyer miles that I can use to bump up to business and first class.

Well you are still young, who knows what life holds for you.

If you ever do make it to Shanghai, I would suggest a day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou.

**~~Bobby Martnen~~** · 05-19-2018, 05:11 AM

Originally Posted by zhaoyun

Well you are still young, who knows what life holds for you.

If you ever do make it to Shanghai, I would suggest a day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou.

I've been to Shanghai and Hangchow - I remember taking a boat across a lake in Hangchow.

I saw the Bund in Shanghai too - we had to take a ferry to get there.

I was very surprised when the Chinese food there wasn't like PF Chang's or Panda Express lol - I got pigeon feet when I was expecting Kung Pao Chicken lol

**zhaoyun** · 05-19-2018, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by Bobby Martnen

I've been to Shanghai and Hangchow - I remember taking a boat across a lake in Hangchow.

I saw the Bund in Shanghai too - we had to take a ferry to get there.

I was very surprised when the Chinese food there wasn't like PF Chang's or Panda Express lol - I got pigeon feet when I was expecting Kung Pao Chicken lol

lol I've never heard of pigeon feet. Are you sure it wasn't chicken feet? haha

Hangzhou is one of the most scenic cities in China, I think it's a perfect balance of modernity, history and greenery, especially the West Lake area. Anybody who is going to Shanghai, should do a side trip and stay in Hangzhou for a couple nights IMO.

**~~Bobby Martnen~~** · 05-19-2018, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by zhaoyun

lol I've never heard of pigeon feet. Are you sure it wasn't chicken feet? haha

It was a small rural village in Central China, so that might explain the pigeon feet.

I didn't actually try it, though, because I was a 13-year-old at the time.

**Taiji** · 05-20-2018, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by Bobby Martnen

Whenever I see "Suzhou", it makes me think of Shazou.

This made me smile

**MinervaItalica** · 05-20-2018, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Shazou

Is it kind of like a Chinese Venice by any chance?

Probably, considering we have a "Venice" in every country by now...

Venice is one and only one and it is in Italy.

**zhaoyun** · 05-20-2018, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by MinervaItalica

Probably, considering we have a "Venice" in every country by now...

Venice is one and only one and it is in Italy.

Honestly, many of these towns remind me more of a Chinese Amsterdam or Bruges than anything else.

**MinervaItalica** · 05-20-2018, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by zhaoyun

Honestly, many of these towns remind me more of a Chinese Amsterdam or Bruges than anything else.

Obviously those city aren't Lagoons this is why they are similar each other insead to Venice.

Plus different Architecture.

**zhaoyun** · 05-20-2018, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by MinervaItalica

Obviously those city aren't Lagoons this is why they are similar each other insead to Venice.

Plus different Architecture.

Venice is more grand and opulent. Most of these towns were always small towns, they just had canals because of the topography of the region. Only Suzhou could be considered a larger city as it was a trading center on the Grand Canal. If it had been an imperial capital, perhaps great palaces would've been built into the canals and then it could be called a Chinese Venice. But Venice was a major city state and a regional power, so it had built many opulent buildings and palaces, it is in a league of its own IMO.