On Tuesday, 6 July, I took the optional excursion to Suzhou, an ancient city built on and surrounded by a moat. Our boat ride was relaxing and informative. We saw some houses which Scottie (our city guide) assured us sold for $2-$3-$4 million USD and we also encountered some slums. In Suzhou we visited a silk factory where we saw worms, cocoons, ladies spinning thread and girls making duvets. Two of the workers were arguing so viciously I was afraid they’d come to blows in front of us. Grace told us that they weren’t fighting at all, just talking very loudly, as Chinese typically do. The factory is adjacent to a huge store where I tried on some blouses and jackets, but (again) did not buy anything (yay me some more!). We ate Chinese lunch American-style and then toured The Master-of-Nets, a relatively small garden built by a local dignitary 2,500 years ago and refurbished 400 years ago. The sign says, “Everybody has the responsibility to protect the planting” [or antique, or grass]; Chinese translation for “Don’t touch,” “Keep off,” or “Don’t pick the flowers.”
All around China and in the cities are thousands of people riding bicycles, motorized bikes, mopeds and small motorcycles, all with boxes, bags, suitcases and rolls of personal belongings loaded on the front, back and bench. Many had children or other passengers riding on the seat or the handlebars. Riders were dressed in business clothes, shorts with tank tops, skirts, sandals, high-heels, flip-flops or party attire. I saw exactly one person wearing a helmet.
Driving back into Shanghai I saw slums and shantytowns in the shadow of hundreds of new skyscrapers being constructed.
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