Autumn in Suzhou, China
1. Selling Shanghai Hairy Crabs and River Shrimp In The Waiting Room of Suzhou Railway Station 2. A Popular Pastime Among Chinese Babyboomers: Card Games At The Park 3. Aplate of Jellied Shark Meat. 4. An Autumnal Hot Pot Dish: Frog Legs, Lotus Roots, Leek, Garlic, Pine Nuts etc 4. The Ancient Back Gate to City of Suzhou, 5. View From One of the Many Bridges in this Venice of the East. Om my last trip to Shanghai, I took a 30 minute train ride to Suzhou, in Jiangsu province ,one of the most beautiful cities in China-sometimes called the Venice of the East, because of the number of canals and bridges that criss-cross the city. Being on the lower reaches of the Yangtze river, Suzhou has always been an important city for commerce, having been in existence for at least 2500 years. But it's also known for its scenic bridges, pagodas, shophouses with verandahs and wood- carved windows. Though only about 80 kilometers from metropolitan Shanghai it has a distinctly rural ambience. W...