2016 Asia Mega Tour - The China Picture Avalanche Begins - Hong Kong to Shanghai to Suzhou

Can you believe it? The Mega Tour is now over 50% done. Crazy. To think that I, my non-diseased innards, and my naive belief that traffic signals are to be obeyed were innocently sitting in Albuquerque New Mexico (Or Breaking Bad Land as I use to describe it to a certain demographic around the world to explain where I live).

But on to China pictures. I will spread these out over the next few days.

Getting ready to leave with Dragon Lady, Tour Guide Supreme Pooh Lee Shah.

So gentle looking. Who would know?

I title this picture Blissful Early Airport Arrival Before 8 Hour Delay to Take Off

Ha, Ha, Ha Leave at 11:50? No how about 5:00 PM

But arrive we do in Shanghai. On our first day we go by Metro to People's Square where there is supposed to be a ticket office for the train so we can avoid long lines at train station. Unfortunately office is closed but we do get to see People's Square.

NOW we go to the train station

And on to the train for the 30 minute trip to Suzhou

"Ah you happy honorable clients? Already you have experienced Asia discount airline, taxi, Metro, and train. Is good no? Wait for Long March. Very good.

Into Suzhou, we take a taxi to where the old canal is

 Tee Hee, Yes Honorable Pooh, we love Long March (and please don't send us to re-education camp)

In spite of the translation, I'm pretty sure the Chinese characters are prohibiting making footprints on the ground.

Ancient fortress protecting the city from water based attack dating to the 6th century AD

On into a park. Parks in China will be a reoccurring theme. Everyone we went to was beautiful and they are big! We are here in early spring so there's all kinds of trees blooming. It is also the off-season, which as you will see has a slightly different meaning in China.

Then it was on to another part of town by cab (LOTS of fun trying to hail down cabs and explain where we wanted to go when we really didn't have a good map ourselves of the city) to see a preserved example of a private garden...that is the garden of the home of a wealthy person. Actually this home/garden was occupied by many people over many centuries.

Then it was to the center of town where there was big walking mall and an old Taoist Temple

Finally after a rather long walk and the discovery that the distances in the guidebook we had were no where close to scale we were able to hail a cab again and get to the train station. There we had a great view of the old city walls.