One of countless examples of a traditionally-outfitted girl having her picture taken.

A multi-story restaurant along the canal.

Beginning our foray into the Land of Retail.

Fresh squeezed sugar-cane juice; not as silly-sweet as you'd think.

Not sure, but thinking these are pastries. (We've been fooled before...)

Little breads some of which are shaped into adorable figures.

Day trip: Suzhou

October 5 in China ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

Suzhou is ~2hrs west of Shanghai. Often referred to as 'the Venice of the East', Suzhou has a vast series of canals surrounded by a staggering volume of retail. Being a national holiday, we not only experienced the extraordinary volume of local tourism but also got to observe a related local custom of Chinese women getting makeup & dressed up in traditional attire (oftentimes rented for the day) to have their picture taken (via professional, friend or even selfie) in one of the many beautiful venues in & around the canals and gardens.
We took a ride along one of the canals, wandered a few of the retail-laden areas, had lunch in a local restaurant and ended with a visit to one of Suzhou's many garden areas: The Master of Nets Garden.Read more